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Joint training.
It always started the same way.
Class 1-A arrived.
Class 1-B pretended not to be excited.
Monoma immediately ruined that illusion.
"Well, well, well."
He spread his arms dramatically.
"Our favourite neighbours have finally
graced us with their presence."
Kirishima grinned.
"Good to see you too, Monoma."
"It isn't."
"It never is."
Kendou sighed.
"...Can we please get through one training session before you start?"
"No."
"Thought so."
The two classes filtered into Gym Gamma.
Aizawa and Vlad King discussed the day's exercises while students stretched and chatted amongst themselves.
Setsuna Tokage was...
Bored.
Painfully bored.
She lay upside down across one of the benches, watching everyone else warm up.
"Pony."
"Hm?"
"I'm dying."
Pony looked over.
"...You are literally upside down."
"I know."
"It's dramatic."
"It is."
Yui looked up briefly from where she
was stretching.
"...Sit properly."
"...No."
Across the room...
Izuku Midoriya was already filling another notebook.
Setsuna narrowed her eyes.
"...What's he writing?"
Monoma wandered over.
"Probably another twenty-seven pages analysing the structural integrity of the building."
"Really?"
"...No."
"...Maybe."
"No one's actually sure."
Setsuna laughed.
"...He's kind of cute."
Monoma stopped walking.
"...Excuse me?"
Kendou slowly looked over.
Pony blinked.
Yui actually raised an eyebrow.
Setsuna sat upright.
"...What?"
"You think Midoriya's cute?"
"I didn't stutter."
Monoma looked horrified.
"...Class representative!"
Kendou pinched the bridge of her nose.
"I'm not class representative when it comes to things like this.."
"You need to intervene!"
"I don't think I do."
Setsuna looked across the gym again.
Izuku hadn't looked up once.
Still writing.
Still muttering quietly to himself.
"...Yep."
"Cute."
Monoma looked as though he'd just witnessed society collapsing.
"...Why?"
"I don't know."
"He looks..."
She thought carefully.
"...Comfortable."
Pony smiled.
"...That's actually kind of sweet."
Monoma looked betrayed.
"...Whose side are you on?"
"The happy side."
Training began.
Mixed teams.
Search and rescue exercise.
Setsuna and Izuku ended up assigned together.
"Midoriya."
"Tokage."
He smiled.
"It's good to work with you."
She grinned.
"You too."
Then...
Nothing.
No awkwardness.
No blushing.
He simply unfolded the exercise map.
"So..."
"If we split here..."
"We can cover more ground."
Setsuna blinked.
"...Straight to business?"
He looked confused.
"...Shouldn't we?"
She laughed.
"...You're serious."
"I usually am during rescue exercises."
"...Interesting."
The exercise itself went surprisingly well.
Really well.
They communicated naturally.
Covered for one another instinctively.
When Setsuna split her body apart to scout ahead...
Izuku adapted immediately without needing an explanation.
When Izuku changed direction halfway through rescuing one of the mock civilians...
Setsuna trusted him without hesitation.
By the end...
They'd posted one of the fastest times.
Vlad King nodded approvingly.
"Excellent teamwork."
Aizawa simply added,
"You listened to one another."
High praise.
As everyone began packing up...
Setsuna wandered back towards Class 1-B.
Monoma folded his arms.
"So?"
"So what?"
"Did he blush?"
She frowned.
"...No."
"You failed already?"
"I've only known him for forty minutes."
"That's plenty of time."
"...For you, maybe."
Kendou laughed.
"So you're trying to make him blush?"
Setsuna shrugged.
"...Could be fun."
Pony giggled.
"I think he seems difficult."
"No one's impossible."
Monoma suddenly grinned.
"...I have an idea."
Kendou immediately looked suspicious.
"...That's never a good sentence."
He ignored her.
"Ladies and gentlemen..."
He climbed onto a nearby equipment box as though addressing an audience.
