Chapter 10: Gearing Up
The hum of the shopping mall wrapped around Izuku and Inko Midoriya like a blanket air conditioning blasting cool relief against the sticky June heat outside, voices bouncing off tiled floors, and the faint jingle of a sale ad looping overhead. It was a Saturday afternoon, a week after the last day of school, and the place buzzed with families, teenagers, and the occasional harried clerk. Izuku trailed his mom through the wide aisles of Musutafu's biggest mall, a reusable shopping bag swinging from his hand, his new haircut glinting under the fluorescent lights. Inko led the charge, her green hair tied back in a loose bun, a notepad clutched tight as she muttered to herself about lists and deals.
Their mission was clear: stock up for their mid-July trip to America two weeks in New York with Hisashi and grab some groceries for home while they were at it. Izuku's sneakers squeaked faintly on the polished floor as he kept pace, eyes darting between racks of clothes and the food court's tempting smells. Two birds, one stone, he thought, adjusting the bag's strap. Clothes for the trip, food for the house efficient. Gotta look good in New York, though.
Inko stopped at a clothing store's entrance bright signs boasting "Summer Sale!" and turned to him with a smile. "Okay, Izuku, let's start with your stuff," she said, flipping open her notepad. "It's July in New York, so it'll be hot and humid too, your dad says. We need light clothes, nothing heavy. What do you think some T-shirts first?"
Izuku nodded, stepping into the store beside her. "Yeah, T-shirts sound good," he said, scanning the racks. "Maybe some shorts too. Don't wanna sweat through everything the first day." Gotta keep it sharp, he added silently. Light, cool, but stylish.
"Good idea!" Inko chirped, pulling a light blue T-shirt off a hanger. It was cotton, short-sleeved, with a small All Might logo stitched on the chest. "This one's cute breathable too. Try this, and maybe a couple more colors? White, green oh, this gray one's nice!" She piled them into his arms, her enthusiasm bubbling over. "You'll need at least five or six for two weeks. Can't have you running out!"
"Got it," Izuku said, holding up a green tee with a subtle stripe across the front. "This one's cool. And yeah, shorts something loose but not baggy." He grabbed a pair of khaki cargo shorts, knee-length with side pockets, and a navy pair with a drawstring. "These work. Light enough for the heat, and I can move in 'em." Perfect for biking in Central Park, he thought, picturing himself pedaling past skyscrapers. Or dodging crowds at Times Square.
Inko nodded, inspecting the shorts with a hum. "Smart choice! Those'll keep you comfy. Oh, and let's get you a hat sun's brutal over there, Hisashi said. Maybe a cap?" She darted to a display, snagging a black baseball cap with a red brim. "This one's sporty keeps the sun off your face."
"Looks good," Izuku agreed, plopping it on his head for a test fit. It sat snug, shading his eyes just right. "Yeah, I'll take it. What about you, Mom? What're you getting?"
"Me?" Inko blinked, then laughed, patting her notepad. "Well, I need some things too! It's hot for me just as much, you know." She wandered to the women's section, pulling a flowy white blouse off a rack sleeveless, lightweight, with a soft floral pattern. "This'll do nicely keeps me cool and looks pretty for pictures. And maybe this skirt?" She held up a beige A-line skirt, mid-calf length, airy and simple. "Good for walking around, don't you think?"
"Definitely," Izuku said, nodding. "That's perfect for the Statue of Liberty trip light and easy. Grab some more tops too you'll need 'em." She's gotta look good too, he thought. Family pics in New York can't have us slacking.
Inko smiled, adding a pale yellow tank top and a breezy blue tunic to her pile. "You're right, three or four should be enough. And I'll get a sunhat big and floppy, like those American ladies in the movies!" She giggled, snatching a wide-brimmed straw hat with a little bow. "There! We'll both be ready for that heat."
"Solid plan," Izuku said, adjusting his cap. "What about shoes? My sneakers are fine, but you?"
"Oh, I've got my comfy sandals at home," Inko said, waving a hand. "But maybe some socks for you cotton ones, keep your feet dry." She tossed a pack of ankle socks into their growing pile. "Anything else for the trip? Toothbrush, sunscreen we'll hit the drugstore section after."
"Yeah, sounds good," Izuku said, eyeing their haul T-shirts, shorts, cap for him; blouses, skirt, hat for her. Light, practical, but sharp, he thought. New York's humid, but I'll still turn heads. Future hero's gotta start somewhere.
Inko checked her notepad, tapping her pen. "Okay, clothes are set now groceries! We're running low at home, and I don't want to come back from America to an empty fridge. Let's grab some staples after this rice, miso, eggs, maybe some fish for tonight?"
"Add noodles," Izuku suggested, shifting the bag to his other hand. "And snacks and potato chips or something. Vacation prep's hungry work."
Inko laughed, scribbling it down. "You're right chips it is! And maybe some fruit apples, bananas to keep us going. We'll swing by the food court too, get a quick bite before we haul all this home."
"Deal," Izuku said, grinning. "Ramen sound good?" Fuel up, then load up, he thought. America's two weeks away gotta be ready.
"Ramen it is!" Inko said, tucking her notepad away. "Let's pay for these and move on—busy day ahead!" She steered them toward the checkout, their arms full of summer clothes, the promise of New York and a stocked pantry pulling them forward.