[Third Person POV]
Momo slowly walked toward the large room where the bunk beds were spread neatly in two long rows, one against each wall. The air inside was warm and buzzing with chatter; the girls were lounging around in their sleepwear, some perched on their bunks, others seated on the floor. It had the feeling of a giant sleepover rather than a simple dorm room, laughter bouncing from one end of the space to the other. Pillows had already been tossed aside, snacks were being passed around, and the casual noise created an inviting, carefree atmosphere.
But the moment Momo stepped through the doorway, everything shifted. The lively room fell quiet, almost too quickly. All eyes turned to her.
Her wide, distant gaze met theirs as she held her towel close around her body. Droplets of water slid down her bare shoulders, catching the light, while her dark hair clung damply to her skin, still glistening from whatever bath she had taken.
"Momo?" Jirou's voice broke the silence, carrying both concern and curiosity. She leaned forward from her bunk, brows furrowed.
"Huh? Me? Yeah, I'm totally fine…" Momo muttered quickly, as though responding instinctively. She walked toward her bed with stiff steps, not meeting anyone's eyes.
"What?" Jirou pressed, confusion sharpening her voice. Around her, the rest of the girls exchanged glances, their expressions just as puzzled and growing more concerned by the second.
Meanwhile, Melissa sat perched on the top bunk like a mischievous cat, a grin tugging at her lips that she struggled to hold back. Her hands flew up to cover her mouth, but her eyes glittered with amusement as she tracked every movement Momo made, her legs kicking idly against the mattress.
A sudden flash of light sparked from beneath Momo's towel. She lowered it calmly to reveal a soft, elegant set of pajamas that hugged her figure comfortably, as though she had prepared them ahead of time. Without explanation, she seated herself at the end of her bed, picking up a towel to rub at her damp hair. Her motions were precise but absent-minded, her gaze distant as if her thoughts lingered far from the crowded room.
"Where did you go? You didn't join us at the hot spring. You missed out—it was spectacular," Mina said suddenly, her cheerful tone cutting through the tension. She leaned forward with a smile, clearly trying to ease the stiffness that had settled since Momo entered.
"Yeah… it was indeed spectacular," Momo answered absently, her lips curving into the faintest smile as she released a soft, almost dreamy sigh.
That was the final straw for Melissa.
"Phttt—Hahahaha!!" she burst out, doubling over with laughter. She slapped the mattress above her head and buried her face into it, her laughter muffled but uncontrollable, her shoulders shaking violently.
The other girls looked between one another, their bewilderment only growing. "Wait, what do you mean? You didn't go with us… but you look like you just got out of a bath," Toru pointed out, her invisible hands gesturing wildly. "Does this place have showers we don't know about?"
Momo, calm as ever, simply shook her head. "No… no showers. Lake. Late night swim. Bathe there," she said evenly. With another flick of creation light, she conjured a sleek electric blow dryer, switched it on, and let the warm air blow against her face and through her hair.
"Excuse me?" Mina's voice rose in shock. "You mean to tell us you went bathing in a lake that late at night? By yourself? What were you even doing there? Why would you even think of something like that?"
"No… no… not by myself," Momo corrected, her voice softer now. She flopped backward onto her bed, letting the towel slide away. Her damp hair spilled around her, the look on her face melting into pure bliss.
That single statement set the room ablaze with unspoken questions. Everyone perked up, staring at her in stunned silence. Some exchanged bewildered glances, while others leaned in closer as though Momo might whisper the answer in secret.
Asui's wide eyes blinked rapidly, a faint croak escaping her lips before she could stop it, a blush tinting her cheeks. Uraraka, caught off guard, squeaked and instinctively floated a few inches off the ground, covering her heated face with both hands. Melissa, of course, was delighted—her grin had returned, her chin resting in her palms as she swayed her legs back and forth, eyes sparkling with mischief.
"What? Then who were you with?" Jirou finally asked, her voice sharper now, her confusion giving way to suspicion. "The Pussycats?"
But while Jirou and Melissa focused intently on Momo, Mina and Toru were both staring at Uraraka and Asui instead, noticing their strangely reactions.
