[Mina Ashido]
Mina Ashido knew that people liked to talk.
Some whispered that she was a flirt, maybe even a bit of a tease. One or two, behind closed doors, whispered that she was a complete "slut" like they knew anything about her.
But she didn't care. She'd had a few boyfriends, sure, but only two had even made it to third base, and only one had gone all the way. Kyūta didn't count because he'd skipped the whole process and gone straight to the finale.
She wasn't always like that. In middle school she was way more concerned about her image. She was a bit insecure at the time, there was always a whisper at the back of her mind that she didn't look normal, that she wasn't good enough for anyone else.
Well, she made it past all of that anyways. She's going to live her best life as a future hero.
Did that make her a slut? Nah. It just meant she knew what she wanted. And right now, what she wanted was a little attention.
Across the gym, Kirishima and Sato were trading blows in a friendly spar. It was Sato's idea, after Kyūta had finished rolling up Kirishima in a smooth headlock. The redhead had laughed it off, of course, all about that manly camaraderie of his. Classic Kiri.
Which left her a little window of opportunity.
Kyūta stood just a few feet away, dumbbells in hand, working through a set of curls. His arms caught the gym lights in a way that drew the eye whether you wanted to look or not.
She'd definitely wanted to look.
Those arms were insane. Strong, sharp, and damn near perfect. And he wasn't even showing off.
Well, maybe a little. He had to know what he looked like.
She smirked to herself as she slid under the barbell rack, loading up for squats. She adjusted the weights to something more moderate and positioned herself just in front of him, facing the mirror. Then she dipped into her first squat, back straight with perfect form.
And maybe, just maybe, her ass angled just slightly more than usual.
Hey. She worked for it, her perfect peach didn't sculpt itself. All those hours of Romanian deadlifts and weighted lunges didn't go to waste. She earned the right to enjoy the attention.
That was half the fun of being here. So long as no one got creepy about it, she didn't mind being admired. Guy or girl—it didn't matter. Appreciation was appreciation.
Well… unless it was that Mineta creep. Jiro had warned her and the other girls earlier—said the little perv was whispering about sneaking a peek in the girls locker room when they were getting into their hero costumes but got stopped before anything happened. That guy better pray he never looked at her the wrong way.
So yeah, it's fine to look if you're hot. Or cute. Or funny enough. Or happened to be a certain material-absorbing hunk.
Kyūta didn't say anything for a few reps, just kept curling with that laser-focused expression. Then, as she came up from another slow squat, she felt a light smack land on the curve of her ass.
"Behave."
She almost moaned from the tone, but instead straightened herself slowly with a playful smirk tugging at her lips. She looked back at him, feigning innocence with wide eyes "Ooh, yes, daddy~"
He chuckled, the sound low and smooth. But she could tell he was just a little flustered.
Victory.
She went back to her squats, a little slower now, a little deeper—letting the burn settle in her thighs. Letting him watch.
Then she heard footsteps approaching, and Kirishima's voice calling out.
Aww, well… guess the fun's over for now.
Kirishima and Sato rejoined them, still a little sweaty from their sparring match. Kirishima's grin was wide, his red hair was a little damp but standing tall like always.
"You're looking pumped up, Kirishima," Kyūta said, resting a hand on his hip. "I take it you won?"
"Yeah," Kirishima replied, beaming. "But Sato's really manly too! His punches hit like freight trains."
Sato gave a sheepish chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. "Haha, yeah, but Kirishima's defenses were too tough. I couldn't break through."
Mina watched the three of them talk with a small smile tugging at her lips. Kirishima was cute in his own way - like a loyal puppy with way too much enthusiasm. Honestly, it made her happy seeing how far he'd come. She remembered the quieter, more unsure version of him back in high school. He'd been carrying something heavy back then, even if he'd never talked about it. Whatever it was, he'd clearly grown past it. He'd really grown into himself now.
As for Sato, he was decent. A solid guy, she had no complaints about him. He didn't stand out in the same way some people did, he didn't have Kyūta's confidence or Kirishima's enthusiastic charm. Just not someone who left much of an impression. But not everyone needed to shine that bright. He seemed genuine. She could see herself hanging out with him again, no problem.
The four of them moved back toward the equipment racks, settling into a new rhythm. They rotated between sets, spotting each other through heavy lifts and timed exercises.
The gym buzzed around them with motion and effort, but for a little while, it was just their small group. Reps and rests. Laughter and sweat. Friends chasing the same goal.
Maybe she'd continue going to the gym with these guys more often in the future.