Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

senpai

It seemed like any other morning with Class 1A. The classroom was abuzz with chatter and banter amongst the students as they awaited their homeroom teacher's arrival. It was two months after the semester began so the students had already formed their bonds and cliques, as people tended to do within social settings. It would have been an understatement to call the number one class in the hero course "energetic", as the room often had the tendency to be filled with the roars of Katsuki Bakugou.

"Oi, quiet down," nevertheless, as usual, the moment that Aizawa took his first step through the door, the room was suddenly deathly quiet and his students were suspiciously well-behaved and poised in their seats. He took his usual spot at the front of the room, speaking to his class with his usual, calm but firm timber, "Before we get started today, I'd like you to make our new student feel welcome." He looked towards the doorway, "Okay, come in."

"Yes, sensei." Mineta and Kaminari immediately perked up at the sound of a feminine voice. Not a moment later, soft coos of awe resounded as a comely girl meandered her way to Aizawa's side.

Time seemed to slow as she walked, Midoriya's brain trying to process how her profile looked familiar. But the moment that the girl fully turned to face the class, his eyes widened and glinted. And unbeknownst to Midoriya and the rest of the class, Bakugou's eyes also doubled in size as his usual scowl fell ajar.

While her jet-black hair had grown from above her shoulders down to her lower back, her facial features were undeniably the same—save for the wonders that puberty did to her physique. Her blue-gray eyes were as large and lively as before, her lips curved upward. The girl raised a hand in a chipper greeting, "Nice to meet you all. I just transferred here from the support course. I'm—."

Before the girl could finish her self-introduction, Midoriya couldn't help but squeak out in shock, "Hi...Hime-chan?!"

"Hm?" The girl immediately followed the source of her blast from the past. Her surprise immediately transformed into delight when she spotted the green-haired teen in attendance. "Izukun, it's been so long," she beamed, her smile full of well contained excitement.

"Ehhh?" Kirishima looked mildly surprised before turning to make conversation with the blond teen next to him. "Looks like Mido—." Only to find Bakugou seething with a blazing red aura.

"What the hell are you so-called admins thinking?!" All eyes went to Bakugou, unsurprised to find him fuming, but still curious about what ticked him off this time. "A princess like that doesn't belong in the hero course, let alone 1A!"

The girl grimaced then deadpanned at Bakugou's display as he continued ranting and raving while kicking the chair of the helpless student in front of him. "Oh, great..." the girl muttered then sighed. "Why does Kacchan have to be here too...?"

"Wooooaaah, Bakugouu!" Eijiro had to rise and restrain the raging Bakugou who was on his feet in an instant. "You can't pick fights with girls! That's so unmanly!"

Held back by the arms that Eijiro looped and secured beneath his own, Bakugou's curved hands began to spark, "Let go of me, Shitty Hair! That one is a complete pain in the ass!"

The onlookers watched as the girl shook her head, shrugging nonchalantly, "Of course, Kacchan is as uncouth as ever. Guess it was too much to expect you to grow up."

By now, Midoriya and Iida were also out of their seats, the former panicking at the girl, flailing his hands wildly, "H-Hime-chan, you shouldn't fan Kacchan's flames.", while the latter was pushing his glasses up his face to act as class representative. Alas, the rep's admonishing of Bakugou was not well-received.

After a few more choice words between the teens, Aizawa sighed and put an end to the disruption with a threat of sentencing them all to extra lessons.

"Anyway, I'm Kagome Higurashi. I'm a transfer from the support course," the girl finally finished her introduction. "I never would have thought I'd be put here but I hope we'll get along."

It was then that Uraraka raised her hand, drawing attention to herself. "Higurashi-chan, I was wondering if you don't mind telling us what type of quirk you have?" The girl queried.

"Yes, I wanted to know the same thing," Iida added while gripping his chin. "I've never heard of a student switching courses after enrolling."

"You're right," Aizawa concurred. "Even in my experience, this is a first for me. But Higurashi here is an exception."

Kagome then nodded, "Yeah... My quirk is Blessing." She informed them with a smile, "I can manipulate my energy into stimulants for other people, so initially, it was thought that I should be a support class hero, but..." her smile became smaller with a modest blush as she looked off to the side.

Mineta was drooling all over his desk as Kaminari wore a blissful expression, "Ahhh~ That aura of hers. Is she a walking Yamato Nadeshiko~?"

"Tch, don't be fooled by that bullshit cutesy act," Bakugouu grumbled, calling the attention of the student who flocked to him. "That girl is a fucking menace."

And from then on, Kagome Higurashi successfully integrated into Class 1A. During lunch, Kaminari, Kirishima, and Mina were quick to crowd around her desk, all wearing huge, friendly smiles. "Kagome-chan, you should totally eat lunch with us!" Mina suggested as the transfer was gathering her possessions.

"Yeah, I've gotta heard more about that special quirk of yours," Kaminari added as he chummily sat on the edge of her desk.

Kagome was left looking between the faces of the teens who congregated around her desk as Kirishima grinned and pointed at himself with his thumb, "Nice to meet ya. I'm Eijiro Kirishima. I want to learn about how you know our Bakugou," the redhead glimpsed at the blond from over his shoulder, only for Bakugou to bristle and shout how he didn't belong to anyone.

