(Kata POV – Class 1-A)
Midnight's heels click rhythmically against the floor as she gestures toward a projection of various pro heroes in their costumes. "Now—see here!—look at how Mt. Lady's costume balances both practicality and appeal! Fashion and functionality, people! You can't inspire crowds in baggy overalls!"
She punctuates her words with a dramatic spin, pointer flashing across the board as if she's giving a TED Talk on charisma.
I rest my chin on one hand, watching her. It's Modern Hero Art History, a course meant to prepare us for the more practical and relational aspects of being a hero and, to my surprise, it's actually… relevant.
'I think it helps.' I think calmly. 'This is what I need to focus on when designing a new costume.'
I glance down at my notes. I'd been considering redesigning my hero outfit into something less villain-esque, but the more I listen, the more I realize I have no idea where to even begin.
'Guess I'll have to ask Midnight for help…' I sigh internally. That'll be a tiring experience, but she's very passionate about aesthetics, so I'm sure in the end, it'll turn out well.
Despite my focus, I can feel the underlying tension simmering in the classroom. It's a constant, quiet buzz, as glances and murmurs are silently exchanged.
'They're not even pretending to pay attention…'
Sure, there are exceptions: Bakugo, who's leaning back in his chair like he couldn't care less. Tokoyami, perfectly composed. Todoroki, watching Midnight quietly. And Midoriya, taking notes like it's the most interesting thing in the world.
But everyone else? I can feel their eyes keep drifting to me.
'For once, I'm grateful to Aizawa. If he hadn't forced the morning class to start on time, I'd have been swarmed already.'
News about Himiko had spread before I even reached class, and curiosity has been building like static electricity. People want to see her, talk to her, figure out what kind of girl she is for her to be living with me.
'Lunch break starts in two minutes…' I note, glancing up at the clock. 'The moment that bell rings, I'm gone. I'll let Mina or Momo handle the explanations, since they already know the situation.'
Midnight slaps a new slide onto the board, her voice ringing out dramatically. "—and that, my lovely students, is why a hero needs a catchphrase! It's the cherry on top! The moment civilians hear it, they feel safe! The villains tremble in fear! Plus—" She points toward the ceiling "—it's just super cool!"
She strikes a pose. Half the class claps out of obligation.
And then—
BRRRRIIIIIIINGGGG!
The bell rings.
Midnight freezes mid-pose, sighing theatrically as her vibrant energy fades into a calm, seductive smile. "Alright, that's all for today, my dears. You're dismissed."
Chairs scrape. Bags zip. I can feel everyone preparing to intercept me.
'Three… two… one—'
The door slides open as Midnight begins to leave.
"Oh?" Midnight hums, her lips curling into a smile. "You're here for Kata?" She teases her, voice dripping with amusement. She glances back at me with a knowing wink.
The entire class turns toward the door as someone peeks in.
"Kata~!" Himiko's voice echoes throughout the room like a beautiful melody, and every single person freezes.
She steps inside with a mischievous grin, eyes lighting up the moment she spots me. "There you are! I was looking all over for you~"
I stare at her flatly. "…I've been here in class. There wasn't anywhere to look."
"Still!" She chirps, crossing the room in a few bounces before slipping behind me and wrapping her arms around my shoulders, chin resting on my head. I can feel breasts on the back of my neck. "Classes were soooo boring." She groans. "Let's have lunch together, okay?"
'Perfect. My escape route's gone.'
'And… everyone's staring.'
The silence in the room is almost tangible, broken only by Himiko's patient humming.
"Alright." I say helplessly, knowing she wouldn't take 'no' for an answer.
"You two are as close as ever." Midnight muses, clearly enjoying the show. Her smile widens when she sees the slight blush rising on my face from the embarrassment Himiko is causing me.
'You're doing this on purpose.' I glare at her silently.
'Who, me?' Her innocent expression replies.
Kaminari shoots to his feet, pointing dramatically. "Aha! It is you! The mystery girl from this morning!"
Himiko tilts her head, smiling sweetly. "Yup! That's me."
"What's your relationship with Kata?" Kaminari blurts, leaning forward like a reporter about to get the scoop of the century.
Himiko doesn't hesitate. She tightens her arms around me possessively, her voice bright and proud. "Kata's the person I love most in the world!"
The class erupts.
Half the girls gasp and 'oooh'. The guys whistle, some clapping and looking at me with approval I never asked for.
"Wait, what?!" Kaminari sputters. "So are you guys datin—"
He doesn't finish before Jiro smacks him on the head with a sharp thwack of her earphone jack. "You can't just ask that, you moron!"
