Chapter Text
Bakugou Katsuki was at the peak of his life. At this very moment, it would be easy to claim that he’s got it all.
Well, almost .
Granted that he has lived a very sheltered upbringing during the majority of his life, he was grateful for the opportunity to attend the state university of his dreams — UP. His parents weren’t exactly sure at first, originally planning to enroll him at the same private university they attended but they supported his wishes — demands , rather — nonetheless. Bakugou knew that they’d do anything for their golden boy, and although it might have sounded spoiled of him, there was sufficient reason on why he wanted to attend UP.
Erase that. It was no longer a matter of want. Rather, it has transformed into an inevitable need.
And so, when the applications were opened, Bakugou made sure that he was well prepared for the first and perhaps one of the most important obstacles that he had to overcome to make his Isko dreams a reality. When he received his acceptance letter, he was no longer surprised. If he was being completely honest, he would’ve thought there was something wrong if he didn’t pass.
It was just another item that got ticked off his list of to-dos.
Entering UP wasn’t the hardest part, or so they say. It was already a feat in itself, and it could already be considered legitimate bragging rights when one was found to be eligible to attend the university. He’s heard the upper-classmen say many times that the university entrance exam was the easiest exam that one had to take in UP. If it was difficult to enter the university, then it was at least ten times harder to graduate.
Maybe his excessive need to prove himself more than capable of what was thought as nearly impossible to an average human being was the one that lured him into his obsession to get in. And from the looks of it, although he was above average, he wasn’t that high up in the ladder in the sea of the best and the brightest students in the country.
For the first time in his life, he struggled. It was a struggle for him since he made up his mind to enter UP, and yet he couldn’t find it in himself to give up. He was Bakugou Katsuki, for goodness sake. Giving up was not part of his DNA. The more challenges that were brought up to him just made him want to strive even more. It only took him several sleepless nights, a million cups of coffee, and a lot of perseverance to survive every semester. Every semester he finished with flying colors was just another achievement to add to his accomplishments. It stroked his ego even more knowing that he did so not because he was damn good at everything but because he tried his very best and gave his 110% effort.
He almost slammed his answer sheet on his professor’s desk, feeling a bit petty. He would not admit out loud that he had a much harder time on this subject than the others, including his thesis defense, but he was relieved that finally — finally — it was over. He confidently handed over the final requirement for the last subject of his undergraduate life and it felt liberating.
Finally, he was free — at least, for the time being. Once all his grades were in, he would have to take care of all the remaining tasks of a candidate for graduation, which includes preparing for the licensure exam.
Being a senior in university, especially someone who aimed to graduate with honors, sure was tough, even for Bakugou. But even someone as hardworking and studious as Bakugou would love nothing more but to relax and forget his academics even for a little while. The licensure exam would be a couple of months away. It wouldn’t hurt his preparations if he slacked off for a bit.
He was free for the time being but that still didn’t mean that he would spend the next few weeks completely playing around and doing god knows what. By slacking off, he meant not studying but still doing something productive. If he used to spend all of his free time just studying, it meant he could, at long last, give himself time to enjoy the things he neglected for a bit. For example, he could finally finish the video games that came out months ago but had to stash them away because he was finalizing his thesis.
Every second that passed in Bakugou’s life needed to be spent on something worthwhile. It needed to be spent on something that would be considered an accomplishment. After all, everything needed to be done at the right moment and at the best time.
And what else was better than asking Uraraka Ochako to be his girlfriend, officially?
Bakugou met Uraraka in one of his GE classes. Originally, he thought minor subjects, especially those that took up much more time than actual majors, were a pain in the butt. However, his outlook on life changed as soon as he met Uraraka in one of those classes.
Since then, he’d been unable to get her out of his head. Being the simp that he was, he’d made it a point to let her know early on that he was interested in her. And although she reciprocated his attraction, Cheeks, as he’d grown to call her, made it clear that she wasn’t interested in being in a serious relationship for the time being. They were still in their first year of university at that time and she just wanted to focus on graduating, primarily speaking. Getting good grades and graduating from the prestigious university meant getting the best job opportunities, and that meant the best possible means for her to help her parents out.
And of course, he understood. Bakugou also wasn’t in a hurry to put a label on what they had together. He didn’t need a label for what they had to shower her with affection. He was more than happy with their mutual understanding, as Cheeks referred it to.
But times have changed. He wanted a good memory before he left the university, and what could be better than finally asking her out? He figured that by doing so, she would be happy as well.
Bakugou would do everything in his power to make Uraraka happy.