"I propose..."
"...a wager."
Several members of Class 1-B stopped what they were doing.
"A wager?"
Monoma pointed dramatically towards Izuku, who was still talking earnestly with Iida about the rescue exercise.
"If Tokage can make Midoriya blush before the end of the week..."
"I buy her lunch."
"And if she can't..."
He smirked.
"She buys mine."
Setsuna laughed.
"That's it?"
"I'm confident."
She crossed her arms.
"...Make it interesting."
Monoma blinked.
"...Interesting?"
"If I lose..."
"I'll buy lunch for the whole class."
The room immediately became much more attentive.
Pony gasped.
Kamakiri looked up from cleaning his
blades.
Even Tetsutetsu wandered over.
"...Seriously?"
Setsuna grinned.
"But..."
She pointed confidently across the gym.
"If I win..."
"You all admit I'm the greatest flirt in Class 1-B."
Silence.
Then Monoma extended a hand.
"...Deal."
She shook it immediately.
"...Deal."
Kendou sighed the sigh of someone who already knew exactly how this was going to end.
"You know..."
"...I don't think Midoriya even realises he's part of this conversation."
Across the gym...
Izuku sneezed.
Ochaco looked over.
"You okay?"
He nodded.
"...I suddenly felt like someone was talking about me."
Mina grinned.
"They probably were."
He shrugged.
"...Maybe."
Then immediately returned to discussing rescue strategy.
Completely oblivious.
Setsuna watched him for another moment.
A slow smile spread across her face.
"...One week."
She folded her arms confidently.
"I bet I can fluster you."
Across the room...
Izuku finally looked up.
Their eyes met for a split second.
He smiled politely.
Then waved.
Setsuna smiled back automatically.
"..."
"..."
"...Why was that kind of adorable?"
Monoma buried his face in his hands.
"...We're doomed.”
By Tuesday morning...
The wager had become common knowledge throughout Class 1-B.
Not because anyone intended to spread it.
Because Monoma possessed the self-restraint of an overexcited news reporter.
"...Current odds!"
He announced dramatically as everyone gathered before training.
"Tokage: even money."
"Midoriya: somehow still completely
oblivious."
Kendou sighed.
"You're taking this far too seriously."
"I'm taking this exactly seriously enough."
Setsuna stretched her arms above her head.
"So."
"What's the plan?"
Monoma looked offended.
"You mean..."
"...you don't have one?"
"I've got lots of ideas."
"None of them involve thinking ahead."
"...That's hurtful."
"It's accurate."
Pony giggled.
"I think you should just compliment him."
Setsuna blinked.
"...That's boring."
"It's honest."
"I can do honest."
Monoma looked horrified.
"...Please don't."
Joint rescue drills began shortly
afterwards.
Teams were once again mixed.
By complete coincidence...
Or so Vlad King claimed...
Setsuna and Izuku were paired together again.
Setsuna looked towards the ceiling.
"...Thank you, mysterious forces of destiny."
Izuku tilted his head.
"...What?"
"Nothing."
She smiled brightly.
"Ready?"
He nodded.
"Always."
Today's exercise involved navigating a simulated office building while locating trapped civilians.
The corridors were narrow.
Meaning...
People had to walk fairly close together.
Perfect.
Setsuna casually stepped a little nearer.
Their shoulders almost brushed.
"So..."
She smiled sideways at him.
"You've got really nice eyes."
Izuku looked at her.
"...Thank you."
"They're a nice shade of green."
"...Thanks."
"My favourite colour, actually."
"Oh."
He smiled.
"That's a funny coincidence."
She blinked.
"...Coincidence?"
"My hero costume uses green too."
"..."
"..."
"...That's your response?"
He frowned slightly.
"...Was there another one?"
Later… They reached a blocked corridor.
Setsuna leaned casually against the wall.
"So..."
"You work out a lot."
"I do."
"It suits you."
