"Do I really look okay?" Kuri asked again, checking her reflection in the cloudy metal walls of the elevator. "It feels a little awkward to wear this."

"Girl, you're stunning!" Mina gushed, grabbing Kuri by the shoulders and turning her around. "Besides, we're all wearing yukata, too."

Kuri looked down at the indigo fabric with its ribbon-like stream of pink flowers winding around her body, then regarded the other girls in the elevator. Each was clad in their own beautiful yukata, with their hair done up, small purses in hand, plus a touch of makeup. Kuri cracked a small smile. The hour they spent getting ready sure paid off.

"Mina's right!" Ochako said. "We all look super cute, so let's go out there and have fun!"

The girls all cheered for Ochako's declaration as the elevator reached the first floor, and they poured out. Mina nudged Kuri's elbow before they had taken so much as a step into the common area.

"And I don't think you'll be nervous once you see your man," Mina teased.

"Huh? What do you—"

"Hey, you guys didn't say you'd be wearing jinbei!" Tooru exclaimed as she ran over to the couches, where all the boys in class were gathered.

"Mina told me about your idea, so I thought it'd be nice if we all dressed up, too!" Izuku beamed.

"Indeed. We thought our coordinated outfits could serve as the 'cherry on top,' so to speak, of our class outing," Tenya concurred as he adjusted his glasses.

"This sure makes it feel more official," Tsu nodded. "Even though it's still summer break."

Kuri's classmates continued their chatter, flitting around the room as they prepared to leave, while she hesitantly stepped toward the boy whose crimson eyes focused intensely on her. Katsuki's crossed arms immediately fell to his sides and a wide grin replaced the indifferent expression he wore before. His excitement made Kuri bashful, so she found herself inexplicably covering her face when she got close to him.

"What's with this dramatic reaction?" she asked with a flustered laugh, peering at him through the gaps in her fingers. "I don't look that pretty."

"Yeah, you do," Katsuki smirked. He gently took her hands and pulled them down to reveal her visage. Kuri could feel her body temperature rising quickly, and she wondered briefly if she could develop a fever just from flirting. "And I'm not being dramatic."

Katsuki's smug expression sparked Kuri's competitive side and helped her remember that, between the two of them, she was still the expert at teasing. She wouldn't be outmatched! After all, Katsuki's face was conveniently close to hers…

Kuri regained her composure just enough to lean forward and give him a quick peck. When she pulled away to appreciate Katsuki's dumbstruck face, she noticed lip gloss left a faintly glittering sheen on his lips.

"Whatever you say, handsome," Kuri said, freeing one of her hands from Katsuki's grasp to wipe the sparkles off him with her thumb. "The jinbei looks good on you."

"Thanks," Katsuki said, placing a hand on the back of neck self-consciously. He looked Kuri up and down, then smiled again. "Your yukata suits you, too."

"Really? That's surprising, considering I'm borrowing from Mina," Kuri said. She looked down at her outfit to admire the detailed cherry blossom pattern. Kuri was glad Mina had something so cute to spare. "Otherwise, I would've had to ask my grandma to mail the yukata I last wore in middle school."

Before Katsuki could open his mouth to continue their conversation, they were interrupted by one of their classmates shouting at the front door.

"Okay, everyone, time to head out!"

"Come on," Katsuki said, pulling Kuri by the hand. He shot her a grin. "Let's go have some fun."

Everyone in class departed from their dorm into the humid late-summer night air. The sun had just set, throwing the campus into darkness only occasionally interrupted by street lamps. All around was the sound of teenagers' conversations and shoes hitting the pavement as practically every student at UA made their way off school grounds to spend their last day of summer vacation at the biggest festival in town.

Kuri held tight to Katsuki's hand to not lose him in the crowd, and they discussed what the night might have in store. Kuri had a feeling she would be exhausted after all the walking, while Katsuki hypothesized his exhaustion would be from everyone else keeping them from having a moment alone. Kuri told him there was no "alone" on a class trip, and Katsuki just pouted in response.

When they finally arrived at the festival's entrance, Kuri could barely hear her own voice as everyone discussed the plan for the night. Their group clamored and made a scene as all twenty students in Class 3-A argued about where to rendezvous for the fireworks.

