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"Ah, Kyouka!" he calls out. Kaminari Denki, much taller now, much stronger, so full of life. She doesn't let him notice -- it's quite easy, honestly, three years at UA yet he's still a dunce -- but she likes looking at him. Taking in his features; his pretty, sunburned skin, the contrast of the black streak against his blonde hair, his honey colored eyes.
"Hey," is her usual reply. The laid-back type. She doesn't let much slip.
Jirou Kyouka isn't the romantic type. It's not that she dislikes romance -- she's always just felt awkward in those kinds of situations, and whether the cause is lack of experience or something else... she doesn't know.
Instead of thinking, Kyouka focuses on her music -- her collection of instruments has grown to an impressive size in the last three years -- something which always manages to make her happy and relaxed. But the music is like a time machine, and before she knows it five hours have passed, and she feels bad.
People don't really ask her to come hang out anymore. Which is fair, at the end of the day, she usually rejects the offers. Kaminari's advances the most.
"Will you be my girlfriend?" he grins, his body language so open and welcoming.
"Nope." she replies, leaning towards him. It's a normal routine for them. Standard procedure in the class of 3-A. Her answer is always no, but she always smiles, even if it's faint.
"Just get a room!" yells Kirishima. He's just being his hot-blooded self, fed up with the never-ending cycle like everyone else in the class. Kaminari looks at him, then back at Kyouka, and grabs his chin like he's deep in thought.
"Maybe we should, whaddya' say?" he asks. Kyouka bursts into laughter.
"I say you're a dunce." she states. Her face feels hot.
"I'm hurt!" Kaminari clutches his chest and leans back dramatically in his chair, "my heart, broke-" he's about to go on another Shakespearian rant, but gravity overpowers him, and with the chair he falls to the floor.
"Kaminari-" Kyouka's at his side immediately. That's normal though, right? She was closest, and friends worry about each other, don't they?
"Ow, ow," he complains, his eyes closed, but laughing. But then he leans on his elbow and their faces are so close, so close, "didn't I tell you to call me Denki?" it's not really a question -- his voice is low and hushed, his eyes not clearly conveying his emotions.
Kyouka damn near breaks the sound barrier as she jumps backwards. Her face is definitely red, and there's a few "ooh"s from their classmates. She shoots up from the floor and returns to her seat with her back facing Kaminari. If she wasn't flustered she would notice the hurt expression of the boy on the floor.
His friends help him up.
--
"Do you want to talk about it?" Uraraka asks softly. Everything about her seems so soft and soothing. Kyouka likes her, but they're so different in personality, they're like oil and water.
"I don't know. Not really? But maybe I should," is her response. The girls of 3-A are all huddled together in the common area of their dorms.
"Ahh," Ashido lets out a dreamy sigh, "I love love."
"Right?! Me too!" Hagakure yells, her enthusiasm never falting. Kyouka feels uncomfortable.
"Turn it down a notch, you two, you're not gonna get anything out of her if you're like that," says Yaoyorozu. Thankful, but suspicious, what was that middle part? the two girls' target smiles at her friend.
"Kyouka," it's Tsuyu's turn to speak, "you do not have to, but it seems to be bothering you, and that's why we want to help."
"Right, right," Ashido nods along to Tsuyu's wholesome perspective, but can't quite conceal her thirst for gossip and romance.
"Eh..." Kyouka begins, "I'm not sure what to tell you... Honestly, you guys are probably more suited to be talking about these things... Ashido, aren't you and Kirishima already dating?"
"Oh! Yeah! He got me this, actually!" she points at the necklace around her pink neck, and the normal boyfriend-related jewelry shenanigans ensue. Kyouka sits with her arms around her knees in the sofa, not really interacting with Ashido and the others, but smiling. It is nice to be surrounded by her friends, even if they're doing something as lame as talking about boys.
"And you, Yaomomo?" asks Ashido, smirking, "how are things with Todoroki?" Yaoyorozu blushes and cups her face with her hand.
"Oh, um," she begins, and the other girls tense up for the rest, "well, we went out this weekend..."
"Ohmygodwhatdidyouguysdo?" Hagakure's hyper personality spills out, almost on the same level as Ashido.
"We went to the museum... their new exhibit on vintage aircrafts was very interesting and informative!"
"Boo!" Ashido calls, disappointed, "you're supposed to go to the movies, or to a nice restaurant or cafe, or the amusement park! Not a date at the museum. That's terrible, Yaomomo!"
"What? I think it was perfect," Yaoyorozu defends, "it's what we both wanted to do!"
"Alright alright, you two. You both have lovely date ideas, so why don't we try figuring something out for Kyouka and Denki instead of fighting?" says Uraraka, and once again, all the attention is on Kyouka. She compresses herself into her knees.
"I... I'm not even sure I want to date him," she says. The group becomes quiet. "I mean, how do you even know that you like someone? I've never really done that before."
"Well..." says Ashido, "with Kirishima, there's just like, this woosh! and yaay! and everything's funny, and I feel like jumping up and down."
"So the way you always are?" asks Kyouka -- a total disapproval of the pink girl's answer.
"For Todoroki and I, it's like even though my heart's racing, I feel calm. We can talk for hours about books, or political topics, or motivations and aspirations... I'm always happy when we talk and even if we're silent I'm glad to just be near him." That's more like it, thinks Kyouka.
"I guess I feel similar. Kaminari's a moron, and we don't talk that much, but I always... laugh when he's there? My face gets hot too. And when he does that stupid thing where he comes super close my chest feels tight." she says.
"Ha ha!" Ashido laughs, "foolish girl! How can you not have realised?!"