"Thank you."
"I've been trying to improve my upper body strength recently."
She waited.
Nothing.
Izuku nodded thoughtfully.
"If you'd like..."
"I know a few exercises that helped me."
Setsuna stared.
"...Really?"
"Of course."
"They're mostly bodyweight movements."
"I can write them down for you."
She opened her mouth.
Closed it again.
"...That's..."
"...Unexpectedly helpful."
He smiled.
"I hope so."
By lunchtime...
Setsuna had attempted six compliments.
Every single one had been met with:
"Thank you."
A genuine smile.
Helpful conversation.
Nothing else.
She collapsed dramatically onto the cafeteria table.
"...He's broken."
Pony sat opposite her.
"...How?"
"I called him handsome."
"What did he say?"
"'Thank you.'"
"...That's it?"
"'You have really expressive eyes.'"
"What did he say?"
"'Thanks. My mum says the same thing.'"
Pony burst out laughing.
"...Oh no."
"I know!"
Across the cafeteria...
Izuku sat with Ochaco, Iida and Tsuyu.
Mina wandered over carrying her lunch.
"So..."
She glanced towards Class 1-B.
"...Why does Tokage keep talking to you?"
Izuku looked up.
"Oh."
"We've just been paired together a lot."
"Uh-huh."
"And?"
"...She's really nice."
Mina smiled.
"...Anything else?"
He thought for a second.
"She's very confident."
"And?"
"She asks interesting questions."
"And?"
"...She's got a really creative Quirk."
Mina looked at Ochaco.
Then back at Izuku.
"...Anything else?"
Izuku blinked.
"...Should there be?"
Mina slowly walked away.
"...This is going to be fun."
Wednesday afternoon...
Attempt Number Seven.
Setsuna found Izuku in one of the training observation rooms.
Exactly where she'd expected.
He was writing again.
She walked over quietly.
"What are you working on?"
He looked up.
"Oh."
"Tokage."
She leaned over his shoulder.
Close enough that she could smell fresh notebook paper and coffee.
"So..."
She said softly.
"What fascinating secrets are hidden in
here?"
Izuku immediately brightened.
"Oh!"
"I'm comparing the mobility differences between your Quirk and mine."
"...You are?"
"Yeah."
He turned the notebook towards her.
"Look."
Instead of leaning away...
She found herself leaning closer.
Without realising it.
He pointed enthusiastically.
"When you separate your body..."
"You've effectively got multiple observation points."
"But..."
He turned another page.
"If we combined that with predictive movement..."
Twenty minutes later...
"...And that's why I think your Quirk would be incredible for large-scale evacuation planning."
Silence.
Setsuna stared at the notebook.
Then at him.
"...That..."
She pointed vaguely at the pages.
"...Is the most thought anyone's ever put into my Quirk."
Izuku looked genuinely surprised.
"...Really?"
She nodded slowly.
"...Really."
He smiled.
"Well..."
"I think it's amazing."
Something warm fluttered unexpectedly in her chest.
"...Thanks."
He nodded.
"You're welcome."
Then...
Without warning...
He looked at her thoughtfully.
"...Can I ask you something?"
She grinned.
"Now who's flirting?"
He blinked.
"...Flirting?"
"...Never mind."
She laughed.
"Go on."
He smiled.
"When you split your ears off..."
"Can they hear independently?"
Setsuna stared at him.
"...That's..."
"...actually a really good question."
She'd never thought about it before.
That evening...
Class 1-B's common room.
Monoma sat with a notebook of his own.
"Progress report."
Setsuna dropped onto the sofa.
"...Zero blushes."
"I knew it."
"But..."
She frowned.
"...Something weird happened."
Kendou looked up from her homework.
"What?"
"I forgot I was trying to flirt."
Silence.
"...What?"
"He started explaining my Quirk."
"I ended up asking questions."
"For twenty minutes."
Monoma looked horrified.
