Today was a good day, Uraraka decided.
Granted it was only nine in the morning and the day had yet to really happen yet, but it was still a good day. What made it a good day? Was it the bright, winter sun or the slow, gentle snowfall she could see from her window?
Or did it have something to do with a text she received from her crush last night?
Nah, it was probably the snow.
Still, Uraraka woke to great pleasure when she read Deku's message. Sure, all it said was that he missed her too and that there was nothing to suggest it wasn't meant in a platonic way. But after all of the chaos of the past two days, Uraraka was happy to take what little she could get!
As such, Uraraka found herself skipping down to the dining hall to grab some breakfast and coffee to kick-start her day. She didn't have anything planned for the day which was nice because she could just relax and laze about.
A ding broke her out of her thoughts as the machine finished her coffee. Oh wow, she was so caught up in her good mood she completely didn't notice she had already arrived and got a cup of coffee. Silly her! She chuckled as she turned around. Today really was going to be a good day.
A dozen, intensely annoyed glares greeted her from the room.
Uraraka whimpered.
"Having a good morning?" Todoroki seethed from across the room.
"Um, yes?"
"And why is that?"
"Uhhhhh…"
"It wouldn't have anything to do with Midoriya now, would it?"
Yes.
"Nope! I just, uhhh really like the winter!"
Kaminari gave her a confused look. "Really? I thought you hated the cold because your costume isn't very warm?"
Kaminari! Why?!
"Wow, Kaminari. If you put that much thought into your studies, you might actually get a passing grade," Jirou jested from across the room.
"This is why I'm sitting with Hagakure and not you Jirou!" Kaminari shouted back.
What?
Aoyama waved his arms wildly from his table.
"Umm, I'm going to see what Aoyama wants," Uraraka hesitantly said as she began to walk over to him. She didn't miss Todoroki and Jirou's eyes follow her suspiciously as she made her way over. Uraraka had a feeling Hagakure was also doing the same, but it was hard to tell with her.
Uraraka sat down at the table across from Aoyama, eyes still on the others.
"So, what is going on, Aoyama?"
"What do you think, Mademoiselle? We must plan our attack!" Aoyama said as he pulled out a decorative shield from beneath the table pulling her focus away from them onto him.
It was at that moment Uraraka realized Aoyama was dressed in the shiny, suit of armor he kept in his room. How she had not noticed it before or heard it considering how loud it was, was beyond her.
"Umm, what?"
"Love is war, Uraraka! And you are up against the most fierce of enemies! You must strike at young Midoriya's heart before you lose your chance to them!"
Uraraka looked at the only other occupant at their table, Asui for help.
Asui shrugged her shoulders.
"I wouldn't, ribbit, go that far, Aoyama."
Aoyama held his heart as he had been shot.
"But it does seem the other teams are planning something." she continued.
"Teams? Since when there are teams?" Uraraka exclaimed.
"Ribbit, since after class yesterday while you were on your date with Yaoyorozu. Most of the class has decided to help out someone in the Dekubowl."
"So, everyone has picked sides?" Uraraka asked.
"Mostly. Some people aren't helping anyone out and staying out of it. Ribbit, Mineta has been in his room since yesterday and hasn't left." Asui replied.
"Is he ok?"
"Non!" Aoyama answered. "He is lamenting that everyone has declared Midoriya their amour!"
Huh, so everyone has already picked sides? Well, that's fine she still had Asui, her best friend and Aoyama, who seemed pretty committed. And then there was-
"Have any of you seen Iida?" Uraraka asked.
Aoyama's and Asui's expressions were that of someone who had to inform their dear friend that there was a small crocodile attached to their head and that same crocodile had rabies.
"What's wrong?"
"Uraraka! Did you ask for me?" Iida called from the table next to theirs.
Todoroki's table.
"Iida! You're backing Todoroki?!" Uraraka shouted out.
Iida stood up. "You are a close friend of mine, Uraraka; but I was not aware of you liking Midoriya until last night. By then I had already pleaded my efforts to Todoroki."
"Ah, ok." Well, at least Iida looked guilty about it. It would have probably been less of a blow if it wasn't for Todoroki's damnable smirk.
Her eyes locked with his, promising retribution.
"Do not worry, Mademoiselle! I am worth a hundred Iida's and Tsuyu here is worth at least a few!"
"Ribbit, thanks Aoyama," Asui flatly said.
A warm feeling speared its way to her heart and the sight of her friend's support. Still, Iida's backing did bring up one important question.
"If Iida's helping out Todoroki, who is moderating this whole thing?" Uraraka asked out to the room, silencing all discussion.
"What do you mean, moderate?" Jirou asked.