"Okay, everyone! The fireworks show starts at ten, so we have two hours to enjoy the festival!" Momo announced, holding up her fingers to indicate the amount of time they had, and effectively silencing their classmates. "However, we will meet at the top of the hill back at UA to watch the show properly. I'll be sure to go early to save us a spot!"

"Thanks, Momo!" Tooru squealed and hugged the taller girl.

"Goddess Momo!"

"Three cheers for Momo!"

"I think we can go now," Katsuki said, squeezing Kuri's hand and trying to back away from their group. "Let's meet everyone later."

"You don't plan to ditch us, do you?" Mina asked from behind them.

Kuri and Katsuki turned around to see Mina with her arms crossed and an eyebrow raised in disbelief. Ochako and Izuku stood beside her, all smiles, eager to hang out.

Kuri smiled at her friends sheepishly, then glanced at Katsuki's annoyed face.

"I already told you we weren't going to be alone," Kuri said, squeezing his hand. Katsuki sighed dramatically, which made Kuri giggle. "We can have fun as a group!"

"Deku's no fun…"

"What? Sorry, the crowd is too noisy, so I can't hear you," Kuri said, laughing and pulling her grouchy boyfriend towards her friends, who started leading the way into the heart of the festival. "It's not like we'll ever get to be in high school again. Let's make the most of this!"

After another sigh, Katsuki shrugged and followed along. Kuri knew most of his moping was a performance anyway. He always acted like Izuku was such a bother, but in the end, she knew their friendship was deeper and more important to him than Katsuki let on. Plus, Kuri knew it would only take a few minutes for Katsuki to loosen up and enjoy himself.

The five of them wandered the busy streets lined with colorful, lively stalls for food and games in search of something that didn't have an incredibly long line. The wafting aromas of the different festival foods enticed them to look for a snack, and they weaved past families and fellow students for ten minutes until they realized everything required a long wait. Thus, they randomly chose a line that Ochako "had a feeling would go fast."

To pass the time, Mina hit them with weird conversation starters, such as, "Who do you think is the hottest person in our class?"

"Kuri," Katsuki answered without hesitation, much to everyone else's amusement.

"Wow, Kacchan, you were ready for that one!" Izuku said while Mina and Ochako were too deep in their fits of shocked giggling to speak.

"I knew you would all bother me until I said her name anyway," Katsuki grumbled, blushing a bit.

Kuri, as the girl in question, felt rather embarrassed and turned away from the group to fan her red face.

"Aw, Kuri, don't you need to tell us your answer?" Mina giggled. That girl… She sure loved stirring up lovey-dovey situations.

"You already know who I'm going to say," Kuri said, crossing her arms when she turned back to face everyone.

"Well, you might surprise us," Izuku shrugged.

"I just want to hear you say it," Ochako giggled. "It'll be cute."

Kuri frowned at them for wanting her to embarrass herself even further. She glanced at Katsuki, hoping he'd let her off the hook and change the subject, but he looked rather intrigued by the situation. Half of a smile tugged at Katsuki's mouth, and he raised his eyebrows, urging her to go on and just say it.

"Fine," Kuri heaved a sigh. "Obviously, Katsuki is the hottest. Now, no more ganging up on me! You all answer now."

Her friends giggled to each other and Kuri furrowed her brow. Before she could get grumpy, Ochako pointed at Katsuki. Kuri glanced up at her boyfriend, whose hand was splayed across his face to hide his eyes.

"Sorry," Katsuki muttered, turning his face away, but Kuri still caught the sight of his flaming red cheeks under the glow of the lanterns strung above their heads. "That was a little awkward to actually hear out loud."

"It's so refreshing to see you swoon, Kacchan."

"Shut up, shitty nerd!"

"Yeah, it's like Kuri revealed a hidden side of you…" Ochako muttered in awe.

"And just think of all the moments Kuri hasn't told us about," Mina shook her head. "She's depriving us of the stories of his soft side."

"Hey, this is for my eyes only. No more looking at my boyfriend," Kuri said, holding up one of her hands to hide Katsuki's cute blushing face. This made the others giggle even more, so Katsuki just moved her hand back down and held it. "Anyway, it's Ochako's turn."

"Really? Then, it's time to reveal my plan… to win this game!" Ochako declared.

"This isn't a game; it's just a question," Izuku said.