"...You let Midoriya lecture you?"
"It wasn't a lecture."
"It was..."
She searched for the word.
"...Really interesting."
Kendou slowly smiled.
"...Setsuna."
"Hm?"
"I don't think you're the only one playing a dangerous game."
She frowned.
"...What do you mean?"
Kendou simply returned to her homework.
"...You'll figure it out."
Across campus...
Izuku closed another notebook.
At the bottom of the page he'd just written one final sentence.
Tokage asks really thoughtful questions.
He looked at it for a moment.
Then smiled.
"...She's fun to talk to."
He closed the notebook.
Completely unaware that somewhere else on campus...
Setsuna Tokage was lying awake in bed wondering why she couldn't stop thinking about hero rescue strategies.
"..."
"...This wasn't part of the plan.”
Thursday morning...
Setsuna Tokage had a new strategy.
She stood in front of the mirror in Class 1-B's dorms with her arms folded.
"No more compliments."
Pony looked up from tying her hair.
"...Really?"
"They don't work."
"They seem to make him happy."
"They're supposed to make him flustered."
Yui, already ready for class, glanced
over.
"...Be more direct."
Setsuna blinked.
"...More direct?"
Yui nodded once.
"...Personal space."
Then she walked out of the room.
Setsuna and Pony looked at one another.
"...That was both helpful..."
"...and slightly terrifying."
Meanwhile...
Izuku was blissfully eating breakfast.
Mina slid into the seat opposite him with the biggest grin he'd seen all week.
"So..."
He looked up.
"...Morning, Ashido."
"Morning!"
She rested her chin in her hands.
"You and Tokage seem to be getting along."
He smiled.
"Yeah."
"She's really fun."
Mina's grin widened.
"Oh?"
"And she's incredibly creative."
"Uh-huh."
"And she's surprisingly thoughtful."
"Anything else?"
Izuku paused.
"...She asks really good questions."
Mina looked toward Ochaco.
Ochaco quietly looked back.
Neither of them said anything.
Tsuyu took another bite of breakfast.
"...He really doesn't notice, ribbit."
Training that day focused on tactical planning.
Small groups.
One table.
Lots of discussion.
Setsuna took the seat directly beside Izuku.
Not opposite.
Beside.
Their shoulders almost touched.
Izuku didn't seem to notice.
"...Morning."
"Morning."
She smiled.
"Mind if I sit here?"
"Not at all."
He moved his notebook to give her more space.
"...Thanks."
Aizawa walked to the front of the room.
"You have forty minutes."
"Develop an evacuation strategy for the
scenario on the screen."
"No fighting."
"No villains."
"Just rescue."
The projector flickered to life.
Immediately...
Izuku's pencil began moving.
Setsuna leaned a little closer.
"So..."
"What're you writing?"
"The safest routes."
She leaned in further.
"What about now?"
"Secondary routes."
Her chin came to rest lightly on his shoulder.
"And now?"
Without missing a beat...
Izuku simply angled the notebook so she could see it more comfortably.
"So if this stairwell collapses..."
"We'd redirect civilians through here."
"..."
"..."
Setsuna stared at him.
He was genuinely just...
Explaining.
She wasn't even sure he realised she was practically leaning on him.
"...You're impossible."
"Hm?"
"...Nothing."
Twenty minutes later...
The exercise had become less of a strategy session...
And more of a conversation.
"I don't think that corridor's wide enough."
"Oh!"
"You're right."
He immediately crossed it out.
"What if we move the medical station here instead?"
Setsuna pointed to another section of the map.
Izuku's eyes lit up.
"That's better!"
"It cuts evacuation time too."
"It does!"
He looked at her with genuine admiration.
"You're really good at this."
Something in Setsuna's brain stopped functioning.
"...I..."
"...Thanks."
The compliment had been so sincere...
She almost forgot to answer.
Across the room...
Monoma watched in mounting horror.
