Chapter Text
Everything passes in a blink. A joyous blur.
What Katsuki had anticipated being a boring and uneventful vacation has been better than he could’ve imagined. This might as well be the beginning of the rest of his life.
He and Uraraka get along fucking splendidly. It’s almost surreal.
Throughout these two weeks, Katsuki’s been waiting for the other shoe to drop. For her to tire of his abrasive personality. For her to do something that annoyed the hell out of him.
It hasn’t happened.
They’ve been together every day – lounging on the beach, playing volleyball, going to the gym, talking. She even convinced him to try a few things he normally wouldn’t care about like paddleboarding and floating down a lazy river. Unfortunately, those moments didn’t last forever. Uraraka truly loves her family, so she always sets aside time for them.
To be honest, it has inspired him to be around his parents more. They’ve gone snorkeling (they saw a shark which was badass), attended a luau (the fire dancers were cool), and the three of them watched a movie one night before bed – all piled together, reminiscent of when he was a kid – (he thinks his pops cried).
Now, his time in Hawaii is rapidly approaching an end.
He isn’t thrilled, which is interesting considering the fact he didn’t want to travel here in the first place. However, Katsuki fully understands why he’s enjoying this vacation so much. He’s met someone special.
…and he still hasn’t managed to ask for her contact information.
Well, beyond her hotel room phone number. In his defense, Uraraka isn’t using her cell outside of Japan secondary to extra charges she views as “unnecessary expenses.” It’s a brittle excuse though. The real reason he hasn’t asked is because he’s nervous. What if she says no? What if she isn’t interested in seeing him when this comes to an end?
A huge sigh flares his nostrils. Worrying isn’t getting him anywhere.
Katsuki peers at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, determined to will away every cowardly fiber from his body preventing him from taking the next step. If he doesn’t ask her out soon, he might never see her again and that can’t happen.
He rolls his shoulders and takes a deep breath.
Today. He’ll ask her out today.
Loud banging against the door almost makes him jump out of his skin. “Hey, brat! Hurry up in there!” his Ma shouts.
“The hell? Leave me alone! I’m in the damn bathroom, for god’s sake!”
“You’ve been in there for over ten minutes! I waited patiently. Now get out here so we can discuss our plans for tonight.”
Plans? Katsuki’s brows furrow. What plans? His highest priority is getting Uraraka’s number today. Slowly, he opens the door to eye her warily. “What’re you talking about?”
“It’s Obon.”
“Ok?”
“We always celebrate and attend an Obon Festival,” she points out, staring at him as though he’s an idiot. “Obviously we can’t do everything as usual, but Obon is observed here too. There’s a festival tonight at a nearby temple. I’d like all of us to go as a family.”
His mouth is suddenly dry.
It isn’t that he hates the idea. The main problem is that this is their last night here. Katsuki is genuinely running out of time. “We’re leaving tomor-”
“Exactly, which is why we'll be spending our last night in Hawaii together. You can have all day to yourself without your father and I pestering you, but tonight we’d like for you to attend the festival with us.”
How is he supposed to explain his situation to his mother? Katsuki takes that thought captive almost immediately, shaking his head incredulously. He’s definitely not doing that. He isn’t a kid who needs her advice. Before he formulates a response, she says something he doesn't expect.
“I’m sure that girl you like will be there, anyway,” she comments offhandedly with a sly grin. Her narrowed eyes might as well be staring into his soul. “You know, that cute one with the bobbed hair? I’ve been watching the two of you every now and then. You make a good couple.”
“You-wha-huh?” he stammers, processing her words. “Why?”
“Pshhh, because you’re my son so you’re incredibly handsome and she’s adorable – smiles a lot too. Plus, I appreciate whatever effect that she’s having on you. You haven’t spent time with us like this in years. The whole-”
“No, you hag! Why were you spying on us?”
That earns him a scoff. “Quit being dramatic. I wasn’t spying. I only saw you two around. Couldn’t help but notice how smitten my typically grumpy son looked. Masaru might have snapped a few pictures but I think you’ll forgive him when you see how nice they turned out. What’s her name?”
The conversation abruptly comes to an end when Katsuki shuts the bathroom door in her face, bracing his hands against the counter. He doesn’t have the time or energy for this shit. Turning on the faucet, Katsuki splashes cold water onto his face and runs his hands over his skin. It doesn’t matter that his Ma knows he cares about Uraraka. He does. A lot.
