Droplets suddenly pinging against the windows in the long corridor made Kuri's head swivel, and her heart sank as she saw the dark clouds blanketing the sky above UA high school.
"Oh, no, it's raining…" Kuri lamented, pausing to gaze outside.
Old habits died hard. Even after living in Japan for two full years, Kuri still acted like she lived in drought-ridden California, so she was prone to forgetting the climate of her new home.
"Yeah, silly, didn't you see the news?" Mina asked with a small giggle. She, too, stopped to look at the water striking the glass. "There's a storm coming through."
And I didn't bring an umbrella…
"Guess that means heroics class will be inside," Ochako said, clasping her hands behind her back and standing beside Mina. "You think we'll be in the USJ?"
"Unless they say we need to practice combat in the actual rain," Kuri sighed, already hearing the excuses her teachers would make for shoving them out in a downpour.
"As if we need more of that," Katsuki grumbled. Kuri glanced at her boyfriend, who had tagged along to eat lunch with them, and examined his narrowed eyes and pouting lips. He definitely wasn't excited to go to Endeavor's after school.
Kuri linked arms with Katsuki and leaned in close to him with a smile.
"You should take a day off," she suggested, partially teasing. Katsuki received her idea with an incredulous half-smile. "Come by the tutoring room and help me out."
"I don't think you need help! Your students are doing great," a loud, unmistakable voice suddenly proclaimed from behind the four of them. Kuri and her friends turned their heads and saw the familiar wide smile of their English teacher.
"Present Mic, were you eavesdropping?" Mina asked, exaggeratedly crossing her arms and regarding him with feigned suspicion.
"No, I was just passing through and overheard you chatting," Present Mic said with a friendly laugh. He turned to address Kuri with a thumbs up. "Thanks for all your hard work!"
"It's nothing," Kuri insisted, shaking her hands in front of her, blushing slightly at receiving praise. "I'm glad that everyone is able to learn from me."
"Glad" was an understatement, but it was all she could say in response to this surprise attack of compliments. She wished she could express how much it meant to make a difference in other people's lives as an educator. That lost little girl inside her heart could look up at Kuri now and smile at her simple success instead of dreading a life spent at a knife's edge.
"Honestly, you put me to shame, because I was having a lot of trouble getting Yukio to work hard in class," Present Mic admitted, shaking his head. "There must be something about your teaching style that really speaks to him."
"Oh, really?" Kuri laughed stiffly, trying to cover up the awkward face she made at the mention of Yukio. "I wonder why…"
Though his effort in studying continued to pay off, Kuri worried about the energy Yukio kept investing into getting close to her. Like some sort of golden retriever turned human, Yukio was extremely affectionate and yappy during their tutoring sessions. Unfortunately for him, Kuri preferred cats.
She might've endured his behavior if it weren't for the fact that he knew about Katsuki. Despite being fully informed of her relationship status, Yukio hadn't backed off; in fact, he got worse.
Still, she didn't feel confident in determining whether Yukio had romantic intentions or if he was just like that. It wasn't like she could ask him, and Sora wasn't a great alternative. Maybe she should assume it was nothing. Kuri didn't have a magnetic personality or breathtaking looks, so unless Yukio was nuts and fell for her at the drop of a hat, she was simply mistaken.
"Before I forget, Takahiro told me he can't make it on Fridays anymore," Present Mic said. "I'll assign someone else to tutor him. You'll have an open spot in your schedule until another student signs up!"
"Sweet, now you have some free time today," Mina said, bumping Kuri's shoulder.
Kuri playfully rolled her eyes, knowing that this "free time" would just be another hour spent studying for her upcoming college entrance exams.
"That's right!" Present Mic beamed. Then, he tilted his head toward the door to the cafeteria and seemed to spot someone he recognized. Kuri followed his gaze to a group of four younger boys coming their way, and her heart sank when she recognized the tall one with mint hair. "Hey, Yukio, funny seeing you here!"
Kuri tensed as Present Mic caught the boy's attention, and he excitedly hurried to them.
"I would've been outside if it weren't for the rain," Yukio chuckled, a well-used soccer ball tucked under his arm. His eyes immediately trained on Kuri, and he shot her a toothy grin. "Hi, Kuri, I'm seeing you early today!"