Speaking of his angel, he caught a glimpse of her short brunette hair as he got out of the heavily air-conditioned lecture hall where he took the especially brutal exam. She was standing by herself, her eyes scanning through her notes. If he remembered correctly, she also had an exam in this very same lecture hall in thirty minutes.
“Cheeks.” He called out. She immediately looked up to him and smiled. The sight made him forget all the frustration he felt just a few moments ago, and he hoped that the sight of him made her confident to take her final exam.
“Hey, Katsuki.” She greeted him. “Done acing your exam?”
He huffed. “Duh.”
“As expected of the great Bakugou Katsuki of the College of Engineering.” She beamed at him proudly.
“How about you?” He asked back, patting her head affectionately in the process. “Are you ready to kick your final exam in the butt, great Uraraka Ochako of the College of Arts and Science?”
“I think so…” She laughed nervously. Contrary to how overconfident he can be, Uraraka could use a little more push to believe in herself. She was a diligent student but always had doubts about her abilities, considering herself as a little bit above the average, but no one particularly significant.
He rolled his eyes. “You always say that but end up getting top marks anyway.”
She stuck her tongue out at him. “Not everyone can be confident like you, Katsuki.”
“I know.” He grabbed her hand, pulling her towards the stairs by the hall. “Let’s sit over there.”
Uraraka did as she was told, blushing at how Bakugou didn’t let go of her hand even as they sat. They settled themselves comfortably, Bakugou checking his phone for any notification he got while he took the exam, while Uraraka read her notes some more.
As soon as he was done, he slid his phone back into his jean pocket, stretching his legs in the process. He let out a loud yawn, a product of his late-night studying. It’d be nice if he could sleep as soon as he gets home to make up for all the sleep he missed for the past weeks. For now, however, he’ll accompany Uraraka until she needs to go inside the lecture hall.
He watched her as she concentrated on studying her notes. Her eyebrows were furrowed, tongue slightly stuck out as her eyes scanned her neat handwriting furiously. Bakugou wanted to chuckle out loud, or maybe take a photo of her, amused at her adorable game face.
Instead, he gently removed the notes from her hands, ignoring the small protests she made as he did so. He raised her notes above his head, making sure she wouldn’t be able to reach for it even if she tried. “That’s enough studying. You’ll end up forgetting everything if you study until the last minute.”
“Don’t jinx it!” Uraraka whined. “And for your information, I was just doing final revisions.”
“You’ve revised more than enough. You’ll do great.” He squeezed her hand in reassurance. “You always do.”
“Fine.” She sighed in defeat but was quick to get her mood back up. “I guess it’s the best time to ask you.”
“Ask me what?”
“Well… I’ll be going home for the break.”
That came as big news to Bakugou. Uraraka was from a far province that took several hours of travel. Unlike Bakugou who lived thirty minutes away from university, she didn’t always get the chance to go home. Even if she did, she’d rather stay in the dormitory where she temporarily took residence and work as a student assistant for summer classes during semester breaks. She would rather earn during her break than pay the ridiculous fares just to go home — the amount good enough for a couple of days worth of food for her parents.
Although Bakugou never really understood it, as it was the only chance for her to see her parents personally, he never really said anything. He will never understand as he has always lived a privileged life where money was never the issue. He was well aware of that, which made him feel more empathetic towards Uraraka.
If money was the problem, he could easily lend her some but he knew Uraraka and how easily she’d decline the offer. It was just a bit of sacrifice, she told him several times in the past whenever the topic came up. According to her, their sacrifices as a family will be worth it once she’s earning more than enough. She would probably get a job in the city, which meant her parents might be moving in with her anyway.
Since that was the way it has always been for them, he initially thought that she wouldn’t be going home during the break and would just have her parents come over during the graduation rites. It looked like that wasn’t the case this time around and he couldn’t help but be happy for her.
Still, a few weeks of not seeing Uraraka, when he was so used to seeing her at least once a week despite their busy schedules? He’d sound like a lovesick fool but he didn’t know how he’d be able to cope.
It was going to be a tougher ordeal than all of his major subjects combined.
“So I won’t get to see you for a while?” He frowned, not liking where this conversation was going. But isn’t this what he wanted for her in the first place? Bakugou knew how much Uraraka missed her parents and how she pretended that video calls were enough. Still, he couldn’t help a part of him from getting upset.
“You will!” She giggled, bumping her shoulders against his. “If you accept my invitation, that is…”
“Invitation?”
“Well, in a few days, it’ll be our town fiesta , and my mom said it would be a good idea to invite my friends since it’ll be our last break before graduation. My dad thinks so, too.”
