Not Your Type

The neon lights of Shinjuku blurred into smears of electric blue and hot pink against the rain-slicked pavement. Inside the cramped izakaya, the air was thick with the scent of grilled yakitori and the boisterous laughter of patrons unwinding after a long week.

Mimi sat tucked into the corner of the wooden booth, trying to make herself as small as possible. It wasn't a difficult task. At barely five feet tall, with a frame so slight she often had to buy clothes from the junior section, she felt like a ghost haunting the edges of her own friend group. She clutched her glass of oolong tea, her knuckles white, as she watched Yuji laugh at something Nobara had said.

Yuji hadn't changed much since they were children, despite the scars and the weight of the world on his shoulders. He still had that sun-bright grin and eyes that crinkled at the corners. He was broad-shouldered now, a man in every sense of the word, radiating a casual, rugged masculinity that made Mimi’s heart ache with a familiar, dull throb.

"Mimi, you’re doing it again," Nobara hissed, leaning over the table.

Mimi flinched, her cheeks flushing a deep crimson. "Doing what?"

"Pining," Nobara deadpanned, taking a pointed sip of her highball. "You’re staring at him like he’s the last steamed bun on earth. Just talk to him."

"I can't," Mimi whispered, her voice barely audible over the sizzle of the grill nearby. She looked down at her chest, hidden beneath a chunky, oversized knit sweater that she hoped masked her lack of curves. "Look at me, Nobara. He likes girls like… well, like the ones in the magazines. Tall, athletic, with… presence. I look like a middle-schooler who got lost on her way to the library."

Nobara rolled her eyes so hard it looked painful. "You’re adorable, and you’re kind, and you’ve been by his side since we were six. Men are idiots, Mimi. Yuji is the king of idiots. You have to hit him over the head with it."

Across the table, Yuji was busy debating the merits of different ramen toppings with Megumi, who looked like he would rather be anywhere else.

"I'm telling you, Fushiguro, the extra corn changes the soul of the broth!" Yuji exclaimed, gesturing wildly with a chicken skewer. He turned his bright gaze toward the girls. "Right, Mimi? You like the corn too, don't you?"

Mimi felt the air leave her lungs. "O-oh, yeah. It’s good. Very sweet."

Yuji beamed at her. "See? Mimi gets it. She’s always had the best taste."

He reached over and playfully ruffled her hair. It was a gesture of pure, platonic affection—the kind one might give a younger sister or a favorite pet. Mimi forced a smile, but inside, she felt a little more of her hope wither away. To him, she was just Mimi. The small, quiet girl from the neighborhood who needed protecting. Not a woman. Never a woman.

The night wore on, and the alcohol began to take its toll on the group’s filters. Megumi eventually excused himself, citing a headache that was likely caused by Yuji’s volume. Mimi followed shortly after, claiming she was tired, though the truth was she couldn't bear to sit across from Yuji for another minute without crying.

Once the door clicked shut behind her, Nobara slammed her glass down on the table.

"Alright, that’s it," Nobara snapped.

Yuji blinked, startled by the sudden shift in atmosphere. "Whoa, Nobara. What’s up? Did I eat your last ginkgo nut?"

"You are a blind, insensitive moron, Itadori Yuji," she said, her voice low and dangerous.

Yuji rubbed the back of his neck, looking genuinely confused. "What did I do? I thought we were having a good time."

"Mimi is miserable," Nobara stated flatly. "She’s been in love with you since we were kids, and you treat her like a mascot. Do you have any idea how much it hurts her when you talk about your 'type' or when you look right through her?"

Yuji froze. The smile slid off his face, replaced by a look of sheer bewilderment. "Mimi? In love with me? No way. We’re just… we’re friends. Best friends."

"She thinks she’s not enough for you," Nobara continued, ignoring his protest. "She spends every morning trying to figure out how to dress so she doesn't look like a child. She thinks because she’s small and doesn't have the body of a swimsuit model, you’ll never see her as a woman. She’s terrified that she’s invisible to you."

Yuji sat in silence, the gravity of her words sinking in. He thought back to all the times Mimi had gone quiet when he mentioned a girl he found attractive. He remembered how she always wore baggy clothes, how she shied away from photos, and how she stayed in the background while he and Nobara took up all the space.

"I never meant to make her feel like that," Yuji said softly, his voice thick with guilt. "I always thought she was just… Mimi. I didn't think I had to categorize her. She’s just the person who’s always been there."

"Well, start categorizing," Nobara warned, standing up and grabbing her coat. "Because if you break her heart because you’re too stupid to see what’s right in front of you, I will actually kill you."

