A/N: Expect a new chapter every few weeks (or months) because that's pretty much all I can promise at this point, with my urge to rewrite this entire arc every 6 months along with my waning interest in MHA 😔

Anyways, I have a love-hate relationship with this chapter

There's also huge jumps in quality for the art this chapter since I drew two of them back in 2020 and then I decided to add some new ones back near the end of June. It's very easy to see the difference :,)

Art -

[Complete Gallery] Add /21axlkt3bolc to the DeviantArt Stash URL.

[Ch. 61] Add /2xc9aspk524 to the DeviantArt Stash URL.

Three days later -

"Hey, Yaomomo, you doing anything for your birthday? It's near the end of this month, right?" Mina rested her hands against her cheeks, swinging her legs with an airy smile on her face.

The girls were sitting together again at lunch, albeit two of them were absent. Uraraka and Tsuyu had been called in for their work study.

Yaoyorozu nodded in response to Mina's question, taking a moment to finish eating her unagi. "Yes," she replied, wearing a delicate smile. "I have something planned. I talked with Aizawa-sensei about it, and he said he'd think about it but that it was likely to get approved. I won't tell you just yet, though. Hopefully sometime next week."

"Ehhh?" Mina whined. "Why not?"

Jirou tilted her head, staring at their vice representative. "Is it a trip? Since your family didn't get to go to Venice during summer break."

Yaoyorozu blushed, looking away sheepishly. "Something like that... You'll see, I promise."

Hagakure hummed, practically bouncing in her seat. "Sounds like it'll be exciting! Can't wait to hear about it, Yaomomo!"

The other girl smiled in appreciation. "I hope you'll all look forward to it."

"I'm sure it'll be great," Hitomi laughed, before getting up from her chair. She dusted off some crumbs that had fallen onto her skirt, picking up her tray from the table. "Well, I actually have to go to the bathroom right now... I'll see you guys in class."

The girls gave her waves goodbye as she dumped her tray, making her way out of the lunchroom. Hitomi sighed, placing her hands in her skirt pockets.

It'd now been a little over a week since she'd realized her feelings.

And after that whole thing back in the classroom a few days ago, she'd been trying to keep some distance between her and Bakugou.

It wasn't like Hitomi was actually avoiding him or anything...!

Definitely not...

She just... made sure to detach herself from situations or conversations that he happened to be a part of. She wasn't someone very talkative to begin with, so it wasn't like it was out of the ordinary for her to go quiet, regardless of if he was involved. She only... happened to look away as well. No big deal.

Looking at him led to her thinking about her dumb crush on him, and thinking about it led to her feeling flustered. She really didn't need that when she was specifically trying not to make it obvious.

She was only doing it to avoid anything like... well, what happened between them when she dropped those photos from Kaibara.

The embarrassment from just that was already too much for her.

Hitomi stopped once she'd made it to the bathroom near the cafeteria, pausing at the "Under Construction" sign propped up against the door.

Aw, come on...

She sighed, continuing down the hall to find another bathroom.

Let's just hope this doesn't make me late for class.

...

Hitomi ended up having to use a bathroom in one of the more secluded areas of the school. There was no one around, as it was nearing the end of lunch so many students were already back in their classrooms. She tossed her paper towel into the trash can, beginning to make her way out of the bathroom before a voice made her freeze.

"So? Why the hell'd you drag me all the way out here?"

She'd know that voice anywhere.

Hitomi crept to the edge of the wall, peering around the corner. Bakugou was slouched against the railing by the window, his hands in his pockets. And standing across from him was a... girl?

"Um, that is..." Hitomi saw the girl fidget, the girl brushing some of her brown hair behind her ear. Even though Hitomi was several meters away, she could see the girl's cheeks were red.

No way.

No fucking way.

She was not seriously witnessing this right now.

Hitomi needed to leave. This was a private conversation. She shouldn't be eavesdropping. Eavesdropping was wrong.

But for some reason it felt like her feet were glued to the ground.

