Mineta wasn't exactly the type to have close friends.

Most people only saw him as the class pervert—the guy constantly trying to peek under girls' skirts, spying on the locker room, shamelessly flirting with anyone who'd listen, and bursting into tears the second things got too scary. To almost everyone else, he was annoying.

But somehow... that's not what you saw.

You thought he was absolutely adorable.

He was so ridiculously tiny, barely reaching most people's shoulders. His little hands, those round beady eyes that somehow managed to show every emotion at once, his soft curls, and the way he'd puff himself up to seem braver than he actually was... it was all unbearably cute.

Every time he smiled at you, your heart squeezed. Every time he got flustered, you had to fight the overwhelming urge to scoop him into your arms, squish his cheeks, and tell him he was doing a good job.

Somewhere along the way, those feelings had stopped being simple affection.

You'd fallen for him.

Not in a "he's like a little brother" kind of way. Not in a protective, platonic way.

Romantically.

And lately, your self-control had been hanging by a thread.

Training had ended in disaster. You'd taken a nasty hit, leaving your body aching as you sat on the training field, tears spilling freely from the pain. The rest of the class was busy talking amongst themselves or heading back inside.

Then you noticed a familiar pair of purple boots stop in front of you.

Mineta.

He crouched down until he was eye level with you, his expression unusually serious. There wasn't a cheesy pickup line. There wasn't a joke.

Instead, he hesitantly opened his arms.

"Uh... d-do you... want a hug?" he asked quietly.

Those big, nervous eyes searched your face, almost expecting you to shove him away or laugh at him for even offering.

Your breath caught.

He looked so impossibly sweet standing there with his tiny arms stretched out, trying so hard to comfort you despite looking terrified of being rejected.

Fresh tears welled up in your eyes.

Not because your injuries hurt...

But because he was so unbelievably adorable.

Without a second thought, you lunged forward, wrapping your arms tightly around him and pulling him against your chest. A sob escaped you as you buried your face against his hero costume, clinging to him like he was the only thing keeping you together.