He needs to make sure Uraraka understands that.
Meaning he’s gotta get his ass outside and find her.
___________________
Forlorn, Katsuki examines the jinbei his hag secretly packed for him, his crimson gaze trailing over dark fabric with subtle orange detailing. It takes a significant amount of effort not to crumple it in his fists.
He hasn’t been able to get in touch with Uraraka all day.
He’d gone down to the beach as usual but she never showed. He walked along the shore, picked up a few games of volleyball, and scrolled for what felt like an eternity on his phone while he sat in the sand.
She wasn’t found lounging around the pool area, in the gym, or any of their other usual haunts. The nail in the coffin was that she also hasn’t answered the phone in her room.
And he’s called several times.
Surely Uraraka would’ve told him if she was leaving, right?
Yea, he’s being ridiculous. She’s not supposed to head home until tomorrow afternoon, anyway. She did mention some planned mother-daughter time. Perhaps he misunderstood that and she meant the entire day?
Katsuki hopes that his hag is right and Uraraka’s at the Obon Festival. He really doesn’t wanna resort to a social media search after returning to Japan. She deserves to be approached face-to-face.
If she doesn’t show up, it’s gonna fucking suck.
A slight tap on the door serves as a warning before it’s slowly pulled open, his head turning to find his pops standing there. Katsuki acknowledges his presence with a nod but doesn’t speak, still fixated on the clothing in his hands.
“Hey, son.”
“Hey.”
“What’s the matter?”
“Nothing.”
Careful footsteps draw close, moving until they’re right behind Katsuki. A soft palm finds his shoulder. “You and I both know that’s not true,” his pops murmurs in a soothing tone. “Don’t forget that I’ve raised you for going on twenty years.”
For some reason, that’s all it takes. Katsuki visibly deflates, his shoulders falling and his chin tucking against his throat. “I…I didn’t see her today and I’m worried that I won’t find her before we leave.” He doesn’t bother explaining who he’s referring to. From what Ma said, his pops already has an idea.
Humming, his father shifts to take a seat on the bed. “What makes you say that?”
“We’re literally leaving tomorrow and I haven’t heard from her all day.”
“Can you call her? Send a text?”
“I’m not an idiot. I’ve tried calling her room already. Can’t text her, though, since I don’t have her number.”
Masaru Bakugou appears entirely surprised by that revelation, neck tilting in confusion. “You've practically been joined at the hip. What do you mean you don’t have her number?”
Katsuki plops onto the floor. “She won’t use her cell here because of the extra charges. Since we’re out of the country or whatever. We’ve just been meeting at times and places we planned the day before or talking on the resort lines.”
“Someone who goes through that much trouble to see you wouldn’t let you leave without saying goodbye, Katsuki.”
That’s what he’s tried telling himself. Repeatedly. Unfortunately, the nervous chihuahua attempting to take up residence in his brain makes that hard to believe. But…he wants to believe that Uraraka feels the same way he does. So, so fucking badly.
He runs a hand through his already messy hair. “I like her, Pops.”
“I do too.”
The response makes Katsuki snort. “You haven’t even met her.”
“I don’t need to formally meet this girl to form an opinion on the matter. I’ve seen you with her, Katsuki, and you’re always happy. Your mother and I are thankful for that. Look here.”
Pops offers his phone and Katsuki immediately realizes what he’s staring at. It’s a photo of him and Uraraka floating down the lazy river. Damn, he really is smiling like a complete fool. And she…she looks beautiful as always. He swipes, viewing another photo, this time of them sharing a meal…gazing at one another as if they’re the only two people on the planet. Next is a picture of their backs as they walk down the beach at sunset, their hands almost touching.
“Ma wasn’t kidding about the pictures.”
“I only snapped them when we happened to spot you two,” Pops chuckles, adjusting his glasses with a grin. “I wasn’t following you, I promise.”
“They’re good,” Katsuki admits, returning the phone.
“Want me to send them to you?” he asks as though he isn’t already aware of the answer – as if Katsuki isn’t dying to look at them again and again.
“...yes.”
Something he appreciates about his father is that he’s never been one to tease. They sit in silence for a few moments before another question is asked.
“What’s her name?”
“Uraraka Ochako.”
“I’m not sure I’ve heard that given name before. It’s nice.”
Katsuki’s cheeks heat. Everything about her is nice. “Yea.”