Her mouth inexplicably bone-dry, Kuri could only greet him with a courteous nod. She could tell Katsuki wasn't pleased with this turn of events, because the aura of resentment exuding from him was strong enough to stress Kuri out. Mina and Ochako, however, were none the wiser to their disquietude and smiled politely.
"I'll be off now," Present Mic declared, also seemingly unaware of the building tension, but nonetheless making a good call to leave. "Still plenty of papers to grade!"
"Bye!" Mina called as their teacher left. She glanced at Ochako, then Kuri. "We should go, too. Lunch is almost over."
Kuri barely withheld a sigh of relief at Mina's merciful suggestion. She squeaked out a goodbye to Yukio before pivoting to follow her friend and make a quick getaway, only to be stopped immediately.
"Wait, Kuri!" Yukio cried, and she suddenly felt an ice-cold hand latch onto her wrist. Kuri flinched and froze, momentarily mistaking Yukio's chilly fingers for some sort of ghoul's, then felt his grip wobble. She turned her head to see that another arm had joined the chain—Katsuki's.
He glared at the younger boy, countless methods of murder flashing behind his bright red eyes, all while stiffly clutching the arm Yukio used to grab Kuri. Yukio returned Katsuki's glare with a clenched jaw, then released Kuri's wrist. In return, Katsuki let go of him, then Yukio's head creaked on its hinges back toward Kuri, and he strained to smile at her.
"So, what is it…?" Kuri asked warily, watching Yukio as he loosened his posture. He reached into his back pants pocket and retrieved his phone. While he fiddled with it, Kuri became aware that Mina and Ochako hadn't left, and were still standing beside her, looking confused about the arm-grabbing thing. Before she could even attempt to wordlessly convey an explanation with her eyes, Yukio turned his phone to Kuri, a picture displayed on the screen.
"I just wanted to tell you I got new equipment!"
To Kuri, it just looked like a white soccer ball with an icy blue snowflake design, but Yukio said it was a high-tech weapon, custom-made by UA's Support Department. He could imbue it with ice to create a shockingly cold blast upon contact with enemies, or even make it shoot projectiles instead of just freezing air.
Kuri and her companions stood and listened to Yukio's ecstatic infodump until the bell rang, cutting him off and finally freeing the four of them. Yukio hastily apologized for taking up their time, to which Kuri had no choice but to respond with reassurance that they didn't mind.
Yukio waved goodbye before hurrying off to his classroom, but Kuri and her friends stalled for a few seconds to ensure they wouldn't follow directly behind him.
"That fucking kid…" Katsuki muttered as they all headed for the stairwell.
"So, are either of you going to explain what just happened?" Mina asked, eyes wide in disbelief about the interaction that had transpired.
"Those two met a few weeks ago," Kuri said, referring to Yukio and her boyfriend. "Katsuki doesn't like his vibes."
And, honestly, neither do I.
"Well, it was kind of scary when he grabbed you," Ochako said, frowning.
"Yeah, I'm surprised my fight or flight instinct didn't kick in," Kuri laughed. Katsuki didn't seem amused, though, because he gritted his teeth and sighed.
"Don't walk home with him anymore," Katsuki gruffly insisted.
"You've been walking with this kid?" Mina asked, incredulous.
"Only on Fridays," Kuri shrugged. "It's hard to turn him down when we're heading in the same direction."
"If only our work studies ended earlier…" Ochako sighed. "We could be with you instead."
"Right? I miss walking home with you, Katsuki," Kuri complained, grabbing her boyfriend's hand and squeezing it once they reached the floor their classroom was on.
"Then, I'll pick you up after you finish tutoring," Katsuki said, his eyes determined.
"Ditching work study?" Kuri raised an eyebrow. Katsuki nodded. "Yay! In that case, you can grab my umbrella for me."
"I knew you forgot," Katsuki said with a teasing grin, but his smile didn't exactly reach his eyes. Kuri could tell he was wary of Yukio, and that was his real reason for staying by her side that afternoon.
In the free hour Kuri had after school, she thought more and wondered if she was hurting Katsuki by letting Yukio's actions slide. Would confronting him help at all? Or would it just make tutoring painfully awkward?