"...She's discussing logistics."
Kendou looked over.
"...Looks like it."
"She's supposed to be flirting!"
Pony giggled.
"I think she forgot."
"I think Midoriya distracted her with rescue routes!"
"I didn't even know that was possible!"
After class...
Setsuna found herself walking beside
Izuku without really thinking about it.
"...Can I ask you something?"
He smiled.
"Sure."
"Do you always carry notebooks?"
"...Mostly."
"How many do you own?"
Izuku looked thoughtfully at the sky.
"...I've honestly lost count."
She laughed.
"I was afraid you'd say that."
"I've filled quite a few."
"I can imagine."
She nudged him gently with her elbow.
"...You're kind of adorable."
"Thanks."
"..."
"...That's it?"
He blinked.
"...Should there be more?"
She burst out laughing.
"...No."
"I just wanted to check."
Lunch arrived.
Setsuna dropped into her usual seat with a sigh.
Monoma was waiting.
"...Well?"
"...Still nothing."
"Not even a little blush?"
"He thanked me."
"...For what?"
"I called him adorable."
Monoma slowly lowered his head onto the cafeteria table.
"...This is painful."
Kendou couldn't hide her smile.
"So..."
She looked at Setsuna carefully.
"Are you having fun?"
Setsuna opened her mouth.
Stopped.
Thought about it.
"...Yeah."
She blinked.
"...Actually..."
"I really am."
"Even though you're losing?"
"I guess."
She smiled to herself.
"I like talking to him."
Monoma looked up just enough to point dramatically.
"Aha!"
"What?"
"The objective was making Midoriya blush."
"...Yes?"
"Not enjoying his company!"
"...Can I do both?"
"...No!"
That afternoon...
The classes were dismissed early.
Students drifted across campus in small groups.
Setsuna spotted Izuku sitting beneath a tree.
Notebook open.
Naturally.
She wandered over.
"You know..."
He looked up.
"...Hi, Tokage."
"I think you've got a notebook addiction."
He laughed.
"I've heard that before."
She sat beside him.
Close enough that their shoulders touched this time.
Neither of them moved away.
"...Whatcha writing?"
He turned the notebook towards her.
"My observations from today's rescue exercise."
She scanned the page.
Most of it was exactly what she'd expected.
Routes.
Timings.
Ideas.
Then...
One line caught her eye.
Tokage thinks outside the box. She notices practical solutions I miss.
She read it twice.
"...You wrote about me."
Izuku nodded.
"I always write about people I learn something from."
She looked back down at the page.
"...You learned something from me?"
"Lots."
He smiled.
"You've made me reconsider how I approach rescue planning."
For once...
Setsuna didn't have a joke ready.
"...Nobody's ever..."
She stopped herself.
Then laughed quietly.
"...You're really good at making people feel appreciated."
Izuku scratched the back of his neck.
"I just say what I'm thinking."
"I know."
She looked at him for a long moment.
"...That's what makes it dangerous."
He tilted his head.
"...Dangerous?"
She smiled mysteriously.
"...Never mind."
As she walked away a few minutes later...
She could still feel the warmth in her cheeks.
She'd spent three days trying to make Izuku Midoriya blush.
Instead...
He'd somehow made her feel seen.
And she was beginning to suspect...
That was a much more difficult thing to recover from.
By Friday morning...
The wager had escalated far beyond Class 1-B.
Not because Setsuna had told anyone.
She hadn't.
Not because Monoma had kept it secret.
He absolutely hadn't.
Mina found out first.
Naturally.
She burst into Class 1-A's common
room before breakfast.
"EVERYBODY!"
Kirishima looked up from his cereal.
"...Morning?"
"Tokage is trying to make Midoriya blush."
Silence.
Then.
"...She’s what?"
Five minutes later...
Half of Class 1-A knew.
Ten minutes later...
All of them knew.
Except...
The person the bet was actually about.
