A week has passed since the day Izuku first met Katsuki Bakugō. Since then, the fantastic day they had is all she's been thinking about. Well... When she isn't thinking about school, and how in a couple days, she'll be starting her first day at the same school Katsuki goes to, that is.

Her family is moving again in a couple weeks, and due to this, they've already enrolled her in the one closest to their new neighborhood. Interestingly enough, this school happens to the same one Katsuki goes to, (according to Inko, at least), so one can only imagine how thrilled Izuku was when she heard the news. Not only is she going to a new school, free of the kids who picked on her in the past, but Katsuki's going to be there. She'll get to see and play with him everyday. And to top it all off, their neighborhoods are practically next to one another's, so that means they'll be able to have more frequent playdates from here on out. It'd be even cooler if they were in the same class, although, Izuku knows that might be asking for too much.

Regardless; she's ecstatic.

Because of this, she doesn't badger her mother about seeing Katsuki again, as there isn't much of a point.

They'll be seeing each other again quite soon.

And as Izuku prepares herself for sleep, she wonders if Katsuki is equally thrilled about this situation as she is, and if he wants to see her again as much as she does.

She supposes she'll find out on the first day.


"What are you doing here?"

This is hardly the reaction Izuku was hoping for.

"Katsuki, you know this girl?" A boy next to Katsuki asks, and scrutinizes Izuku from head to toe.

Despite the fact that Izuku's been receiving curious glances from nearly all of her new peers as they wait in front of the classroom for the teacher to come, Izuku doesn't pay them any mind.

"Be quiet, Tsubasa, I'm not talking to you." Katsuki snaps, prompting the said boy in question to recoil.

"Your... mom didn't tell you I'd be joining your school?" Izuku replies in confusion.

"You're what?!" He shouts, pointing a finger at her.

Apparently not. Izuku gulps.

Is it me, or is he not all that happy to see me?

"I've enrolled at your school," she says coolly. "Is there something wrong with that?"

Katsuki's eyes widen.

"I can't believe this," he mutters, and smacks his forehead, "My mom didn't tell me this on purpose, I bet. She probably wanted it to be a surprise, or something. Stupid old hag—"

An older woman's voice comes from behind all of them and cuts him off.

"Alright, children, I've arrived! You may come inside now!"

As they all enter the classroom, Izuku can only think about one thing.

Enrolling in the same school as Katsuki Bakugō better not have been a mistake.


By the time recess rolls around, Katsuki doesn't so much as blink at Izuku as he exits the classroom.

Bewilderment simmers within Izuku.

Is he avoiding me?

She thought that after the day when they played, that he... well... at the very least, wouldn't ignore her like this.

On one hand, Izuku shouldn't feel so entitled for his attention. On the other, she thought that after everything that had transpired that day, that he viewed her as well. A friend. Not just another acquaintance. She thought that he'd at least greet her once class was over.

Against her better judgement, she decides to follow him to wherever he's headed.


As Katsuki walks over to the school playground with three of his friends, all he thinks about is one thing.

Izuku Midoriya being enrolled at his school is probably the worst thing that's happened to him.

Why? Well, for one. He does not want to be seen walking around campus with a girl by his side. He has a reputation to maintain! Maybe he doesn't think all girls are lame, but his friends do. And he doesn't want anyone thinking he's gone soft because he's befriended a girl.

Two. Izuku hanging out with him and his friends would not end well. The games he and his friends are way too rough, rougher than what he's played with Izuku, and he knows that she wouldn't be able to handle it. Not with the way she is now, at least.

And three— Izuku does weird things to his stomach and to his brain. For whatever reason, he kept thinking about her for days on end after that day they played, and whenever he did, it'd cause him to feel a weird, fuzzy feeling in his insides. And when he told his mom about this, her laughter basically confirmed to him that all he's feeling is definitely not a good thing.

So. Now that he's gotten all those reasons out of the way, it's fair to say that he's completely justified for not wanting to be anywhere near her while they're at school.

And well. Izuku should just have to deal with that fact.

"Katsuki, what's up?" His friend Taichi beckons. "You look really messed up, dude."

"I'm fine," he insists. His friends can't know what's got him so worked up. They continue walking for a good minute or so, and they finally reach their destination; the playground. Specifically, the tire swing.

"Where's Kairi?" Katsuki frets, referring to another friend of his from another class, "Don't tell me he's still home sick—"

"Katsuki-kun!" A shrill voice calls out from afar, behind him.

Please don't tell me that's who I think it is, he inwardly begs.

He doesn't turn around. He doesn't want to find out who it is, although— he already knows.

Touji, another friend of his, raises a brow. "Uh, Katsuki. I think that girl over there is calling you."

Katsuki laughs nervously. "G-Girl? Please, Touji, you're being ridiculous. There's no girl calling me."

"Oh yeah?" His third friend, Yuuki, then turns Katsuki around. "Then who's that?"

Katsuki bites his lip.

A familiar green-haired girl stands six meters before them, and is growing closer with every step she takes.