"Yeah," Uraraka adds, "it does sound like you-"
"Love him!" Hagakure cuts Uraraka off with a squeal.
"Guys. Come on." Kyouka sighs, "you're looking into it too much."
They leave her be after that. But she feels unsatisfied somehow, and that stupid lightning bolt's face keeps popping up in her head. It's like she can't decide -- does she really like him, or does he just annoy her?
Her friends almost wordlessly come to an agreement while Kyouka's lost in thought.
She just wants to retreat into the safety of her room, her music cave. But now that she's actually with her friends for once she doesn't want to leave them. And somehow, Kyouka doesn't want to just relax -- she wants to decide.
"Uraraka, what do you think of Kaminari?" Hagakure's question snaps Kyouka out of it.
"Um... well..." Uraraka fakes her giddyness perfectly, "I feel bad, but the truth is... I think he's really cute!"
Kyouka's eyes widen.
"Oooh, a love rival!" Ashido checks for the reaction, and smirks at Kyouka's expression.
"If I were to like someone other than Deku... I think it would be Kaminari..." Uraraka cakes it on thick.
"Hmm... well," says Yaoyorozu, "I'd say that maybe you should ask him out. If things go south with Midoriya, you know. If Jirou doesn't like him, then there shouldn't be a problem..."
Kyouka feels her head spinning. She knows what she should say -- go ahead, it's your decision, I'm neither his boss nor yours -- and somewhere in her mind she knows they're screwing with her. But the thought of Uraraka and Kaminari... of them together... and that Uraraka might keep Kaminari as a back-up in case it doesn't work out with Midoriya! They're not realistic scenarios, but the thought of someone doing that, especially to Kaminari -- it's like Kyouka's brain abandons ship and her instincts all collectively go "mine".
"Hey uh," she stands up, "I've gotta do something." and she runs off. The girls give each other meaningful looks, and congratulate Uraraka on her stellar performance.
--
First she rushes to his dorm room and knocks frantically. But no one comes to the door, so before giving herself time to think -- fuck it, it's finally time for me to do something bold -- Kyouka continues running.
--
"Awh, come on, Denki." tries Kirishima, "you didn't see how she blushed earlier?"
"Yeah," Sero chimes in, "don't lose hope, dude."
Kaminari himself just sits slumped and looks depressed. The other two are stationed before their friend -- trying their best to cheer him up.
"I don't know... I used to really think she liked me, you know? But maybe she doesn't, and I'm being a dick by still trying. I mean, if I've just been harrassing her this whole time, I'm no damn better than Mineta."
"Nah. No one can beat Mineta." Sero states confidently.
"Yeah!" Kirishima laughs, "and seriously, I would get it if she'd actually rejected you, told you to stop or whatever. But Jirou's never done that. Remember how Sero hit on her once a while back? He got his ass handed to him! Now stop being this unmanly and keep your spirit high!"
"When you put it like that... but honestly, I'm getting kinda bummed out about this whole thing..." Kaminari sighs and dramatically adds: "maybe I'm just not supposed to be loved."
"Dude." Sero tries his hardest to not roll his eyes, or worse, laugh.
"Bro. I get it. Mina and I had some rocky moments. But trust me, it-" Kirishima's cheer-up stamina is endless, but his encouragement is cut short by a new voice.
"Kam- Denki!" she calls out.
"Kyouka," he replies in genuine surprise, his mind not yet really registering everything. Sero and Kirishima look at each other and unanimously start backing off.
"Do you like Uraraka?" she blurts out, before mentally slapping herself for being stupid.
"Huh?!" he's completely dumbfounded.
"Just..." she looks away, embarrassed, and waves her hand as if to say 'get it over with'.
"No. Why- why would you even think that? She's with Midoriya!" he cries out, sounding almost offended by the thought, "I like you! I always have!"
And Kyouka's head pretty much explodes, because she's gotten exactly what she wanted. For the second time in a span of ten minutes she decides to out-do the boldest moves she's pulled in her life.
Denki's up on his feet again, and she pushes him against the wall. He lets out a small gasp as his back connects, and his arms go up against her sides as if he's not sure what to do. Even though she's on her tip-toes he's still taller, goddamn growth spurt, so she tugs at his shirt to get him to bend down. And then he does.
The kiss is wet, sloppy, and feels weird, but Denki's arms finally go around her -- he pushes her into his chest like he wants her closer no matter how close she comes.
She retreats slightly and opens her eyes. His are closed for a second, and he looks so vulnerable that her heart aches.
And then his eyes look right into hers, and they're so beautiful -- golden, like sunsets and jewelry, or like honey or the shiny gold leaf that her dad used to gift her when she was small.
She kisses him, again and again, until he's the one to break it off.
"Kyouka..." he says, so very softly. Once again he looks uncertain -- exposed, defenseless -- but his arms are still firmly wrapped around her, "...what do I make of this?"
"I'm sorry, Denki, I should've... I've been so stupid. And selfish," now that the dam's broken the words flood out. He's quiet and opts to just observe her until she sorts out her thoughts. "It's terrible, isn't it? I've been stringing you along for such a long time because I'm an idiot."
He's still silent.
"I'm- I guess I've been scared, or something, because feeling these... feelings is so new to me and I didn't want to deal with them. But that's over now, I think, I mean if you want. I guess I've been pretty terrible, huh?"
His eyes are so intense, and now she's the one feeling exposed.
"So do you... do you want to be my girlfriend?" is what he says, when he finally talks. For a second, Kyouka's stunned, but then she almost cries with laughter.
"Yes, you absolute dunce."