Ochaco stirred her tea.
"...Should we tell him?"
Iida adjusted his glasses.
"I believe that would compromise the integrity of the... whatever this is."
Tsuyu blinked.
"...It's kind of funny watching him be completely oblivious, ribbit."
Mina grinned.
"I give it another day."
Kirishima frowned.
"...She's not doing very well."
"Oh, she's doing terribly."
Joint training began.
Today's exercise involved rescue coordination between four-person teams.
By some twist of fate...
Setsuna and Izuku found themselves together.
Again.
Monoma immediately accused Aizawa of favouritism.
Aizawa ignored him.
As everyone collected equipment...
Setsuna took a deep breath.
"...Alright."
"This is it."
Pony smiled encouragingly.
"You've got this."
"I've absolutely got this."
Yui looked up from checking her gloves.
"...No."
"...What do you mean 'no'?"
"You'll overthink it."
Setsuna frowned.
"...I hate how accurate you are."
The exercise began.
Izuku was studying the map.
Setsuna wandered over.
Close enough to brush against his arm.
"So..."
She smiled.
"If we survive today..."
"We should celebrate."
Izuku looked up.
"...Celebrate?"
"Sure."
"You've been really fun to work with."
"I thought maybe..."
She shrugged casually.
"...We could get lunch together."
Izuku smiled.
"I'd like that."
"...You would?"
"Yeah."
He looked genuinely pleased.
"I was actually thinking the same thing."
"...You were?"
"You've got great ideas."
"I think it'd be fun."
Setsuna's brain took several seconds to restart.
"...Oh."
Across the room...
Monoma was watching through a pair of borrowed binoculars.
"...He's accepted!"
Kendou looked over.
"...You brought binoculars?"
"...Maybe."
"To an indoor training exercise?"
"...Maybe."
She sighed.
"...I don't even know why I ask anymore."
Lunch came quicker than expected.
Setsuna sat opposite Izuku in the cafeteria.
No classmates.
No audience.
Just… Lunch.
"This is nice."
Izuku nodded.
"It is."
"I usually eat with Class 1-A."
"I know."
"So do you normally."
"I do."
She smiled.
"...Guess we're both skipping today."
"I guess we are."
The conversation flowed surprisingly easily.
Favourite foods.
Favourite heroes.
Childhood stories.
Hero costumes.
Embarrassing training accidents.
"...You got stuck in a tree?"
Setsuna laughed.
"For three hours."
"...Three?"
"My Quirk's brilliant."
"My sense of direction..."
She made a so-so gesture with her hand.
"...Needs work."
Izuku laughed.
"I never would've guessed."
"What about you?"
He smiled sheepishly.
"I broke my arm trying to throw a baseball."
"...How?"
"...Long story."
"I've got time."
Neither of them noticed...
Several tables away...
Eight students were pretending not to stare.
Mina leaned across to Ochaco.
"...They're on a lunch date."
Ochaco immediately shook her head.
"It isn't a date."
"...Looks like one."
"They don't know it's one."
Tsuyu sipped her juice.
"...That somehow makes it cuter, ribbit."
Over in Class 1-B...
Monoma looked ready to cry.
"...They're enjoying themselves."
Kendou smiled.
"...They are."
"...This is a disaster."
"For you."
"...For the bet!"
Pony looked over.
"I think Setsuna forgot about the bet."
Monoma followed her gaze.
Setsuna was laughing at something
Izuku had said.
Not trying to flirt.
Not trying to tease.
Just… Laughing.
"...Oh."
He blinked.
"...She did."
After lunch...
The two classes regrouped outside.
As everyone chatted before the afternoon session...
Mina wandered over with the most innocent smile she could manage.
"...Hey, Midoriya."
"Oh."
"Hi, Ashido."
"Good lunch?"
"It was!"
He smiled.
"Tokage's really easy to talk to."
Mina looked at Setsuna.