Katsuki gulps as he takes in her appearance. He saw how she looked before, but now's the first time today he soaks in her appearance. She's dressed more girly than the last time he saw her. He dare even say, she's rather cute today… if he weren't distracted by the fact that he really doesn't want her here. A white T shirt, pink skirt and pink shoes that sparkle on their sides make for an interesting combination. Her shoulder-length hair that was otherwise let down the last time he saw her, is now tied into a ponytail, and she's sporting a yellow butterfly headband as a nice detail. He supposes Inko dolled her up specifically because it's the first day of school, but while Katsuki can appreciate her aesthetics, that doesn't mean that that his friends will.

Why did she have to dress so goddamn girly today? He wants to wail.

"Hi, Katsuki-kun!" Izuku beckons, having caught up to them. "What are you up to?"

Katsuki pauses as he considers pretending he doesn't know her.

"Who's she?" Taichi asks.

Izuku hesitates for a moment, then decides to offer her hand out to Taichi.

"H—hi, p-pleased to meet you," she stammers, then wills herself to speak more eloquently. "My name's Izuku Midoriya. Me and Katsuki are—"

"—We met each other last week," Katsuki cuts her off. He sure as hell isn't letting Izuku talk this one out. "My mom and her mom are colleagues."

Izuku nods excitedly, unaware that Katsuki deliberately chose the vaguest explanation as to what their relationship is.

"Oh." The three of his friends all say in unison.

"What are guys playing?" She asks, eyes glimmering with warmth, "Can I play too—"

Before she can finish her sentence, Katsuki's firmly grabbed her hand and has started taking her to the other side of the playground.

"We need to have a talk." Is he all he says.


Once they reach the part of the playground that's relatively obscured from the gaze of his friends, Katsuki decides that it's time to lay out some ground rules for Izuku.

"What'd you wanna talk about, Katsuki-kun?"

The obliviousness in her tone almost make him feels guilty for having to tell her this.

Almost.

"We... can't been seen together at school, Izuku." There's no nice way of putting it.

Izuku face falls. "Why's that?"

"I don't know exactly how things were at your old school, but here... it's not normal for a boy and a girl to be openly friends. We'd be the laughingstock of the whole school."

Well, okay. That was a lie. They wouldn't be the laughingstock of the whole school, but Katsuki would be among his friends, which is good enough for him.

Izuku looks crestfallen. Dammit, why is she making this harder than it needs to be?

"Is that the only reason?" She asks, her voice pained.

Katsuki hesitates. It isn't, but it's the only reason she needs to know right now. She should understand, though. It's a completely valid reason for them not to hang out with one another.

"Yes." He replies.

Izuku doesn't say anything at first. But it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that she's hurt.

"I see." He sees now that tears have started welling up in her eyes. She brushes them off, and slowly begins to walk away.

"But you know, Katsuki-kun... I wouldn't have minded getting laughed at… If it meant I could have been your friend."


For whatever reason, when Katsuki returns to the tire swing, everyone is looking at him with smug grins on their faces.

"What?" He asks.

"We didn't know you had a girlfriend, Katsuki." Taichi smirks.

"She. Is not my girlfriend."

All three of the boys exchange glances, laugh, and start to sing simultaneously.

"Izuku and Katsuki sitting in a tree~ K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

"Be quiet!" Katsuki yells. He's this close to punching the living daylights out of them, even though he's outnumbered.

He's just not gonna accept being made fun of for something like this.

They continue laughing, though.

"Suuuure." Taichi remarks sarcastically. "Then what is she?"

"It's like I said. I met her a week ago. My mom had to do some work-related stuff with her mom at their house, so she dragged me along so that Izuku would have someone to entertain her. "

"You didn't mention that last part, Katsuki," Touji grins. "It was basically a playdate, wasn't it? Bet you had the time of your life playing house and dolls with her, didn't you? Makes sense, seeing how happy she was to see you!"

"As if!"

They all laugh again.

Okay. They asked for it.

He grabs all three of them by the collar of their shirts.

"You guys make fun of me one more time, and I'll break all of your guys' legs right here before I stand." He spits.

"Jeez, chill out, Katsuki," Taichi sneers and wriggles himself out of Katsuki's grip. "We're messing around. There's no need to get so worked up." Taichi smirks again. "Over a girl."

"Well, it's annoying," Katsuki retorts. "Find a better reason to make fun of someone."


A/N: Katsuki is written intentionally as a blundering idiot in this chapter for the sake of furthering the plot, and because it's funny. Gotta love his stupid way of thinking at times.

Also, the next chapter won't come out as soon as the previous ones. I've got some exams I need to focus on for the time being, so I can't say when it will. Even if it takes a while for the next chapter to come out, know that it won't be abandoned! I'm doing my best to see this fic to completion.

And, as usual, thank you all for the lovely comments/reviews. Reading your reactions/thoughts to certain parts in the story makes me giddy like a schoolgirl in love. Seriously. I wouldn't be anything without you guys. 💖🎉✨