He’d only ever heard about her parents from snippets of her experiences back home but never really met them formally. He tried to get out of her way whenever she talked to them, knowing how important it was for her to catch up with them. He didn’t need to be in the scene for that.
“And you’re inviting me?”
“Duh. I already invited Mina, which means Ei and the others are coming, so you better prepare yourself.”
“You invited them before inviting me?” Bakugou teased, acting hurt.
Uraraka rolled her eyes before punching him playfully on the arm. “I saw them earlier so of course I was going to invite them right there and then.”
“I guess I have no choice but to come.” Bakugou groaned. “Someone needs to play the role of a disciplinarian when you’re preoccupied.”
“Great! We don’t have enough room at our house though… So I guess you can check in at a hotel but that’s a bit far from our house. Either that, or we can set up tents in our backyard.”
“I’m not sharing tents with those extras.”
“Hey, I’m just giving you options.” She laughed before gazing into his eyes, hopeful. “Does that mean you’re coming?”
He simply nodded. “When do we leave?”
“The day after tomorrow.”
*
“What do you mean you’re going to ask her out?” Kirishima asked, an eyebrow raised.
“Sometimes I’m curious how you became the Institute of Chemistry’s top student because you’re dumb sometimes.” Bakugou took a swig of his beer, relishing in the bitter yet cool liquid. It was a warm day, so when the extras invited him out for some celebratory drinks after their exams, he obliged. His earlier plans to sleep can wait as there are more pressing matters at hand that need his attention. “I mean exactly that. I’m going to ask Cheeks to be my girlfriend.”
“Wait… But I thought you were already going out.” Kaminari quizzed in, looking confused.
“They’re not,” Sero smirked, taking small sips of his beer. “They’re in ‘mutual understanding’. They’re dating but not quite.”
“That doesn’t even make sense,” Kaminari said, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned back on his seat. “Relationships are complicated. This is why I only do casual dates. Nothing exclusive.”
“Do you mean you don’t go exclusive because no one wants to be tied to you in the first place?” Bakugou retaliated.
“How do you plan on doing it?” Kirishima asked yet again, diverting the attention from Kaminari to him. They were supposed to be celebrating the end of their university life, not stopping one blond from smacking the hell out of the other one.
“I’ll just ask her out at her home,” Bakugou answered, forgetting all about his irritation with Kaminari. “It shouldn’t be that damn difficult.”
“Bro, you do know she’s from the province, right?” Sero inquired.
“What about it?”
“You can’t just ask someone out , especially if they’re from the province. They have traditions to follow. I’m sure Uraraka would appreciate it even more if you did it their way.” Sero exchanged glances with Kaminari before continuing. “Right, Denki?”
“Huh?” Kaminari seemed confused at first but soon understood. “Oh. Right, of course!”
“What traditions are you talking about?” Bakugou asked suspiciously. “How come I’ve never heard of it?”
“It’s because you’re a posh pomeranian who has lived in the city all of his life. You have no culture,” Kirishima explained, causing Sero and Kaminari to nod in agreement. “You can’t just ask her out. That would be disrespectful to her family and their traditions! You have to do what common people like us call ligawan .”
Ligawan?
“What the hell is that?”
“It’s the classic art of courting.”
“Okay.” Bakugou nodded. He’s never had a girlfriend before, finding no need for it. He had other priorities and had always thought that he’d stay single until after he got a job, which was why he never really thought about the requirements for asking someone out. “And how do I do that?”
“It’s just like any other type of courting. You give out chocolate and flowers. Compliment them on their looks. Spend time with them and only them.” Kirishima explained.
Chocolate? She prefers biko . Flowers? The only flower she’d want to receive from him is chicharon bulaklak .
He made it a point to make her feel beautiful every day. She knew he was her biggest fan and cheerleader. And if it was only possible, he would spend every second of his life with her, even if that meant he sounded obsessed.
So what’s missing?
“There’s a catch though, and I strongly suggest you thank your lucky stars for the perfect timing bestowed upon you.” Sero grinned.
“What do you mean?”
“We’re going to be staying at their place for a few days, right?” Sero clarified. “The ligawan for people particularly in her province is unique because you have to court the mother first before actually courting the daughter.”
“What the f—” Bakugou exclaimed, almost spilling his beer. “Why the hell would I do that?!”
“Because it’s tradition!” Kaminari answered. “And tradition dictates that you hang a Sampaguita necklace– You know the one they sell on the streets? Yeah, you have to place it on her joined hand, and you should do so… in a barong tagalog .”