Yuji stayed in the booth long after Nobara left. He watched the condensation drip down his glass, feeling a strange ache in his chest. He had always loved Mimi—that was a given. But he realized with a jolt of clarity that he had taken her presence for granted. He had assumed she would always be the stationary point in his turning world.

The next day, the sky was a pale, washed-out grey. Mimi was walking through the park near their apartments, her hands shoved deep into the pockets of her coat. She was lost in thought, wondering if she should distance herself from the group for a while to let her heart heal, when a familiar voice called her name.

"Mimi! Wait up!"

She turned to see Yuji jogging toward her. He looked slightly disheveled, his hood pulled up against the chill. As he reached her, he slowed to a walk, his usual boisterous energy replaced by a nervous hesitation.

"Hey, Yuji," she said, her voice small. "I thought you were sleeping in today."

"Couldn't sleep," he admitted, falling into step beside her.

They walked in silence for a few minutes, the only sound the crunch of dried leaves beneath their shoes. Mimi felt the familiar spark of anxiety. Was he going to tell her he’d found a girlfriend? Or ask her for advice on someone else?

"Nobara talked to me last night," Yuji said abruptly.

Mimi felt her heart stop. She stopped walking, her breath catching in her throat. "She did?"

"Yeah." Yuji turned to face her. He looked down at her, really looked at her, in a way he hadn't in years. He saw the way she hunched her shoulders, trying to hide herself. He saw the delicate line of her jaw and the way her long lashes cast shadows on her pale cheeks.

"Mimi, is it true?" he asked gently. "Do you really think I don't find you attractive because of… because of your size?"

Mimi felt the tears prickling at her eyes. She looked down at her boots, unable to meet his gaze. "It’s not just that. You like girls who are… impressive. I’m just me. I’m small, and I’m flat, and I’m not—I’m not what a man like you wants."

Yuji took a step closer, reaching out to take her hands in his. His palms were warm and calloused, dwarfing her tiny fingers.

"A man like me?" he repeated. "Mimi, do you have any idea how much I rely on you? When things get bad, when I feel like I'm losing myself, I think about you. I think about how you’re the gentlest person I know. I think about how you always know exactly what to say to make the world feel quiet again."

He squeezed her hands, forcing her to look up.

"I was an idiot for not seeing it sooner," Yuji said, his voice dropping to a low, earnest register. "I think I was so used to you being my 'home' that I forgot homes are beautiful, too. You aren't 'invisible,' Mimi. You’re the most solid thing in my life."

Mimi’s lip trembled. "But I’m so small, Yuji. I don't look like a woman."

Yuji let out a short, breathy laugh. He reached up, his thumb brushing a stray tear from her cheek. "You look exactly like the person I want to come back to every night. Size doesn't have anything to do with how much space you take up in my head, Mimi. You’re everything."

He leaned down, his forehead resting against hers. Mimi could smell the faint scent of his laundry detergent and the crisp winter air. For the first time in her life, she didn't feel small in a way that meant 'lesser.' She felt small in a way that meant she fit perfectly within the circle of his arms.

"Can we… can we try this?" Yuji whispered. "I might still be a bit of an idiot, but I want to learn how to be the guy you deserve."

Mimi reached up, her small hands clutching the front of his hoodie. "You’re already that guy, Yuji. You just had to notice."

He smiled then—not the boisterous, loud grin he gave the world, but a soft, private smile meant only for her. He leaned in the rest of the way, his lips meeting hers in a kiss that tasted of rain and long-overdue promises.

In that moment, the insecurities that had haunted Mimi for years didn't vanish, but they grew quiet. She realized that she didn't need to be "impressive" to the rest of the world. To the only person who truly mattered, she was more than enough.

As they walked back toward the city, hand in hand, Yuji didn't let go. He kept her close, his thumb tracing circles on the back of her hand, making sure she knew exactly where she belonged.

Later that evening, Nobara received a text from Yuji. It was a simple photo of their intertwined hands against the backdrop of the setting sun.

Nobara smirked, tossing her phone onto her bed. "About damn time, you moron."

Back at the park, Yuji stopped at a vending machine to buy them both warm drinks. As he handed Mimi a can of cocoa, he looked at her with a newfound intensity that made her stomach flip.

"You know," Yuji said, a playful glint in his eyes, "I think I like that you're small."

Mimi tilted her head, blushing. "Why?"

He grinned, pulling her into a side-hug that lifted her slightly off the ground. "Because you’re the perfect height for me to rest my chin on your head. And you’re easy to carry if you get tired."

"Yuji!" she laughed, swatting at his arm.

"I'm serious!" he chuckled, tucking her under his arm as they continued their walk. "Everything about you is exactly right, Mimi. Don't ever think otherwise again."

And for the first time in her life, Mimi believed him. She wasn't just the girl in the background anymore. She was the center of his world, and that was more than enough.