He winces, rubbing the back of his head. "I was just curious!"
I sent a thankful look towards Jiro, and before I can even breathe a sigh of relief, Himiko tilts her head, playing innocent.
"Are we dating, Kata?" She asks sweetly. "I mean… we do live together."
I get a few suspicious and accusatory looks.
"…Himiko." I warn quietly, but she keeps going.
"And we even sleep in the same bed, sooo…"
The silence begins to weigh heavily on me.
Mina's jaw drops. Toru trips and falls face-first, but I catch her midair with Telekinesis. Momo drops her pencil.
Kaminari's eyes are wide as dinner plates. "You what?"
Jiro raises an eyebrow, Uraraka covers her mouth while blushing. Some of the boys look extremely excited, and even Sero and Kirishima are giving me thumbs up.
I sigh deeply, the sound somewhere between tired and resigned.
'And there goes any chance I had to have a peaceful day.'
"It's not what it sounds like." I say flatly, already feeling a headache building.
"R-really?" Toru's voice trembles, as she leans forward. "I thought you guys just lived together…"
"I thought so too." Mina's smile doesn't reach her eyes this time. She folds her arms, hips tilted in accusation. "So… care to explain what it actually is?"
"Everyone." Momo interjects smoothly before things spiral out of control. "Let's give Kata a chance to clarify before jumping to conclusions." She says in a calm and composed manner, like a perfect diplomat.
Midnight stays leaning against the doorframe, one eyebrow arched, clearly loving every second of this.
'Great. Now begins a trial for crimes that don't even exist.' I think dryly.
"Well," I begin, "while it's true we sleep in the same bed, that's only because Himiko keeps sneaking into mine. On her own."
The room collectively turns toward her for confirmation.
"Of course I do!" Himiko chirps, grining brightly. "I can't sleep unless I'm hugging you." She squeezes me a little tighter to demonstrate, as if that helps.
A few sighs of relief ripple through the girls, as Mina, Momo, and Toru visibly relax, though not by much.
"Still…" Tsuyu tilts her head, chin resting on her hand. "Isn't it kinda weird if you're not dating, ribbit?"
"Yeah, I was thinking that too." Kaminari adds, as eager as ever. "That's pretty intimate, man."
"How's it weird?" Himiko blinks innocently. "We like each other, so that's all that matters! Even if Kata rejected my confession, I'm not giving up!"
"Your what?!" Mina and Toru shout in unison.
"You confessed?" Momo's composure cracks for the first time.
"Yup!" Himiko beams, completely unbothered.
"You rejected her?" Kaminari points at me like I'm the bad guy.
Even Kirishima looks disappointed. "Bro, that's kinda uncool. You can't just lead a lady on."
And there it is, my return to public enemy number one.
"I didn't lead anyone on." I grit out. "We just agreed we weren't ready for that kind of relationship. It was a mutual decision not to rush anything neither of us were ready for."
For a moment, I'm blessed with silence.
Then Himiko gasps dramatically, hands clasped together. "But what about when you took my first? Our bodies were tangled together all night, and we didn't get a wink of sleep~"
Time seems to freeze.
Toru collapses face-first onto her desk. Mina and Momo go pale. Kaminari's brain probably short-circuit. The rest of the class avoids eye contact, suddenly fascinated by the walls, the floor, anything except what has transpired.
My brain catches up half a second later, simply being shocked by the absurdity of her claim. 'Oh… She means the kiss.'
"It was just a kiss." I clarify immediately. "And you initiated it."
"It still counts." She says with a teasing lilt, sticking her tongue out. "It was my first kiss, and it was with you~"
The tension doesn't disappear, simply changing form. Momo massages her temple, Mina looks torn between screaming and fainting. Toru doesn't even bother looking up, and remains listless on her desk.
"Himiko…" I say slowly. "Stop messing with everyone."
"Boo." She pouts. "You're no fun. I was having a good time." Then, as if the last few minutes never happened. "Anyway, about lunch—"
"You're not getting out of this." Mina interrupts sharply, snatching Himiko by the arm. "We're talking. Now."
"This was stressful…" Toru mutters, trailing after them.
"Indeed." Momo sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose before following too.
"But I wanted to eat with Kata…" Himiko protests softly, though she doesn't resist. She's practically humming with mischief.
'Was this was her plan all along?' I wonder. 'Maybe she wanted to give them a sense of pressure… but I can't predict the thoughts of a madwoman.'
Once they're gone, the room slowly calms down. Most of the girls leave together, gossiping under their breath.