Melissa didn't even glance at the others' confused or horrified reactions. Their stares, their questions, even Uraraka's trembling hands hiding her red face didn't matter. All she cared about was Momo's dreamy expression. Tilting her head, she leaned forward on the top bunk, a mischievous spark in her eyes.
"It was that good, huh?" she asked slyly.
Momo sighed softly, clutching her pillow close against her chest like it was her last lifeline. Her eyes stayed fixed on the wooden planks of the bunk above her, her damp hair spilling around her. Her lips parted as she whispered almost reverently, "It was… phenomenal."
Her voice carried a weight that left the room in silence. She continued, speaking as though lost in a trance. "It was unlike anything I've ever felt before. Nothing I've ever experienced even came close. I was seeing stars… both figuratively and literally…"
Melissa's grin widened, her shoulders shaking with laughter. She covered her mouth to stop herself from cackling too loudly, but then her expression softened, something almost like recognition flashing across her face. She totally understood.
"Please stop!!" Uraraka squealed, her voice breaking in protest. Her entire face burned bright red as she floated helplessly a few feet above her bed, flailing in embarrassment. "I don't want to hear about it!"
Asui, normally calm, was no better. She sat rigidly on her mattress, her knees drawn up, her face buried into the pillow on her lap. Her cheeks glowed crimson as muffled, rapid croaks tumbled out against the fabric.
The rest of the room was no less confused. Mina pouted dramatically, throwing her arms out. "Okay, seriously? Some of us are clearly being left out of whatever… whatever this inside joke is. That's not cool!"
"Yeah!" Toru added, stomping her foot against the floor in frustration. "We want to know too! I hate being left out when something big is happening!"
Jirou crossed her arms, her sharp eyes flicking between the red-faced Uraraka, the croaking Asui, and the blissfully dazed Momo. "So, care to fill us in?" she asked coolly.
Melissa nearly lost it right there, biting her lip to keep from bursting. In her head, the jokes came one after another, 'Someone's been filled in already, alright…' But she didn't say it—at least not out loud. Even she wasn't that cruel.
Instead, she clasped her hands together in mock desperation and leaned down toward Momo. "Momo, if you're actually going to tell them… can I be the one to do it? Pretty please?"
Momo rolled lazily onto her side, hugging her pillow tighter as if it were a stand-in for someone else entirely. Her blissful smile never faltered. She inhaled deeply before answering in a dreamy tone, "Melissa… I don't care anymore. You can tell the entire class if you want to…"
All eyes immediately snapped to Melissa, who perked up like a cat who'd just been handed her favorite toy. She swung her legs over the bunk so they dangled above, her grin stretching ear to ear.
"You're all dying to know, right?" Melissa asked, her tone playful yet taunting. She pointed toward Momo, who at that exact moment giggled softly into her pillow, rolling around the mattress like she was weightless. "You want to know why she's acting like she's on another planet? Why she disappeared and came back looking like she walked straight out of heaven?"
The girls didn't even answer. They just stared, then slowly nodded their heads in unison, curiosity burning in their eyes.
Melissa's smile turned wicked. She raised one hand, forming a circle with her thumb and forefinger, while her other hand raised its index finger. Without hesitation, she slid the finger through the circle, pulling it back out with a loud pop of her lips.
"In case you're not getting it—" Melissa said sweetly, sliding it back in. Pop. Back out. Pop. Again and again. Pop, pop, pop, pop, pop.
The sound echoed in the now deathly silent room.
The girls blinked in confusion, their eyes bouncing between Melissa's obscene gesture and Momo's giddy giggling on the bed. They looked back at Melissa, then back at Momo, then at Melissa, then finally back at Momo
"..."
"..."
"..."
The silence stretched painfully, until suddenly Mina's eyes widened, her jaw unhinging. Toru's hands flew to her mouth, and Jirou's earjacks stiffened like startled cats.
"…Ding."
And then it clicked.
"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?!" the three of them shrieked in perfect unison, their voices overlapping into a chaotic mess of shock and disbelief. Their jaws practically hit the floor as their eyes bulged wide enough to pop out of their heads.
Uraraka squealed louder, kicking her legs and covering her ears. Asui buried her face deeper into her pillow with a long, desperate croak. Meanwhile, Melissa simply leaned back on her bunk, laughing so hard she nearly lost her balance, basking in the chaos she had just unleashed.
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