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The first thing Ochako noticed was the music.
Not just that it was loud, that was normal, but that it felt alive. The bass thrummed through the floor, lights casting warm colors across the common room walls as laughter bounced from one group to another. Someone had gone all out with decorations: paper snowflakes taped crookedly to windows, tinsel draped over railings, and more mistletoe than strictly necessary.
Ochako hovered near the snack table, cup in both hands, telling herself she was just taking it all in.
That was when she noticed Mina.
She was dancing again, not in the center of attention, not for anyone in particular. Just moving because she wanted to. Hair swaying, arms loose, grin wide and unbothered. Mina danced like the room belonged to her.
Ochako watched longer than she meant to.
Mina caught her eye.
She didn’t look away.
She waved.
Ochako startled, nearly sloshing punch onto the floor as she hurriedly glanced down at her cup like it had personally betrayed her.
Smooth, she thought. Very smooth.
“You’re gonna stare a hole through it,” a voice said beside her.
Ochako jumped. “Tsuyu!”
Tsuyu sipped her drink calmly. “You’ve been watching Ashido for three songs,
ribbit.”
“I have not!”
Tsuyu tilted her head. “Two and a half.”
Ochako groaned. “I wasn’t staring. I was… appreciating the atmosphere.”
Tsuyu nodded once. “Sure.”
Before Ochako could argue, Mina slid into the space beside her like she’d always planned to end up there.
“Hey, Uraraka-,” Mina said brightly. “You look like you’re having a very serious internal debate.”
“I-” Ochako cleared her throat. “I was just thinking.”
Mina leaned her elbows on the table, chin in her hands. “About?”
Ochako gestured vaguely. “Stuff.”
“Helpful,” Mina laughed. “You always do
that.”
“Do what?”
“Get all thoughtful when you’re actually just feeling something.”
Ochako felt her face warm. “You don’t know that.”
Mina’s smile turned knowing. “I kinda do.”
Before Ochako could respond, Denki zipped past them. “Ashido! You coming back to dance or what?”
“In a sec!” Mina called back, not even looking away from Ochako.
Denki blinked. “Oh. Carry on.”
He vanished again.
Mina grinned. “See? You’re stealing me.”
“I am not!”
“You absolutely are.”
Ochako laughed despite herself. “You could leave if you wanted.”
Mina leaned closer. “But I don’t want to.”
That should have flustered her more than it did. Instead, Ochako found herself smiling, heart beating a little faster, not from nerves, but from something lighter.
She glanced up. Mistletoe. Of course.
She let out a soft laugh. “You planned this whole room, didn’t you?”
Mina followed her gaze. “Maybe.”
“You put it right where people would stop and talk.”
“Strategic,” Mina said proudly. “You’d make a good hero strategist, you know.”
Ochako rolled her eyes. “You say that to everyone.”
Mina smirked. “Only the cute ones.”
Ochako opened her mouth to protest, then stopped.
“…You’re impossible.”
Mina shrugged. “And yet here we are.”
They stood there for a moment, the music swelling around them, people brushing past without really noticing.
“So,” Mina said lightly, nodding upward.
“What do you think?”
Ochako hesitated. “About…?”
“You know.” Mina’s grin softened just a touch. “The holiday thing.”
Ochako glanced around. No pressure. No expectations. Just Mina, smiling at her like this was the most natural thing in the world.
“…It is tradition,” Ochako admitted.
Mina brightened. “See? I knew you were festive.”
“I didn’t say I agreed yet!”
Mina leaned in, playful. “You’re thinking about it.”
Ochako sighed, smiling. “You’re very persuasive.”
“I get that a lot.”
Mina rocked back on her heels, pretending to think it over. “You’re hesitating.”
“I am considering,” Ochako corrected.
“There’s a difference.”
“Uh-huh.” Mina tilted her head. “What’s the holdup?”