"Well?" Bakugou grumbled, scratching the back of his neck. "I don't have all day. Class is going to start soon."

"Just, give me a second...!" the girl cried, continuing to fidget.

Bakugou huffed, staring at her expectantly. Hitomi saw the girl take a deep breath, watching as she bent over in a deep bow.

"I like you. Please go out with me."

Hitomi felt like she couldn't breathe.

Leave. Just leave! You shouldn't be listening to this!

She was frozen.

Bakugou's eyes narrowed. "Hah...?"

The girl got up from her bow, stepping closer as she cradled her hands against her chest. "I like you, Bakugou."

"You don't even know me."

The girl shook her head, taking another step towards him. Hitomi felt a twinge of annoyance at their close proximity, holding her breath.

Go away, feelings. Go away. I'm not jealous!

I only realized how I felt a week ago...! Why the hell should I be jealous?

Hitomi gulped, continuing to watch the confession taking place.

"I already know you're amazing," the girl mumbled, looking up at him. "I saw it, at the sports festival. People may have dismissed you as aggressive, or violent, but not me."

Bakugou was silent, only staring at her with narrowed eyes.

"I saw you were driven," the girl continued, "unwavering. You were dead set on your goal. You were strong, powerful. And... I want to know more about you. Get to know you better."

Hitomi felt herself falter slightly, finding herself agreeing with everything the girl had said.

Bakugou was everything she was not.

Her mind drifted back to the dream she'd had back in the classroom, when she'd dreamt a situation very similar to this.

Bakugo was everything she wasn't, and that was why he would never like her the way she seemed to like him.

Hitomi watched as the girl grabbed hold of his wrist, Bakugou's expression unchanging.

"Go out with me?"

Everything was silent.

No one breathed a single word.

Hitomi watched as Bakugou and the girl stared at each other, the long silence feeling agonizing.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, Bakugou pulled his arm away, turning away from the girl. The way he turned made it so he was facing Hitomi's direction, which made her duck back behind the wall and pray she hadn't been noticed.

"No. I can't return your feelings."

Hitomi held her breath.

"What? Why not?"

"I'm not interested."

"You can't even give me a chance?!" The girl's voice wavered.

Hitomi heard Bakugou huff, her body feeling tense.

"I don't know anything about you," Bakugou mumbled, his tone harsh. "To me, you're just another extra. You say you want to know me better, but... Do you even know if I'd want to learn more about you?"

Hitomi heard the girl's breath hitch, sounding as if she was fighting the urge to cry.

"I..."

"If I got into a relationship with you," Bakugou began, "what would you have to offer? You would get to learn more about me like you wanted, but I don't even know your fucking name."

"It's- It's..."

"Don't bother," he grumbled as he looked over his shoulder. "I'm telling you this now so you don't get any false hope or some shit. Leave me the fuck alone. I don't want you bothering me every chance you get, trying to make me date you."

Hitomi's eyes widened, her hands gripping her skirt.

"I don't need some lame extra hovering over me, hoping they'll get a relationship out of me if they hang around long enough."

"Leave me the hell alone."

It was eerily similar to what he'd told her in her dream.

"What?" the girl protested. "Why don't you want to give me a chance? You don't even want to get to know me?"

"What I don't want is to waste my time," Bakugou shot back. "My answer is no. Are you still going to try forcing this?"

"I- You..."

"I don't know why we're still having this conversation," Bakugou scowled, pushing his hands deeper into his pockets. "We're done here. Stop wasting my time."

"I don't even know why I let you hang around me as long as I did."

"So stop wasting my time."

Hitomi bit her lip, taking a step back.

Leave.

She shouldn't have even been listening to this in the first place.

Hitomi turned away, heading out to the hall on the opposite side to avoid being seen. She broke out into a run, not wanting to hear the rest of the conversation and running down the hallway.

She prayed that Bakugou never noticed her.

All Hitomi could think as she ran was to scold herself, berate herself for eavesdropping on something private.