A what? A barong tagalog ?
Bakugou knew what it was. It was a fact that was ingrained in his head since elementary school, with that being the national dress in the country for men. Although he’s known it all his life, he’s never had the chance to wear one. He was aware that it was mostly worn by a groom for their wedding day, but most grooms in his family wore a tux instead. There was no other opportunity for him to wear one. The fact that it looked itchy as hell also made him a bit apprehensive with the idea.
Kirishima beamed at him. “If the mother approves of you, she’ll make Ochako wear a baro’t saya the next day.”
“And if she doesn't?”
“She’ll be made to wear something tacky. Maybe even throw her pee from the arinola at you if you’re especially unlucky.” And with that, the three extras burst out in laughter.
What were they laughing about? The imagery of Uraraka wearing something tacky? Him drenched in piss?
Or did they find it amusing that Bakugou could be disapproved of by his future mother-in-law?
“Just remember, the mother is the most important person for you to focus on. You have to be extra sweet and caring when it comes to her. Show her your suave side, ganern .”
Bakugou scrunched his nose, not liking the idea one bit. “You’re playing with me.”
Sero shrugged his shoulders. “We didn’t make up the rules. It’s up to you whether or not you follow tradition.”
“Just don’t blame us if you end up offending them. They might not even allow you to date Uraraka, let alone see her. Who knows?” Kaminari added.
Bakugou was growing suspicious. “And how do you know any of this?”
“Ochako told us.” Kirishima simply said. The other two just nodded in unison.
“And I’ve never heard of this?” Bakugou pointed an accusatory finger to his chest. “Her almost-boyfriend ?”
“Exactly why she didn’t tell you, bro.” Sero chuckled. “She’s a girl. She’d love it if you figured what she wanted on your own. Besides, her almost -boyfriend loves a challenge, right?”
Now that sounded like Uraraka. Being ‘together’ for almost three years meant that she knew his quirks and whatnot, and that includes his fascination for challenges. It fueled him. He knew that Uraraka would agree to be his girlfriend but he got a different sense of thrill from the idea of winning over her parents in the best possible fashion.
Until it hit him.
Bakugou couldn’t get the image of Uraraka in a baro’t saya out of his head. The meaning behind it was his true goal but just the sight of her in traditional wear? Chef’s kiss.
“So?” Kirishima asked, perching his chin on his palm. “What do you say, bro?”
Bakugou huffed, his heart ablaze with newfound purpose. He was at his very best, and he was confident that he’ll be the best manliligaw in history.
“Where the hell do I find a barong tagalog at this hour?”
*
After a lot of planning and packing, the day Bakugou has been patiently waiting for finally came.
He sat on the passenger’s seat of Kirishima’s car on their long journey to Uraraka’s home. She sat at the back with Ashido, chatting animatedly about something he wasn’t particularly interested in, oblivious to his grand plan of asking her to officially be his girlfriend.
They had been driving for a while, being on a road for a little over five hours. He took turns driving with Kirishima, making the trip a little bearable than they anticipated. They left at the wee hours of the day and had been on more pee breaks than he could count, thanks to the women at the back. Sero and Kaminari, unfortunately, had to stay back, as they were informed the day prior they had to do removals first, else they wouldn’t graduate. Uraraka, bless her heart, assured them they could always come later once they were officially done with academic work.
Bakugou couldn’t find it in himself to care. He had more important tasks to do. He already knew what to do thanks to the thousand times he’d repeated his plans in his head. It wasn’t a sign of worry. He was confident in his ways, thanks to a little help from Kirishima. As long as he arrived at Uraraka's house in one piece, he knew his plans would work out.
“I see it!” Uraraka exclaimed from the back, rolling the windows down. “My house is over there!”
Bakugou followed the direction where she was pointing at. True enough, there was a dainty little house erected in what seemed to be the middle of nowhere.
It was the complete opposite of his house. His residence in the city was bigger than the average size and was surrounded by neighboring houses. Uraraka’s humble abode, however, looked like it was just enough for their small family of three. Instead of neighbors, the house was surrounded by trees and vegetation. Now that he thought of it, it’s been a while since he last saw a house in the area, the last one being at least two kilometers away.
“Where can I park, Ochako?” Kirishima asked as he got in front of the Uraraka residence, slowing down on his driving.
“Here is just fine.”