“Well, I won’t keep you any longer. We both have to get ready before your mother’s finished.” Pops stands and heads toward the door at a leisurely pace, pausing when his palm closes around the handle. “Don’t worry, son. I have a feeling you’ll see Uraraka again. If she’s there tonight, I’ll give you an opportunity to disappear for a while.”
That leaves Katsuki grinning, his nerves finally beginning to settle. “Thanks.”
___________________
Katsuki figured the Obon Festival wouldn’t be terribly busy. His Ma had explained that in Hawaii, Obon is observed over a period of several months so he wasn’t expecting any large crowds.
He was wrong.
People clad in brightly colored yukatas and jinbei are everywhere. A staggering quantity of food stalls vie for attention. Live music played with traditional instruments rings through the air, a band perched atop the yagura illuminated by lanterns that cast a warm glow. Circles are already being formed for the Bon dance to welcome the spirits.
“Did everyone on the island come?” Shit, he’ll never find her amongst all these people!
“Probably,” his pops laughs. “We got lucky. This one’s supposed to have a fireworks show.”
“Isn’t there always a fireworks show?”
He gives Katsuki a sympathetic pat on the back. “Not in Hawaii.”
Great. Just fucking great. How is he ever going to spot-
Katsuki’s thoughts halt, entirely taken captive by two gorgeous, flushed cheeks. She’s..she’s here, almost directly in front of him. What are the odds?
Uraraka’s dressed in a pink, flower-patterned yukata. Her hair is pulled away from her face aside from a few curled strands. When she turns to speak to her mother – the resemblance is uncanny – he notices what he thinks is a floral hairpin. A man who must be Uraraka’s father stands on her opposite side, towering over both women. It appears they’re preparing to participate in the Bon dance, having joined others in an outer circle.
Katsuki refuses to move when his hag tries to drag him into the fold.
He’d much rather watch her.
Once the taiko drums rumble and the music begins, he doesn’t look away. Uraraka studies the more experienced dancers in the circle closest to the yagura – as the dance varies by region – but catches on rather quickly. Awkward steps soon evolve into fluid movements, the woman moving with a grace that honestly shocks him. This must be something she does every year in Kansai.
It isn’t until Katsuki’s being hauled toward a stall serving a dish he’s never heard of that his attention is diverted. As much as he wants to go speak to Uraraka immediately, she’s here with her family. He’s here with his family.
He needs to wait for the right moment.
They yap with a few locals – well, his parents do while he stands there – and he enjoys pork yakisoba. Katsuki’s one second away from slipping into the crowd in search of her when his elbow is nudged. Ma continues chattering on about a topic he definitely isn’t listening to, though his pops tilts his head in the direction behind where they stand.
It’s Uraraka.
Now she’s on her own, unsurprisingly armed with a dessert.
His eyes widen, especially when his pops pelts him with an expression that screams ’What are you waiting for?’ before calling, “Look, dear. They have shaved ice! I’d love to see what flavors they serve here,” and guiding her away. It’s an intervention Katsuki will owe that man for for the foreseeable future.
The timing is perfect. For in the next breath, he observes Uraraka drop her skewer of multi-colored dango onto the ground. He laughs to himself when she stares at the snack as if it personally offended her before cracking a smile and rolling her eyes in disbelief.
So fucking cute.
Katsuki, now alone thanks to his father’s kindness, easily locates the stall she must’ve recently visited while she disposes of the tainted sugar. Thankfully, it isn’t swamped. Swiftly retrieving an unsullied skewer of sweetened rice shit, Katsuki puts one foot in front of the other until he’s standing directly behind the person he’s been desperate to talk to all day. A gentle tap on the arm is enough to turn her chin, and he’s just delusional enough to believe the starry-eyed expression she assaults him with has nothing to do with the dango in his grasp.
“Bakugou?! What are you doing here? I figured you’d already be asleep.”
At first, he believes she’s joking. Yet when she continues to wait expectantly for his response, it’s clear that isn’t the case. Uraraka genuinely thought he’d already be curled up in bed.
“I don’t go to bed early every night,” he snarks, barely reigning in the compulsion to ruffle her hair. She clearly put in a lot of effort and he doesn’t want to fuck it up. He lightly brushes a curl away from her forehead. “If you aren’t happy to see me, I could always go back to my room-”
“No!” she blurts, latching a hand onto his wrist. “Of course I’m happy to see you. You surprised me, that's all.”