Then, as if on cue, Kirishima, Kaminari, and Sero swoop in.
"So," Sero grins, leaning on my desk, "what actually happened?"
Kaminari elbows him. "Yeah man, no more cryptic answers. Spill it."
And just like that, my lunchtime becomes an interrogation session. And my only chance to escape was stolen from me.
Still, it's strange.
I'm not angry at Himiko. I'm more annoyed at the explanations I have to give, than her for causing the situation.
'Maybe I've just grown used to it.' I think, as I deal with the chaos she left behind.
The rest of the day drifts by in relative peace.
Classes come and go, and after the interrogation at lunch, things have calmed down as the class began to settle, their curiosity sated.
When the final bell rings, I head to pick Himiko up from her class, and she's already waiting by the door, waving the moment she spots me.
"Hey~!" She chirps, bouncing up beside me. "You don't look nearly as exhausted as I expected you to be…" She hums thoughtfully. "Didn't they keep bombarding you with questions?"
"It was quite easy to handle everything without you making things worse at every turn." I reply dryly.
She laughs, clearly satisfied with herself. "You're welcome~"
"For what? Unprompted stress and embarrassment?"
"For helping your social life." She says with a wicked grin. "Mina, Momo, and Toru really needed a push."
"So it was intentional." I reply, not even surprised.
"Obviously." She shrugs indifferently. "They like you, but they overthink things. I just… gave them some motivation." Then, before I can respond, she adds sweetly. "Anyway, what we talked about is classified. Girl talk. So don't even ask."
"I wasn't planning to." I reply simply, not wanting to make my life more complicated than it already is.
"Good." She grins wider, and that's the end of that.
We pick up Eri together. She runs toward us the second she sees us, and Himiko scoops her up before I can.
"Eri! How was school?" Himiko asks with exaggerated cheer.
"I got a gold star!" Eri beams, puffing out her chest, where a shiny golden sticker is attached.
I pat her head gently. "Good job. You're amazing, Eri." I smile warmly, genuinely proud.
She giggles, and just like that, all my stresses and worries fades away.
We walk home together—Himiko chatting the entire way, Eri showing off drawings she made in class, and me quietly planning what to do next.
That night, someone mentions the approaching Final Exams, and even through the screen, I can feel everyone's panic.
Himiko doesn't seem concerned. "Two weeks is plenty of time." She says while lying upside down on the couch, head resting on my lap, not by my own choice. "You'll ace it anyway."
"Maybe." I say, scrolling through notes. "But it's always better to prepare."
I've already decided to focus the next two weeks on refining my control and strengthening my quirk.
And while I'm confident, there's always a chance Nezu might try something to make the exam more challenging for me.
'I don't think there's much he can do, but I need to master my powers for my own sake regardless.'
I also talked to Midnight briefly about reworking my hero costume, and she seemed… a little too enthusiastic.
She said she'd help me design something 'with flair and practicality,' before I calmed her down by saying I don't want anything flashy. Yet somehow, I doubt she really listened.
Finally, as the night winds down, with Eri asleep and tucked in, and Himiko having crawled into bed beside me, the house feels… calm.
And after today, I do decide to actually sleep this night.
*************
A/N: Hello Everyone. How are y'all? If you've enjoyed the chapter and book thus far, please consider leaving me some comments, reviews, or power stones. It really helps the book out.
So... Yeah, this chapter is a lot. I honestly hate chaps like this. I find multi-people scenes so hard to write, but I did my best, and overall, I think it turned out really well.
Everyone now knows about Toga, she caused a lot of chaos, and also is pushing the others to be more proactive. But, don't worry! I believe in sweet, pure love, and won't rush them. In my head, if they tried to kiss Kata, he'd reject them because he knows they aren't ready. That's the kind of romance I write. So, they'll wait till after the final exam.
The next chapter is gonna be a summary, maybe a short training description for Kata, before we jump into the exam the chapter after it. I think I found a way to make the fight actually interesting (to some extent), so it'd be a surprise for everyone. Also, suggest hero costume ideas. I'm more going for minimalistic support items, given he doesn't need them, but it's also possible and gives a good reason to collaborate with Mei.
And, as I write... Midnight. Idk, it's looking kinda hard to give her time to shine, so I tried with the costume design scene, which can kinda be made into a date, idk. We'll see. (I just realised it'd need to be before the exam, so that falls through. I'll have to delay the costume then).
You can also read 10 chapters ahead, and support me at [email protected]/AMV_WEAKLY
But anyway, I'm sleepy, so I'll be heading to bed. I hope you all enjoy the chapter, and I wish you all a good day/night!😁