RIKO POV
School felt different now. The "restroom massacre" had guaranteed me total silence from the girls, but the incident in the park with Bakugo had created a new kind of noise. An awkward one.
Every time I caught Bakugo's eye in class, I'd immediately look elsewhere. It wasn't just the "period thing." It was the realization that the wall I'd built was crumbling. For years, I'd forced myself to see him as a "fictional character", a loud-mouthed rival in a story I already knew the ending to. But that wall was gone. He'd seen me at my most vulnerable, human moment, and instead of mocking me or making fun of me, he and his mom had actually helped.
How do you keep pretending someone isn't real when they've bought you pads and let you sleep in their bed? The silence of my own thoughts, knowing I was probably wrong about everything, was deafening.
"Hey, Riko-chan?"
I was snapped out of my existential crisis by a mop of green hair. I looked up to see Izuku standing by my desk, but his eyes were glued to a group of kids in the back of the room. They were huddled around a magazine, whispering frantically.
"Did you see the new chapter of Attack on Titan?" one kid whispered, his voice trembling with excitement. "Kira is a genius. I can't believe they actually killed off the Commander like that. It's brutal."
I felt a surge of pride, a warm glow that temporarily shoved my Bakugo-induced confusion aside. Kira. My pen name. To the world, I was a faceless God of tragedy. To this classroom, I was just the girl who looked like she was one bad day away from committing a felony.
"They have no idea," Izuku muttered, leaning in. He was the only person in this world who knew my secret.
"And they won't," I snapped quietly, leaning back in my chair. "Anyway, Izu-kun. We've been training, but you need more than just 'The Riko Special' (Saitama training). You should join a local martial arts dojo. learn Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai or something. If you're going to be a hero without a Quirk... well, however you plan to do it, you need technique."
Izuku nodded seriously, his pen flying across his notebook. "You're right. I need to be able to use something to incapacitate a villain without needing raw strength. Thanks for the advice, Riko-chan!"
"Heh... mention it not. And please, call me Sensei," I joked, striking a dramatic pose.
Izuku blinked, his face going totally flat. He just stared at me for a beat, then looked back at his notes. "But... are you okay? You've been quiet today. And you look a bit pale."
That bastard ignored the Sensei comment! Humph. "I'm fine," I lied, though my lower back felt like it was being squeezed by a vice. "Just still tired from the 'monthly subscription fee' of being a woman. It's draining, literally. My body is probably just being dramatic about the blood loss."
"Are you sure? Maybe you should see the nurse?"
"And admit defeat to my own biology? Never," I muttered, resting my head on the desk. "Go study your grappling moves, Izu. I'm just gonna hibernate until the bell rings."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After school, the golden hour was back, painting the streets of Musutafu in that familiar amber glow. I was walking home alone, my mind a mess of storyboards and philosophical marinate, I didn't want to think about.
"Oi! Fuse-Box!"
I stopped. I didn't even have to turn around to know the smell of burnt sugar was approaching. Bakugo caught up to me, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. He didn't look at me. He looked at a stray cat across the street.
"You're still coming to train tomorrow?" he grunted.
"Maybe. If I don't decide to pursue a career in professional napping instead," I joked, though it felt a bit forced.
The air between us was thick. The awkwardness of the "park incident" was still there, but under it was something else. Bakugo stopped walking.
"Are you actually gonna do it?" he asked. His voice wasn't loud. It was low, almost cautious. "The U.A. exam. Are you actually gonna try to be a hero?"
I froze. My mind went into a tailspin. Am I? I knew the plot. I knew the villains. I knew the blood and the loss that was coming. In my heart, I just wanted to finish my manga and make sure my dad was okay. Being a hero meant being a target.
"What's the matter, Sparky?" I smirked, trying to regain my footing. "Scared that if I show up, you'll be stuck at Rank 2 for the rest of your life?"
Bakugo didn't snap. He didn't yell. He just looked at me with those piercing red eyes. "Quit joking around. You've got a power that can level a building. You're faster than the idiots in class. But you look at the hero news like it's a chore."
He took a step closer. "If you're just gonna half-ass it, don't bother. I don't want to win against someone who doesn't even want to be there."
I looked at him, the witty comeback dying in my throat. I saw the genuine intensity in his face. He really cared. Not just about winning, but about the sport of it.
I didn't know what to say to him. I was at a loss for words
"I'll see you around, Bakugo," I said softly after a while, turning away.
"Hey! I asked you a question!"
I didn't answer. I just kept walking, my hand subconsciously touching the side of my bag where my latest "Kira" sketches were hidden.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author Plaza
.....sniff....sniff....happy to see people are reading this,
but I'm crying for another reason.....sniff...sniff.... I'm already on chapter 25, ... and it's soooooooooooooo...(sry no spoiler)....
Also, I'm improving my writing, I don't know if ya can feel it from these chapters, but hopefully later down the line.
And, thanks for the support.