When Yukio showed up for his session with her, Kuri noted that nothing he said to her ever sounded explicitly flirty. He just managed to instill a vague sense of unease in Kuri's mind, like she shouldn't keep talking to him.
Luckily, after their hour was up, Kuri was free to go! She stuffed her stationery in her backpack, sacrificing neatness for speed, and would've been out the door with a curt goodbye if Yukio hadn't spoken to her.
"Any plans for the rest of the day?" Yukio asked as Kuri zipped up her backpack. She withheld a sigh as she slung it over her shoulder.
If she responded to him, she should at least be deliberate and see if she could confirm her suspicions.
"I'll probably study with my boyfriend," Kuri said, watching Yukio's face when she brought up Katsuki. Just as she expected, Yukio's face darkened, and Kuri couldn't control her gut instinct to avoid awkwardness, so she kept talking. "Though, I did manage to get some work done earlier. The kid I tutor before you just quit, so I had a free hour before you came."
"Has no one signed up to fill the spot yet?" Yukio asked, his eyes newly bright.
Shit.
Disappointed by her tendency to say too much, Kuri didn't speak and elected to shake her head instead. She closed her eyes, dreading what he would ask next.
"Could I come during that time?"
It took all of Kuri's willpower to not groan and tell him no, despite lacking a sensible reason to reject him.
"Okay, you can ask Present Mic. I guess more time to teach would be better," Kuri said, consoling herself that this was normal for him to ask and not a manifestation of his possible feelings for her.
"Well, I just asked because I enjoy being with you," Yukio chuckled bashfully.
Kuri's stomach writhed like a pit of snakes, and she tightened her grip on her backpack strap. Though Yukio's statement could just be friendly, Kuri could not help but feel otherwise. She took a few steps back, her eyes darting to the floor.
"Alright, see you next week. I have to go," Kuri mumbled, pushing chairs out of the way as she beelined out of the tutoring room before Yukio could offer to walk with her.
Once out of eyeshot, Kuri ran for the stairwell. She jumped down each flight, skipping all the steps at once, and only grabbed the handrail to speedily whip around each turn. Kuri clenched her jaw and prayed that Katsuki was ready and waiting for her in the lobby, so they could make a quick getaway. Otherwise, she would have to face what was undeniably blossoming into a real problem.
Katsuki leaned against the wall next to the school's front entrance, his folded umbrella dripping water onto the tile floor while he waited for Kuri. He hoped the storm would clear up a bit by the time she came downstairs, because just going to the dorms and back had soaked his pant legs, not to mention his shoes. Kuri would definitely be grumpy as soon as her socks got wet.
Just as that thought crossed his mind, he heard resounding thumps coming from the stairs across the lobby and looked up in time to catch Kuri mid-jump. She landed in the first-floor hallway on one foot, the other already pitching forward to scramble to him.
Katsuki smirked at the rush she was in and held out her dark blue raincoat, which he had retrieved from her room earlier. She took it from him and dropped her backpack.
"Thanks," Kuri said, hastily slipping her arms through the sleeves. As she zipped up the coat, she looked at Katsuki's hands confusedly. "Where's my umbrella?"
"I wanted to share mine," Katsuki confessed, clearing his throat because saying that sentence aloud made him realize how stupid the idea was. He looked down at his black umbrella, barely big enough to cover the two of them. At least they both had raincoats to compensate.
Kuri picked up her bag and grabbed him by his shoulders to spin him around, then placed her hand against his spine and pushed him toward the doors.
"Okay, whatever," Kuri said, unphased. "We just need to hurry and leave because—"
"Kuri!" a familiar annoying voice called from far off, harmonizing with rapid footsteps descending the stairs. The pair stiffened and shared a mutual look of dread before hastening to open the door and get the fuck away. Katsuki had one foot outside when he heard Yukio squawking for Kuri again from the bottom of the stairs. "I don't have an umbrella can we—"
The boy skidded to a halt a few meters behind them, and Kuri paused to look back. Katsuki wished he had grabbed Kuri and bolted. Instead, he grimaced and glanced over his shoulder at the current bane of his existence, whose happy grin quickly faltered. Probably because Kuri was pressed against Katsuki's back, caught in the middle of pushing him out the door.