"Well, remember when Yaoyorozu tried to fix up the Winter Ball assignments?"
Yaoyorozu's head went down in shame.
"W-which everyone knows she didn't mean too much harm!" Uraraka quickly added. "But, still, shouldn't we have someone around who can make sure nothing like that happens?" Uraraka finished.
"But we're already in teams! Who else can do it?" Sero asked.
The door to the dining room exploded outwards in a whirlwind of fury as Bakugo stalked through them with Kirishima skittering behind.
"Never again." Bakugo seethed as he stalked over to the coffee machine.
"But Bakugo..." Kirishima pleaded.
"No! I am never getting involved with that loser's love life ever again!"
Sero gasped in excitement. "Hey, Bakugo! Want to be the commissioner of Dekubowl?"
"What the hell did you just say Tape Arms!?"
"We want you to help officiate the Dekubowl!"
"Hell no!"
"Sero, what are you talking about?" Jiro asked.
"Well, we need someone who isn't on a team and Bakugo isn't on a team. Also, he's been friend with Midoriya for like, ever! He'd be the best judge about what Midoriya would like."
Huh, that actually made a lot of sense. And it seemed like most of the class agreed as everyone was looking at Bakugo expectantly.
Bakugo fumed back in return.
"No."
"But, why not?" Uraraka asked.
"Because I had to waste my entire night listening to that idiot moan about his love life! My. Entire. Night. And for what?! NOTHING! He was still complaining about it this morning!"
Kaminari waggled his eyebrows at Bakugo "Wow, an entire night with the class heartthrob! How does Kirishima feel about this?"
"Oh, I was there too!" Kirishima cheerfully replied.
"Kinky."
"SHUT THE HELL UP, SPARKY!"
"Enough!" Iida shouted. "Bakugo, I beg of you. I have already chosen a side and can no longer perform my duty as class representative in this manner!"
Uraraka gave her friend a flat look. Since, when did overseeing a romantic competition become a part of a class representative's job?
Iida stood up and then bowed toward Bakugo. "Please become the commissioner I could never be!"
"Hell no!"
Sero smirked at Bakugo. "Really? Only one night dealing with this and you're already throwing the towel?"
Kaminari, catching on, continued. "It looks like it. I guess it's just too challenging of a job for him after all."
"SCREW YOU BOTH! I'LL BE YOUR DAMN COMMISSIONER!"
Sero and Kaminari turned around and chuckled towards each other. "Too easy," Sero said.
"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY TAPE ARMS?!"
Thankfully, any threat of violence was interrupted by Kirishima cheering. "Dude! You're going to be a commissioner! That's so cool!"
Bakugo paused and looked at Kirishima before adopting a cocky grin. "Well, yeah. Who else could pull it off?" He said with a small amount of red dusting his cheeks.
Uraraka had to hold herself back from squeeing. So cute!
Todoroki raised his hand. "In that case, what happens next?"
"What are you talking about, Icy-hot?" Bakugo responded.
"Well, since we now have a commissioner, I assume we are going to have a structure to this competition? Otherwise, we might just overwhelm Midoriya with our own separate acts of flirtation."
Kirishima nodded his head. "He's right Bakugo. You saw Midoriya last night. If we can't figure out a way to resolve this-"
"Then Deku will be the same as he was last night?" Bakugo replied.
"Probably worse," Kirishima replied.
"Alright, death battle it is!" Bakugo announced.
"Bakugo, for the last time, we can't fight to the death over Midoriya," Yaoyorozu sighed.
"I think a duel for Midoriya's love is an appropriate solution," Todoroki said.
Yeah, right. Uraraka had already gone through enough trouble fighting Bakugo at the sports festival. It would be a long time before Uraraka would feel comfortable fighting Todoroki of all people!
"Actually, he might have a point," Iida said with his hand holding his chin, deep in thought.
Iida, you traitor!
Everyone in the room looked at Iida shock.
"Not, necessarily the death battle part of course!" Iida quickly amended. "But perhaps we should have a competition of some sort? Something to prove who would be the best match for Midoriya?"
"What, like a talent show?" Jiro asked.
Kirishima gasped excitedly, causing the whole room to turn their heads.
"Idols," he said with a starry look in his eyes.
"Idols? Really?" Bakugo said.
"Of course! Idols are totally awesome and one of the manliest jobs out there!"
…
There was a long, pregnant pause as everyone in the room tried to digest what Kirishima had just said.
Todoroki raised his hand. "What is an idol?"
Kirishima grinned. "Dude! You don't know what an idol is? Here, let me show you!" Kirishima pulled out his phone and jogged over to Todoroki. A high energy pop song sung by a group of women began to blare out from the speakers.
"I see. So, this is what you call one of the manliest jobs ever?" Todoroki said.