"Actually, there's a correct answer," Ochako asserted. She rubbed her hands together and then shot them out to her side, gesturing to Mina like she was a grand prize. "Mina's the hottest! You guys all failed the test."

"We have a winner!" Mina exclaimed, wrapping her arms around Ochako's waist as she grinned. "Yeah, I was totally fishing for compliments. Though, I also wanted our resident couple to say something interesting. And it looks like everything went according to plan!"

"But Deku didn't answer," Katsuki said.

"Oh, uh, Mina! That's my answer…?" Izuku said, awkwardly copying the action Ochako did earlier.

"Too late, I already won," Ochako said, then glanced at Mina. "Do I get a prize?"

"Um, sure! Your prize is… I think you're the hottest!" Mina beamed.

"I was hoping more along the lines of you buying my food for me."

"Well, I can do that, too. Speaking of which, it looks like we're at the front of the line now!"

Kuri could finally breathe a sigh of relief when everyone purchased the sweet treat they had waited for—shaved ice! Kuri and Katsuki got one to share, and the five of them found a spot to stand together (because all the seats were long gone) while they ate.

"I can't believe we have to go back to school tomorrow," Kuri sighed. The summer had come and gone so quickly, even though their time at training camp felt like several months ago, not several weeks. Her time back in California had really spent her energy.

"And we have to go to our work studies, too. I'm excited to get back to hero work, but I'll miss the free time to hang out with you all," Izuku said.

"I can't believe we have to go back to Endeavor's," Katsuki grumbled as he crunched on some of their strawberry-flavored ice chunks. "He pisses me off."

"Right, work…" Kuri muttered, letting some of the ice melt in her mouth as her mind drifted away to the thought she dwelt on since her parents granted her freedom.

Should I just quit my work study?

Aizawa said a while back that she could, and the idea of having free afternoons was extremely enticing. She could fill that time up with studying and preparing for college entrance exams instead, as well as researching what major she should choose and where she should apply.

Kuri looked around at her friends happily chatting and enjoying their shaved ice. She ate another bite of the cold, sweet dessert and smiled. They were inching closer to the end of their time at UA, so they had to make it last. Kuri couldn't waste her time on something that wouldn't help her toward her goals. But first, she wanted one more conversation with the person she trusted most.

Unfortunately, a deep talk was a bit out of the question at such a crowded venue, especially when Kuri had friends to drag her to every attraction they saw. They wandered further throughout the festival, eating more and spending a bit too much money trying to win various games.

Katsuki was extremely competitive at everything they did, and his energy rubbed off on everyone else. Despite their efforts, none of them managed to score much more than a deck of cards and a box of candy, but it didn't matter when every moment was full of laughter. Throughout the night, Kuri's eyes kept drifting back to Katsuki. His smile was like a burst of light, and she couldn't tear her gaze away.

While in the middle of looking for the next game to try their hand at (and likely lose miserably), an announcement blared from the festival's speaker system.

"Dear guests, the fireworks display will begin in fifteen minutes. Please make your way to the viewing area in a calm manner. Thank you for attending."

The sudden message was equivalent to pouring water on an anthill because everyone began to frantically disperse from the market street in search of locations with the most open sky. The ground rumbled with the crowd's quick footsteps, and it seemed like people were coming toward Kuri from all sides. Before she could be swept up in the crowd, Katsuki grabbed her hand and pulled her between two food stalls.

"There's no way we're meeting up with everyone if we have to get through this…" Katsuki muttered as he scanned the massive flood of people. "And where'd the others go?"

Kuri shrugged and retrieved her phone from her purse.

"Knowing them, they probably made a run for it," Kuri said, tapping quickly at her screen. "I'll text Mina and tell her we'll be there eventually."

"We probably won't see them again until we get back to the dorm," Katsuki said, watching the crowd continue to stream by. "Unless you feel like shoving your way through this mess."

"Let's try waiting it out," Kuri said, stashing her phone in her purse. "Next year, we should go to a less crowded festival."

"Just the two of us?" Katsuki raised an eyebrow, hopeful.

"Well, it's obviously hard to stick with the group," Kuri laughed and linked arms with him. "And a festival date sounds pretty nice."

Katsuki grinned self-satisfactorily and looked down at their joined arms.

