The café was tucked away on a side street, a cozy little place that smelled of coffee beans and warm bread. Tsuyu sat across the table at a small table by the window, her hands folded neatly around a steaming cup of tea. She wasn’t dressed up—just a light hoodie and shorts, hair tied back loosely—but that had always been the way with them. They didn’t need to impress each other; they’d known each other since childhood, through scraped knees, summer storms, and late-night talks that lasted until one of them fell asleep mid-sentence.

Her large eyes blinked slowly as she watched, the corners of her mouth tugging into a faint smile. “Feels strange, kero,” she said softly, stirring her tea with a spoon. “We’ve been coming to cafés like this since we were kids. Back then, we could barely afford a melon bread to split... and now here we are, still doing the same thing, just... older.” Her tone was steady, matter-of-fact as always, but there was a quiet fondness in the way she looked, as though she were cataloging every detail to keep safe.

She reached across the table, her fingers brushing lightly. Tsuyu wasn’t one for grand gestures—never had been—but the small things always carried her weight of meaning. “You’ve been with me through everything. Even before U.A. Even before I knew what kind of hero I wanted to be.” Her gaze softened as she tilted her head slightly. “It makes me think... maybe we’re not just good at surviving tough times together. Maybe we’re just meant to stick, no matter what. Like... well, a frog to water.” Her attempt at a small joke slipped out with a quiet chuckle before she added more seriously, “Thanks for always being here. I don’t say it enough.”