Everything happened so fast. As soon as the car was parked and turned off, they heard the sound of a hurried seat belt unbuckling. Uraraka flew with excitement, quickly opening the door and rushing towards the house. Bakugou didn’t know what he found more bizarre: the way Uraraka moved so extraordinarily fast or how the door was closed but not unlocked. But then again, perhaps it was just a usual matter in the province. Doing the same in the city was like an invitation to be robbed.
“Are you ready, Katsuki?” Ashido asked, checking her makeup on her compact mirror.
“Ready for what?” He feigned innocence but he had an inkling that she already knew of the plan even though she wasn’t necessarily part of their previous conversation surrounding the subject.
“Ei told me.” Ashido closed her mirror shut, grinning devilishly. “All I can do is wish you luck.”
Bakugou grunted, opening the door and walking towards the trunk. “I have skills. I don’t need any luck.”
He opened the boot, revealing their luggage. They planned on staying for a week only so there wasn’t much in it. On the very top was a dust cover containing the traditional wear they hastily bought and along with the Sampaguita necklace. Bakugou was thankful that Uraraka was too sleepy when they picked her up hours ago to even ask why they bought Sampaguita from the streets when he doesn’t typically do that.
The blond sighed and began taking off his sweater. He left the white shirt he had on under before unzipping the dust bag. Carefully, he took out the barong tagalog and meticulously put it on making sure not to make any crease on it. He had to look neat and presentable for Uraraka’s mom.
Kirishima whistled behind him. “I’m confused whether you’re getting married or getting buried six feet under today.”
“Shut up.” Bakugou threatened, grabbing the flower necklace with a little less finesse. He knew exactly what he was getting today, and it was neither of the two. “I’m getting myself a girlfriend.”
“Go impress them, lover boy.” Ashido cheered him on.
Kirishima laughed loudly, not minding his volume for once since it didn’t seem like they were going to annoy anyone with their noise. He slung an arm over his girlfriend’s shoulder and led the way towards the Uraraka residence with Bakugou walking after them.
The environment outside and inside the house were like two worlds. While the outside environment was quiet and full of lush greeneries, the actual Uraraka residence was beaming with warmth when it comes to color and smell. He’d been told by his parents it was rude to look around someone’s house especially if it was his first time there but he couldn’t help himself. Although the interiors were cramped with random knick-knacks and lacked the usual pieces of furniture and appliances that Bakugou initially thought were staples, he still thought that this house was home – just different from what he was used to.
“Ma, Pa, these are my friends from university!” Uraraka announced excitedly. She stood proudly in the middle of her parents. Her father was a burly man, albeit a little shorter than Bakugou himself. He reminded him of the gentle giant Bakugou read about when he was a little brat.
On Uraraka’s other side stood her mother, who was the spitting image of her daughter. Although she looked most like her mother, there was no denying that Uraraka was a good combination of these two adults who invited and welcomed them into their humble home.
“Thi is Mina and Ei.” Uraraka pointed to the couple. Her loving gaze darted to Bakugou but it was quick to turn to surprise at the sight of him. From the looks of it, both of her parents were also stunned by Bakugou's… attire and the flowers he had in his hands.
“And who do we have here, child?” Her father asked, his voice as deep as Bakugou expected it to be, given the older man’s stature.
“This… this is Bakugou Katsuki,” Uraraka murmured, unable to comprehend. She looked over Kirishima and Ashido as she wondered about what was going on but the two pretended to not notice her pleas for an explanation.
“Oh, so this is the famous Katsuki!” Her father said, his voice booming all over the house. He offered a hand in the blond’s direction. “I’ve heard all about you, anak . It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”
Anak . Uraraka’s father called him anak .
Bakugou wanted to explode right then and there, the initial nervousness he didn’t know he was feeling disappearing. He wanted to jump for joy but couldn’t, remembering the plan they’d meticulously plotted.
With confidence he didn’t even know he had, he marched towards the Uraraka matriarch, completely ignoring the older man’s offer of a handshake. Instead, he went down on one knee, exactly how the extras instructed him, and placed the flowers on the older Uraraka woman’s hands with the most boyish smile he could offer.
After all, the mother was the most important person to focus on, right?
“You look beautiful today, Mrs. Uraraka.”
He thought he had done everything right to a tee but judging by everyone’s reactions — Ashido and Kirishima’s boisterous laughter, Mr. Uraraka’s annoyance, Mrs. Uraraka’s confusion, and Uraraka’s obvious embarrassment and horror as she covered her face with both hands — he knew he did something wrong, somewhere along the way. It was just a matter of figuring out what he did wrong.
Bakugou wondered if he’ll still end up with a girlfriend by the end of this trip.