“You surprised me too. Dropping perfectly good food? That’s unlike you.”
A blush ravages her skin. “You saw that?!”
Katsuki gestures toward the skewer he possesses. “Obviously. You think I bought these empty calories for myself? This is for you.”
“You just said it was perfectly good food!”
“In your opinion, it is,” he teases, holding the dango out as an offering. “That doesn’t make it true.”
“Did you come here to pester me, Bakugou Katsuki? If so, I’ve changed my mind. I’m not happy to see you, after all.” Despite the claim, she accepts the treat and immediately begins munching with a smirk.
“I came here with my parents, actually. My Ma wanted to. It’s our last hurrah before going back to Japan tomorrow.” A miniscule part of him considers leaving the rest of the truth unsaid out of fear. He punts the notion to the damn moon. “Was hoping I’d run into you, actually.”
“Oh, yea? Why’s that? So you could get in some last minute teasing?” She sticks her tongue out at him goodnaturedly.
“Nah.”
She raises an eyebrow.
“Alright, maybe a little, but only because you’ve been the best part of this whole damn vacation.”
Katsuki’s heart threatens to leap out of his chest when she smiles big enough that it threatens to encompass her entire face. “I’m going home soon too. We should make the most out of tonight, don’t you think?”
“Couldn’t agree more, Round Face. Wanna attend an Obon Festival with me?”
Uraraka bumps against his side. “You betcha.”
___________________
As corny and stupid as it sounds, it’s like a dream.
He and Uraraka check out the other stalls, he manages to get a bit of real food into her stomach, they listen to music, and they talk and laugh more than he has in his entire life. Katsuki wishes it wouldn’t come to an end.
It isn’t until fireworks are exploding, bathing the night sky in vibrant colors, that it hits him. This is it. In a few short minutes, they’ll go their separate ways for the lantern ceremony and he cannot waste this time he has with her.
Hell, he’d be a fucking dumbass. For once, he’s gonna make sure the right words travel from his brain to his mouth.
“Bakugou,” she almost whispers when the night quiets, staring up at him through her eyelashes in a way that makes him want to kiss her stupid. “I’m gonna miss you. You were the best part of my trip too.”
Heat from the tips of his ears throughout his entire body, something warm and molten attempting to burrow into his chest. “Better than the unlimited desserts? Better than the spa?”
Teeth dig into her lower lip and suddenly her hand reaches for his. Katsuki entwines their fingers together in a blink. “Much better.”
The admission is monumental. Uraraka’s never been on a fancy vacation. She’s always worked hard in life to get to where she is. A free, luxury vacation in America is something she never thought she’d have. And she’s saying he’s been the best part?
He’s unfriendly. Arrogant. Takes things too seriously. But she sees past all of that. She laughs at his jokes, doesn’t put up with his bullshit and returns it tenfold, and is just as tenacious as he is.
How on earth did he get this lucky?
“Can I have your number? Your real number?” he asks, swallowing down the anxiety he’s been stomaching for almost two weeks. “I care about you, Uraraka, and I don’t…I don’t wanna lose this. What we have. Let me call you when we get back to Japan. Take you out properly. I don’t care how long I have to wait.”
Katsuki almost faints when she rises onto her tiptoes to press a gentle kiss against his cheek. “I’d love that. I don’t want to lose you either, Bakugou. I know we’ll both be busy with classes, but I’ll absolutely make time for you when I’m at Yueii if you make time for me.”
Everything comes to a rushing halt.
Yueii?
“Round Face…did you say Yueii? You-you’re a Yueii student?”
Both brows scrunch in contemplation. “Did I not mention that? I could’ve sworn I told you I’m a physics major.”
“You didn’t tell me you’re a physics major there! You mentioned going to school near Kansai.” He’s spent all this time believing she attends university in the west. This is unbelievable.
“Well, I did go to school in Kansai when I was younger-”
Katsuki pulls Uraraka close, already drunk on how she feels in his arms. His heart is racing. “I can’t fucking believe this. I go to Yueii too!” He barely hears her gasp over his pulse. “Obviously I’ll make time for you. Are you crazy?”
“Hey, watch it!” she warns, giving him a tight squeeze. “Keep talking like that and I might change my mind.”
“You better not.”
Once Uraraka’s number is entered into his contacts and they part for the evening, Katsuki cannot stop grinning. This vacation – the vacation he didn’t even want to go on – has undoubtedly been the best vacation ever.