Who suddenly seemed very interested in the clouds.
"...Oh?"
Izuku nodded.
"And she's got a great laugh."
Setsuna's ears turned slightly pink.
Mina noticed immediately.
"...Anything else?"
Izuku thought.
Then smiled.
"I like spending time with her."
Silence.
Mina slowly turned towards Setsuna.
Setsuna looked back.
Both of them understood exactly what had just happened.
Izuku...
Did not.
"...Did I say something strange?"
"No."
Mina grinned.
"...Not at all."
She patted him on the shoulder before walking away.
As she passed Setsuna...
She whispered just quietly enough that only the two of them could hear.
"...You're in trouble."
Setsuna sighed.
"...I know."
"...Because he's not blushing?"
"...No."
She smiled despite herself.
"...Because I think I'm starting to like him."
Mina's grin softened.
"...Yeah."
"I figured."
For the first time all week...
Setsuna stopped thinking about the bet.
Stopped thinking about making Izuku blush.
Stopped thinking about winning.
Instead...
She found herself wondering something far more important.
I wonder if he'd say yes...
The thought caught her completely off guard.
She blinked.
Then quietly laughed to herself.
"...Well."
"...This got complicated.”
Friday afternoon.
The final joint training exercise came to an end with the familiar blast of the buzzer.
"Time!"
Vlad King folded his arms.
"Excellent work."
"You're all dismissed."
The students immediately began packing away equipment.
Some chatted excitedly.
Others were already discussing plans for the weekend.
Setsuna...
Had a far more important problem.
She'd lost.
Officially.
Undeniably.
She let out a dramatic sigh.
"...Well."
Pony looked over.
"...You tried."
"I did."
"You got very close."
"I don't think I did."
Monoma wandered over, looking far more cheerful than he had all week.
"Ladies and gentlemen..."
He cleared his throat theatrically.
"The winner..."
"...is Midoriya!"
Several members of Class 1-B clapped politely.
Kendou rolled her eyes.
"...You're enjoying this far too much."
"I absolutely am."
Setsuna laughed.
"...Alright."
She pushed herself off the wall.
"I'll go admit defeat."
Monoma blinked.
"...Really?"
"I'm not a sore loser."
"...Since when?"
"...Since literally always."
She pointed a finger at him.
"You just don't notice."
Across the training field...
Izuku was carefully packing away his notebooks.
Again.
Setsuna wandered over.
"Midoriya."
He looked up.
"Oh."
"Hi."
"You heading home?"
"In a little while."
He smiled.
"I just wanted to finish these notes."
She laughed.
"...Of course you did."
He scratched the back of his neck.
"...Habit."
There was a brief silence.
Then Setsuna took a deep breath.
"...I've got a confession."
Izuku blinked.
"...Okay?"
She rubbed the back of her neck.
"For the last week..."
"...I've been trying to make you blush."
Silence.
Izuku stared.
"...You have?"
"...Yes."
"...Really?"
"...Really."
He looked genuinely bewildered.
"I..."
"I didn't realise."
She burst out laughing.
"You really didn't?"
He slowly shook his head.
"...No."
"I thought..."
He hesitated.
"...I thought you wanted to be friends."
Setsuna laughed even harder.
"So did I!"
That answer made him blink.
"...What?"
She took a deep breath, trying to stop laughing.
"The funny thing is..."
"...I forgot about the bet."
"You did?"
She nodded.
"I think..."
She frowned thoughtfully.
"...Somewhere around the rescue
planning."
Izuku smiled.
"...That was a really good conversation."
"It was."
"And then lunch."
"...Yeah."
"And then all the other conversations."
She looked down with a sheepish smile.
"I stopped trying to make you blush."
"...Oh?"
"I just..."
She laughed quietly.
"...Kept finding excuses to spend time with you."
The words hung gently between them.
Izuku's eyes widened just a fraction.
"Oh."
He thought back over the week.
The compliments.