"You bet I do!"
"Are you an idiot?" Todoroki flatly said.
Kirishima's face fell as fell even further when he noticed
the rest of the classes judgemental gazes.
"W-what's wrong?!"
"How is being an idol one of the manliest jobs out there? It's literally a bunch of girls singing pop on a stage. It's one of the most effeminate things out there, Kirishima." Kaminari pointed out.
Kirishima regained his compose and adopted a cocky grin. "Ah, I see. You think being manly is all about masculinity, don't you?"
There was another, long pregnant pause.
What?
"What are you talking about, Kirishima?" Todoroki asked.
"Being manly is about the attitude you carry in your soul! It doesn't matter what gender you are! It isn't about confidence or not knowing fear!" Kirishima held his fists in front of him and an incredible aura began to wash over them as everyone was swept up in his words.
"Idols put every ounce of their soul on the stage and they stake their livelihoods on every performance! And what they do brings joy to people! The music they make saves peoples lives just like how us heroes save lives!"
Kirishima shot his fist up into the air as he reached a fever pitch. "A manly heart to me is a life without regrets! And that's what idols do! They lift our hearts up so that we can push past our regrets and enjoy life!"
There was a stunned moment of silence as everyone slowly absorbed his words. Suddenly Kaminari slowly began to clap his hands. Then, one by one, each member of the class started joining in and before long, the entire room was filled with applause.
Bakugo smirked at Kirishima. "Did you just quote that entire Crimson Riot video you showed me last night?"
Kirishima blushed. "W-well it wasn't about idols. It still relates though!" he protested.
"I still don't see how this relates to Midoriya," Jiro asked.
"If you all have an ounce of the manly spirit that a pop idol does, then you'd be willing to put your heart and soul in your performance just like them!" Kirishima cheered.
"B-but I think that talent show might be better-"
"Oh, come on Jiro! An idol competition sounds totally fun!" Hagakure interrupted.
"I-I don't know. I just don't feel-"
"Alright, you heard Kirishima! We're doing an idol competition!" Bakugo declared.
There was a loud cheer as everyone excitedly began to plan for what they were going to put on. Everyone except for Jiro, Uraraka noticed. Instead, Jiro sat back with a frustrated grimace. Koda, who was next to Jiro, was trying his best to give her some encouragement, to no avail.
Uraraka could understand Jiro's frustration. An idol competition? Really? She had a strong feeling that if Midoriya were to find out about this, he would just be confused more than anything else.
This was not how she imagined courting at all!
A snicker broke her out of her thoughts. Aoyama sat next to her with his open palm over his mouth giggling. Asui had a concerned look on her face and Uraraka had a strong feeling why.
"Mademoiselle, I have a plan."
"Is it a good plan?"
"Ribbit, probably not."
Aoyama fell out of his chair. "Such faith! Worry not! An idol competition is one of style and glamour! Two fields which I excel more than anyone at!"
Oh, dear.
"What do you have in mind?" Uraraka hesitantly asked.
"I have an idea that will make you dazzle the crowd so much, they will have no choice but to let you date Midoriya!"
Uraraka doubted that.
"But Kirishima said that idols are more about lifting people spirits, ribbit. We shouldn't focus too much on spectacle. We should also think about the performance itself." Asui added.
Aoyama leaned back in an almost maniacal laughter, filling Uraraka worth a deep sense of dread.
"Aoyama, you're scaring us."
"My apologies. But spectacle is a perfect way to lift someone's spirits!"
Uraraka gave a deep sigh. "Okay, so then what's your idea?"
Aoyama gave them a cocky grin. "We are going to give the crowd a performance using the best of all of our abilities! My lasers, Uraraka's gravity and most importantly of all…"
Aoyama pointed at Asui.
"Tsuyu's spit!"
Uraraka slapped a hand to her face. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.
"Uraraka, can you sing?"
Tomorrow was going to be a really, really long day.
I'm so sorry for the short chapter! It's been a little difficult with the holidays finding time to write. My girlfriend and I have been entertaining her family at our apartment and I've been focusing a lot of my time trying to be cool for them (i.e. dork the place up a ton). I think they approved.
Also, the holidays means work is super busy. Mainly because I work retail and Black Friday is the woooooooorst. Thankfully, I just accepted a new job with normal work hours! Woohoo!
Anyway, I've been watching Zombieland Saga recently (as research for the next chapter I swear!) and I would definitely recommend. I vibe very strongly with that show.
So, next chapter is either going to be two short chapters a week after one another or one super long chapter similar to the Yaoyorozu chapter. It'll most likely be the former since were in the middle of a big sale (retail is shite!) and also the pacing will probably work out better that way.