Ochako glanced around again, suddenly aware of how close they were standing. Close enough to feel the warmth coming off Mina’s jacket, close enough to notice the faint citrusy scent she always seemed to carry with her.
“I don’t usually do spontaneous things,”
Ochako admitted.
Mina’s grin softened, just a little. “You jumped off a collapsing building to save people. I think you’ve got it in you.”
“That was different.”
“How?”
Ochako opened her mouth… and then closed it again.
“…Okay, maybe not that different.”
Mina laughed, bright and delighted.
“There she is.”
Before Ochako could respond, someone bumped lightly into her shoulder.
“Sorry!” Sero said, stepping back. He glanced up, noticed the mistletoe, and smirked. “Ohhh. Am I interrupting something?”
“Nope,” Mina said easily. “You’re witnessing.”
“Witnessing what?” Jirou asked from behind him, arms crossed, clearly entertained.
Ochako felt her cheeks heat up. “It’s not!”
Mina lifted both hands. “Hold on, hold on. Jury’s still out.”
Sero blinked. “On…?”
Mina shrugged, eyes still on Ochako.
“Whether she’s gonna kiss me.”
There it was.
The words hung between them, bold and unapologetic. Ochako’s heart jumped into her throat, not from fear, but from the sudden clarity of it. Mina wasn’t pushing. She wasn’t cornering her. She was just… saying it out loud.
Ochako exhaled slowly.
“You really don’t overthink things, do you?”
Mina smiled. “Life’s more fun that way.”
Jirou raised an eyebrow. “So what’s the verdict, Uraraka?”
Ochako met Mina’s eyes again.
“Okay,” she said quietly.
Mina’s grin widened. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
She stepped closer before she could talk herself out of it. Mina leaned in too, their foreheads nearly touching for half a second, close enough that Ochako could hear her laugh, soft and pleased.
The kiss was quick, warm, and undeniably playful. Mina smiled into it, and Ochako felt herself smile back, the moment light and easy and gone almost as soon as it began.
There was a beat of silence.
Then-
“Called it,” Jirou said.
Denki let out a low whistle. “Wow. Festive.”
Sero blinked. “That was it?”
Mina pulled back just enough to look smug. “What? You wanted choreography?”
Ochako laughed, ducking her head as her face warmed again. “You’re enjoying this way too much.”
Mina shrugged. “Why wouldn’t I?”
Tsuyu appeared beside them, calm as ever. “That was a nice kiss, ribbit.”
Ochako blinked. “Th-thank you?”
Tsuyu nodded, satisfied, and wandered off.
The music surged again, conversation resuming as if nothing monumental had happened, because maybe it hadn’t. It was just a kiss. A moment. Something fun and fleeting and perfectly timed.
Mina bumped her shoulder lightly against Ochako’s. “See? No big deal.”
Ochako smiled, heart still racing. “You say that like you didn’t plan this entire thing.”
Mina laughed. “Okay, maybe a little.”
They lingered there for another song, talking about nothing in particular, food, decorations, how Denki nearly knocked over the speaker earlier, until the party began to thin, people drifting off in pairs or small groups.
Eventually, Mina stretched her arms overhead. “Guess that’s my cue.”
Ochako nodded. “Yeah… same.”
They walked toward the dorm exits together, the night air cooler and quieter outside. The chatter faded behind them, replaced by the soft crunch of gravel underfoot.
“That was fun,” Ochako said after a moment.
Mina glanced over. “Yeah?”
“Yeah,” Ochako replied. “I’m glad we didn’t… overthink it.”
Mina grinned. “Told you.”
They stopped at the entrance, neither rushing to leave.
“Well,” Mina said lightly, rocking back on her heels again. “Goodnight, Uraraka.”
“Goodnight, Mina.”
They parted with easy smiles, no promises hanging between them, just the lingering warmth of a moment that didn’t need to be anything more.
Ochako headed inside, still smiling.
Sometimes, a kiss really could just be a kiss.