"I bet you're sick of me saying this, but I'm so glad you're staying in Japan," Katsuki said.

"I'll always appreciate the reminder that we're sticking together," Kuri said, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Though, I've still gotta figure out a new career plan and study for college entrance exams."

"You're gonna be pretty damn busy. There's no way you can do work study shit on top of that, right?"

"Yeah, I really hate to say this, but it looks like I'll have to quit," Kuri said sarcastically.

"What a shame," Katsuki chuckled, shaking his head.

Kuri sighed, relieved that quitting hero work had become something she could joke about. She could finally close that long, torturous chapter of her life and start her new journey.

"So, do you have a major in mind?" Katsuki asked.

Kuri pursed her lips as she thought. Even though it had been a couple weeks since she received her parents' blessing to attend college, she still had no clue what she wanted to study.

"I don't know what I would like," Kuri answered. "There's a lot of possible jobs in the world."

Katsuki hummed in agreement and said he would give it some thought. Kuri watched the people passing by while the two of them brainstormed ideas. There were so many festival attendees, each with their own aspirations Kuri had no idea of knowing. Why didn't she have a career goal of her own? Had the years of training for heroics whittled away at her imagination until she could consider nothing else? Kuri's only mission was to break the walls which limited her. Could she even have a dream that didn't involve destruction?

"I got one!" Katsuki exclaimed suddenly, planting his fist against the palm of his other hand. Kuri lifted her head to look up at him with wide eyes.

"What is it?"

"You wrote our class play. How about being an author?"

Katsuki grinned at her proudly, as if he thought his suggestion was particularly good. Kuri stared into his ruby-red eyes, which twinkled under the soft glow of the lanterns, and she felt his earnestness strike at her core. Maybe Kuri had no idea who she could become, but Katsuki saw every possibility. He believed she could do anything.

However, Kuri still had her reservations.

"No way. I'm not that good, and it's so much work," Kuri said sheepishly, waving her hands to dismiss the idea. "Besides, that was just a one-off thing. I don't have more things I want to write."

Katsuki didn't even need a moment to recover after Kuri's rejection to shoot off another proposal.

"Then, what about something in STEM?"

"Too boring. I don't even like doing it at school that much."

"Volleyball player?" Katsuki suggested, grinning mischievously.

That idea made Kuri laugh out loud, and she merely shook her head in response.

"Martial arts teacher?"

"Now you're just saying silly things," Kuri said, sighing as she accepted that they had run out of good ideas for the night. She laid her head on his shoulder again and stared ahead once again.

"But you're a good teacher," Katsuki insisted. "Everyone thinks you're a lot of help with English lessons."

"That's just because I already know the language," Kuri reasoned.

"You don't think you could be a teacher?" Katsuki asked. Kuri could sense him looking at her, undoubtedly trying to telepathically convince her that she was capable beyond her beliefs. "You're kind and patient, too, so students would love you."

Kuri allowed herself to mull it over since Katsuki seemed convinced that this path could work for her. If she remembered correctly, she had considered teaching the time she helped everyone study for exams before last year's training camp. At the time, Kuri disregarded the idea as merely a fleeting alternative to be forgotten until she actually achieved her main goal. With quitting hero work checked off her to-do list, could becoming a teacher rise to the top of her priorities?

While she began constructing a daydream in her head about her daily life as a teacher, Kuri continued to stare at the deserted street in front of them—wait, deserted…?!

"Katsuki, look, everyone's gone!" Kuri exclaimed, immediately springing to action. She grabbed her boyfriend's hand and briskly pulled him along, up the path.

"Whoa, what's the rush?" Katsuki asked, keeping stride with her as they retraced their steps back to UA, whizzing past all the same stalls they visited previously.

"If we hurry, we can get to the meeting spot before the fireworks start," Kuri replied, slightly increasing her speed. "It would be nice to watch the show with everyone else."

"I don't see why we can't just enjoy it on our own," Katsuki huffed grumpily. He had probably had his fill of socializing after spending the whole night with Mina, Ochako, and Izuku.

"Like I said, we'll go on a festival date next time," Kuri laughed.

Katsuki muttered something to indicate his compliance and jogged alongside her all the way back to campus. Luckily, Kuri chose to wear comfortable sneakers instead of sandals, and the festival was really close to the school so it wasn't a difficult run. Still, there was enough time for Kuri to ruminate on their previous conversation.