Stupid, stupid!

Why didn't you leave at the very beginning?!

Hitomi slowed down to a walk as she neared the staircase, before eventually stopping by the glass windows as she tried to catch her breath. She gripped the handrail, staring at her shoes as the girl's confession played over and over in her head.

Honestly... Hitomi felt bad for her.

That girl at the very least had the courage to let Bakugou know how she felt.

Meanwhile, here Hitomi was, acting distant to him the moment she realized how she felt because she was scared he could find out. Acting like a coward.

She crouched down to the floor, her eyebrows furrowing.

The girl had the courage to tell him her feelings, and yet he still rejected her so harshly.

What if... he really did react that way to her as well...?

Telling her to buzz off. To stop pestering him. To stop wasting his time.

Hitomi had dreamed it, and now she'd seen it happen before her very eyes.

Who's to say he wouldn't react that way towards her...?

Maybe... Maybe I'm just overthinking things.

She wanted to think that. She wanted to believe it.

But her mind was already running rampant with horrible thoughts and ideas and it wouldn't stop.

"Stop wasting my time."

"What makes you think I would give a shit about how you feel?"

"Leave me the hell alone."

Hitomi didn't know if she would be able to handle a rejection like that. She didn't know if she could take their friendship ending because of her own silly feelings.

Bakugou was already precious to her.

Getting cut off just like that would hurt her a lot. More than she'd like to admit.

"...Kanetsukabe?"

Hitomi blinked, looking up at the sound of the voice. Her eyes widened as she saw who was standing over her, feeling her shoulders stiffen.

"T-Todoroki?!"

"What are you doing on the floor?" He tilted his head, watching stoically as she hurriedly pulled herself up from her crouch. "If you're still feeling sick you shouldn't be at school."

Hitomi brushed her skirt down, shaking her head sheepishly. "No, no, not at all...! I'm perfectly healthy! It's been a week since then... I'm fine."

Todoroki blinked, turning away. "Alright. Well, lunch is ending soon, so we should probably get back to class."

"Yeah..."

As if on cue, the school bell rang, signaling that students had only five minutes left before the next lesson started. Todoroki made his way to the stairs, with Hitomi trailing after him on their way back to 1-A's classroom.

"Did you hurt your foot or something?" Todoroki questioned as they walked up the steps. Various students rushed past them, likely upperclassmen trying to get to the higher floors on time.

"No... nothing like that," Hitomi mumbled. By then they had reached the first years' floor, now walking down the hall.

"Did you trip?"

"No..." Hitomi fell silent, fiddling with her tie as they made their way to 1-A's tall doors. "I was just thinking about something, I guess?"

Todoroki nodded, sliding open the door. "I see."

A majority of the class was already inside, in their desks and making noise as they waited for the second bell to ring.

Hitomi sighed as she and Todoroki walked to their desks, dropping into her seat like her legs were too weak to keep her standing. She stared at Todoroki as he sat down, her eyebrows furrowing slightly.

"Also, Todoroki, I may be a bit clumsy, but I'm not someone that'll trip over nothing...!"

"Really?" Todoroki replied, turning around in his seat. "Then what did you trip over last night after dinner? A loose floorboard?"

Hitomi squinted at him, leaning forward in her seat. "I can't tell if you're joking or being serious."

Before Todoroki could open his mouth to respond, Cementoss entered the classroom, the class's Japanese Literature lesson about to begin.

A/N: Todoroki is so difficult for me to write girl help 😭

Also the content of this chapter used to be really different lol! That confession Hitomi saw was always there, but I changed Bakugou's response because I didn't think he was harsh enough (because again, he's an asshole ) and originally he was going to catch Hitomi eavesdropping afterwards. I didn't like how it turned out after a while of letting it sit, so I changed it.

Also I wanted to better convey Hitomi's thought process and why she's starting to overthink things, which is another reason I decided to change things up. Will be expanded on a bit more in next chapter :)