The lunches.
The conversations.
The questions.
The laughter.
"...Wait."
He looked back at her.
"...Was..."
"...that flirting?"
Setsuna simply stared at him.
Then slowly covered her face.
"...Midoriya."
"...Yeah?"
"...You're unbelievable."
She lowered her hands again, still smiling.
"I have never met someone so completely oblivious."
Izuku laughed awkwardly.
"...Sorry."
"No."
She shook her head.
"Don't apologise."
"It's actually..."
She smiled warmly.
"...kind of adorable."
His ears turned the faintest shade of pink.
She noticed immediately.
Not enough.
Izuku looked down at his notebook.
Then back at her.
"...Can I admit something?"
"Hm?"
"I wasn't trying to make you blush either."
She grinned.
"I'd certainly hope not."
He laughed.
"But..."
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"I kept hoping we'd get paired together."
"...Really?"
"You make training..."
He searched for the right words.
"...More fun."
Setsuna's heart skipped.
"I've learned a lot from you."
"You think differently than I do."
"You notice things I miss."
"And..."
He smiled.
"...I really like talking to you."
For just a moment...
Setsuna forgot how words worked.
Monoma had been wrong.
Kendou had been wrong.
She'd been wrong.
This wasn't dangerous because she might lose a bet.
It was dangerous because Midoriya Midoriya had a habit of saying exactly what he meant...
And somehow making it sound like the nicest compliment in the world.
She smiled.
"...One last attempt."
Izuku tilted his head.
"...Hm?"
She took one small step forward.
Then another.
Slowly...
She held out her hand.
"...May I?"
He looked at it.
Then back at her.
"...Of course."
She slipped her hand into his.
Warm.
Comfortable.
Natural.
She smiled.
"There."
"I finally got permission."
Izuku looked down at their joined hands.
His brain took exactly three seconds to process what was happening.
Then...
His cheeks turned bright red.
Setsuna's eyes lit up.
She pointed triumphantly.
"YES!"
Her voice echoed across the training field.
Every head turned.
Monoma practically collapsed onto one
knee.
"I KNEW SHE'D DO IT!"
Kendou walked over calmly.
Hand already outstretched.
"...Lunch money."
Monoma sighed with theatrical despair as he handed over his wallet.
"I've never been so delighted to lose a bet."
Izuku looked around.
At the laughing members of Class 1-B.
At Mina, who was trying very hard not to laugh from the other side of the field.
At Ochaco hiding behind both hands.
At Kirishima giving him a very enthusiastic thumbs-up.
"...Wait."
He looked back at Setsuna.
"...Everyone knew?"
She winced.
"...Pretty much."
He covered his face with his free hand.
"...That's..."
"...Really embarrassing."
She laughed.
"I know."
"...You won."
"I did."
"...Worth it?"
She looked down at their still-joined hands.
Then back up at him.
"...Definitely."
Izuku smiled.
"...Good."
A comfortable silence settled between them.
Eventually...
Setsuna cleared her throat.
"...So..."
"...Now that the bet's over..."
"Hm?"
She smiled.
"...Would you like to go on an actual date this weekend?"
There wasn't even a moment's hesitation.
"I'd love to."
Her grin softened into something quieter.
More genuine.
"...Good."
"I was hoping you'd say that."
Together, they began walking towards the school gates.
Still hand in hand.
Behind them...
Monoma watched the two disappear into the evening sunshine.
He let out the deepest sigh anyone had ever heard.
"...I can't believe Midoriya beat us all."
Kendou watched the pair for another moment.
Setsuna laughed at something Izuku
had said.
He laughed with her.
She smiled.
He smiled back.
Kendou folded her arms.
A small smile crossed her own face.
"...I don't think anyone beat anyone."
Monoma looked at her.
"...No?"
She shook her head.
"...I think they both won."
And, judging by the way neither of them had let go of the other's hand...
She was absolutely right.