Truthfully, teaching didn't sound like a bad idea. Kuri initially denied the notion because she felt unqualified, but wouldn't going to college provide all the tools she needed to feel confident? Kuri already enjoyed helping her classmates during their study sessions, and they always reported that her guidance helped them improve their grades. Their kind words always gratified her in a way that commendations for her work as a hero never had.

Kuri wanted that satisfaction again—the kind that came from helping others in a setting without fear or bloodshed. Sure, rescuing people was important, but as civilians showed their gratitude Kuri could always see the horror lingering in their faces. She couldn't stomach seeing that all day, every day like an endless mirror of her past, threatening to traumatize her again. Kuri just happened to be born to pro hero parents; she wasn't destined to become one.

And in any case, her fluency in English could take her far in Japan. Maybe it could even fast-track her to her teaching credential.

Kuri was a bit out of breath by the time they reached the bottom of the hill to school, so Katsuki suggested they just walk the rest of the way. There was no room to run regardless, because the road to campus was packed with other students all looking for the best spot to view the fireworks. Kuri could only hope that they would find their classmates amid all the clusters of people.

Katsuki took her hand again and guided them through the less packed parts of the pathway. Kuri watched his back with a smile. Her boyfriend was just too perfect—too considerate, too handsome, too many thoughtful answers to her questions about life. Kuri released a huge sigh.

"What's wrong?" Katsuki asked, glancing back at her with concern.

"Oh, nothing," Kuri said, laughing lightheartedly and squeezing his hand. "It's just a bit frustrating how logical you are."

"Ah, did I have another good idea, as usual?" Katsuki smirked.

"No need to brag, but you're right," Kuri said. She smiled at him from ear to ear with a level of satisfaction she hadn't thought attainable since her parents freed her from heroism. "I know what job I want."

"So, you're becoming a martial arts teacher?" Katsuki asked, grinning at his dumb joke while Kuri rolled her eyes.

"I'll teach English," Kuri said, and she could sense her plan formulating in the recesses of her mind. Just those three words illuminated Kuri's path; she finally knew what she wanted to do with her life. Instead of running from the past, she could confidently walk forward. And Katsuki…

Her boyfriend's expression overflowed with pride and his gentle, longing gaze made Kuri's heart skip a beat. He stopped them in their tracks and pulled her close to him.

"Hell yeah, you will," Katsuki said. He wrapped her in a tight hug, which Kuri readily accepted. She squeezed him around the waist and rested her forehead against his shoulder. "I'm happy for you, Bunny."

He would always be by her side.

An abrupt fizzling sound and a collective gasp from everyone standing nearby drove Kuri and Katsuki to separate and look up at the dark night sky just as a bright red firework exploded into a wide sphere of shimmering particles. The sound of the blast hit them a moment later, reverberating in Kuri's chest and becoming one with her beating heart.

"Katsuki, the fireworks…!" Kuri squealed, childlike excitement overtaking her after witnessing the dazzling spectacle.

"Yeah, they're pretty, but we gotta go," Katsuki said, pulling her up the hill. "Don't you want to watch with everyone else?"

"Oh, yeah! Run!" Kuri exclaimed, laughing as she and Katsuki jogged hand in hand through the crowd, searching for the familiar faces of their classmates.

While they clumsily ran around, laughing at themselves and slowing their pace periodically to admire the multicolor array of lights blooming like flowers in an inky black field, Kuri kept looking at Katsuki. His strong hand holding hers. His carefree smile.

Kuri had been finding her way in the dark for years, feeling around on her hands and knees for a way out of the dark pit of all her unsavory memories and the pressure to succeed. Then, all of a sudden, he appeared. Like an explosion in the night, Katsuki briefly illuminated Kuri's life just enough to give her clarity on where to head next. He shone brighter than anyone else she knew, always outdoing his competition and honing every facet of himself to become even better than before.

Kuri had never aimed high the same way he had, but seeing him there, leading her back to everyone else as the fireworks created showers of colored light, she felt that she had to shine bright like him. To become worthy enough to stand beside Katsuki Bakugo, she had to step up her game and become the best English teacher there ever was. Kuri would show everyone that she found her own glamorous, shimmering calling. No one would be able to look away from either of them.