For a second, only the sound of rain hitting the steps beyond the entrance filled the silence. Then, Kuri straightened her posture and turned to face Yukio while Katsuki held the door open with his outstretched arm.
"Sorry, I forgot mine, too," Kuri awkwardly admitted. "We only have Katsuki's."
Yukio's eye twitched as he obviously struggled to keep a straight face in spite of building frustration. He glanced at the umbrella in Katsuki's grip before making an absurdly forward suggestion through gritted teeth.
"Maybe the three of us can try to fit under?"
If only Katsuki hadn't been so eager to share an umbrella with Kuri, they could've handed the kid one and bounced out of this mess. Though, he could still ditch him without helping.
While Kuri reeled in shock from Yukio's audacious proposal, Katsuki narrowed his eyes at the messy-haired boy and placed a hand on Kuri's shoulder.
"Give us a second," Katsuki said, before pulling Kuri outside to stand under the overhang. He propped the door open with his foot to keep Yukio within eyeshot, then covered his mouth and leaned down to whisper to Kuri. "This kid is weird. We should tell him to leave us alone."
"What? That's too harsh," Kuri whispered back, her breath tickling his ear. She glanced at Yukio guiltily. "Besides, I can't burn bridges with someone I have to see again in a week."
"Fine, I'll burn the bridge," Katsuki suggested, shrugging one shoulder. He shot Yukio a menacing glance. "You can watch."
"No, I'll put out the fire," Kuri said. She looked at him with newfound seriousness. "Katsuki, he'll get soaked if we leave him."
Katsuki sighed. Though he loved Kuri's kind heart, he could not see the point in pitying the asshole who was harassing his girlfriend.
"This better be the last I see of him," Katsuki grumbled. Kuri gave him an apologetic smile, then looked back at the little intruder.
"Alright, Yukio, get over here," Kuri said, and the boy's face immediately lit up. "We'll take you to your dorm."
The three crammed under Katsuki's two-person umbrella, then strode headlong into the storm. Katsuki held the umbrella's handle firmly as the ferocious wind threatened to rip it away from him. Kuri clung to his right arm and used her free hand to hold her hood in place and shield her eyes from the barrage of raindrops.
On his left, Yukio jostled roughly against Katsuki. Neither of them wanted to be next to the other, but it seemed Yukio was deliberately pushing in front of Katsuki to trip him up as they competed for the umbrella's cover. Not that his efforts were very effective, and he still got completely drenched. With his blazer saturated with water and his hair matted to his face, Yukio suddenly looked at Kuri, concerned.
"Kuri, you're getting all wet!" Yukio stupidly exclaimed, oblivious to his own condition.
"Yeah, but I'm alright," Kuri said, hiding her weariness with a small smile. Katsuki saw that her fingertips were turning red from the cold rain. "We're almost there."
"Still, you could get sick," Yukio insisted. "It'd be better if you and Bakugo switch places."
So, that's what he wants.
Katsuki "accidentally" elbowed Yukio's stomach as they navigated around a curve in the path. Yukio winced in pain and glared at Katsuki while Kuri was looking away from them.
"I don't think it would make a difference," Kuri said flatly. Katsuki knew instantly from her voice that she was fed up with their current predicament. With soggy shoes, water randomly splattering against her face, and Yukio's incessant chattering, it was no surprise that she had reached her limit.
Yukio didn't know any of this, of course, but that didn't stop the dumbass from turning to Katsuki to indirectly challenge him.
"Aren't you her boyfriend?" Yukio asked, his voice barely loud enough to be heard over the rain. "Shouldn't you keep her safe? I know what I would do if I were you."
Katsuki's blood boiled to a hotter degree with each word Yukio uttered. That idiot had no right to give Katsuki advice, much less imply he could be a better boyfriend. He wanted nothing more than to trip him right when the next big puddle appeared, but he knew Kuri would scold him, so he settled for verbal threats.
"The only thing I should do to keep her safe is punch you in the face," Katsuki retorted with a scowl. Yukio's eyes grew wide and his head tilted back in surprise. His stare darted to Kuri to gauge her reaction, but she said nothing. She either hadn't heard his statement or had elected to ignore them for her peace of mind. Then, Yukio glowered at Katsuki, rage simmering in his voice.
"I knew you were crazy," he muttered, then ceased his antagonizing.
An eternity passed in the remaining time it took for them to reach Class 1-B's dorm building. Raindrops pelted the fabric of the umbrella and rolled off the edges onto the path slick with a thin layer of water. Besides the constant drumming of rain, the only sounds that filled the silence between them were their rustling coats, squelching shoes, and the jingle of Kuri's backpack keychains. A faint white haze hung over the entirety of the campus, contributing to the oppressive feeling around them.
When they finally arrived at Yukio's dorm, they dropped him off at the front door without much fanfare.
"Thanks for walking me back, Kuri!" Yukio chirped with a wide smile. It amazed Katsuki how he acted as if anything about that walk home warranted gratitude, considering Yukio was soaked to the bone. "See you next week!"
Once Yukio went inside and closed the door behind him, Katsuki and Kuri simultaneously breathed out a heavy sigh of relief. Surprised that they reacted identically to Yukio's departure, they turned their heads and made eye contact. Kuri's exhausted gaze softened and she took Katsuki's hand, her fingers chilling his skin. He tucked their joined hands into his coat pocket and pulled her closer to him, then lifted the umbrella so they could continue walking home.
"I don't think he's just being friendly," Kuri admitted after a few seconds of silence, dread evident in her tone.
"You see what I mean?" Katsuki asked. His satisfaction at her confirming his suspicions nearly eclipsed his concern, until he noticed Kuri's frown. "Has he done anything to you during tutoring?"
"He just says some things that have romantic connotations," Kuri responded, shrugging. "I don't want to make a big fuss, though."
"Bunny, he'll just get worse unless you stop him," Katsuki insisted, frustration building in his voice as he continued speaking about Yukio. "You have to quit tutoring that… jerk."
Katsuki meant to call him a homewrecking dickhead, but held back because Kuri didn't like it when he called people mean names.
"I know, but he still needs my help," Kuri said, squeezing Katsuki's hand as if to apologize. "Regardless of his feelings for me, I want to make sure he doesn't fail English."
"Can't you dump him onto a different tutor?"
"Maybe, but wouldn't he be upset? He seems to have some trouble with his friends, so it'd be cruel to randomly abandon him," Kuri said. She furrowed her brow, clearly torn about whether or not to take pity on Yukio.
"You're too nice for your own good, Bunny…" Katsuki sighed.
"I just don't want to make him feel worse," Kuri said, continuing to offer her reasoning with a soft voice. "I know how it feels to be ostracized."
Kuri's presence became small and fragile like glass as soon as she referenced the period in middle school during which she endured bullying. Katsuki clenched his jaw and let her lean into him while they walked.
"Then, you don't have to go with what I say," Katsuki said softly. "Just do what you think is best, and tell me if he does anything to hurt you."
"Don't worry, Katsuki," Kuri proclaimed. She looked at him with a smile that had replaced her somber mien. "I can handle this."
Katsuki mirrored her expression but turned away his head when he couldn't hide the disappointment behind his eyes.
Right. Kuri can do it by herself.
She always could control a situation, and Katsuki didn't need to step in. All he had to do was cheer her on from the sidelines. Just wait and watch her deal with the boy trying to tear apart their relationship, because for Katsuki to step in would be against her wishes. The last thing he wanted to be was overbearing or toxic, and Katsuki knew he could trust Kuri's judgment. Even if she had decided to keep fraternizing with that prick.
Katsuki's fingertips pressed against the back of Kuri's hand, massaging between her tendons. In return, she squeezed his hand tightly and urged them to press on once their dorm building became visible.
As she pulled him along, faster and faster, Katsuki couldn't help but wish that Kuri relied on him more. He could easily intimidate Yukio into not bothering her again, and she wouldn't have to have anything on her conscience.
This desire had been brewing in his mind for a while, ever since he couldn't directly help Kuri while she dealt with her family issues. He didn't want Kuri to have to tackle things alone. But Katsuki's secret, secondary motivation—one which he shamefully dragged from the selfish and insecure recesses of his mind—was that he wanted to be done with feeling so fucking useless.