"Ehhhh..." Kagome smiled sheepishly, sweatdropping, and unsure of how to respond. She was just as outgoing as the trio who were trying to coax her to join their group. Under ordinary circumstances, she would have readily agreed to join and make some new friends. But knowing that they were in the same clique as Bakugou made things more complicated.

"A-Ah, Hime-chan!" Midoriya suddenly called out to her as Uraraka and Iida waited for him near the doorway. He made his way to her desk and took a spot by her side, further trapping Kagome within the growing crowd of students. "It's been such a long time since we've seen each other. You should join us for lunch so we can catch up," he offered, no one noticed the intense, silent glare that he earned from Bakugou.

"Sure thing," Kagome accepted the escape with a nod and a smile. She then offered the others apologetic smiles, seeing their disappointed faces.

"No fair, Midoriya-kun," Mina pouted as he and Kagome gave them rueful smiles. "We asked her first!"

"Yeah, no fair hogging all of the cute girls like that, man," Kaminari added, earning a backhand to his chest by Jiro.

"Sorry, guys," Kagome said from the doorway. "I'll join you all another time, I promise."

During her first lunch period as a hero course student, Kagome spent a lot of time answering questions from Uraraka, Midoriya, Iida. Kagome couldn't help but notice the different objectives that each had with their questions. While Midoriya seemed to want to catch up like old friends, Tenya was focused on finding out more information about her quirk. The information that Kagome did divulge was immediately scribbled and examined by a mumbling Midoriya. Meanwhile, Uraraka asked many questions about how she met Midoriya, how close they were, and why they ended up separated.

Kagome was happy to talk about her past with Midoriya, especially with how Uraraka's questions weren't poised with malice, but rather a mildly frantic and flustered curiosity. During that period, Midoriya spent a lot of time blushing down to his roots when Kagome told his friends how they were childhood friends in grade school. Well, it was mainly how Kagome didn't omit the part where they used to hand holds and promised to marry each other after they became pro-heroes.

If knowing that they were childhood friends didn't make Uraraka nervous, that other bit of information definitely frazzled her. "I-Is that true, Deku-kun...?!"

"W-w-well...!" Midoriya's voice went up several octaves as he trembled, rubbing the back of his head at Uraraka's fluster and Iida's shock. "Y-Yes, but we were kids and all...!" He wanted to melt into his seat and perish on the spot.

"Yeah, don't worry," Kagome waved it off, despite her own light blush. "We were little kids back then so we didn't really understand what we were saying, right?" She offered Midoriya a reassuring smile that quelled his racing heart.

"R...Right..." He responded breathlessly. Midoriya's demeanor returning to normal seemed to have a chain reaction to his friends. "We were just kids, who happened to be boy and girl, that's all," he tried to rationalize.

"Well, I wouldn't go that far," Kagome chimed in casually. "I was only saying that it was so long ago that it doesn't mean much for right now," she explained as she pulled on the tab of her cup of pudding. "Izukun, you were really my first crush, you know."

"U-Uraraka-san!" Tenya called out as the brunette's soul left her body and she collapsed to the floor. "Get a hold of yourself!" He held his friend in his arms.

"H-Hime-chan!" Midoriya was back to being red-faced as he shot out of his seat. "When did you become such an imp?!"

"What do you mean?" Kagome blinked, a bit too innocently. She then looked away, with a barely contained amused smile, "I was just sayin'."

Over time, more details about Kagome's history with Midoriya and Bakugou were revealed as she made more and more friends. Weeks later, when questioned by Kirishima about how he could hate someone as cheery and sweet as Kagome, Bakugou suddenly exploded, pointing at the Kagome, "THAT DAMN PIPSQUEAK GOT ME INTO THE WORST TROUBLE AS A KID AND IT WAS ALL HER DAMN FAULT!"

Through snarls and bellows, Bakugou recounted a time when he got in massive trouble with his mother because he had got into a fight with Kagome. Many onlookers expected that he would say that she was defending Midoriya but, no. Apparently, there was once a day when Kagome left a cutesy, pink envelope in his desk in grade-school, asking him to meet her behind the school during lunch.

When Bakugouu arrived, Kagome immediately shouted out her confession—.

Her confession of how she hated how Midoriya chose to call him "Kacchan" instead of her when he didn't deserve it. The girl then launched herself at him and initiated a scuffled that resulted in Kagome having a bruised cheek and Katsuki a black eye.

"W-Wait, that's why you two were all banged up that day?!" Midoriya was just as shocked as the rest of the class. "I-Is that true, Hime-chan?!" He looked at Kagome.

Kagome blushed lightly before waving her hand at Bakugou, "Oh, Kacchan, that was so long ago. Can't you forgive me already?"

"FORGIVE YOU?! YOU'VE NEVER APOLOGIZED, NOT ONCE!" The blond raged, nearing breathing fire.

"Fine, fine," Kagome conceded with a light-hearted tone. "I'm sorry, okay?" She returned to smiling, which further got under Bakugou's skin.

"I see," Todoroki suddenly spoke up, gripping his chin as he looked speculative, "Given the circumstances and his reaction, perhaps Bakugou thought Higurashi was going to confess romantic feelings."

Kirishima, Mina, and Kaminari all noticed how Bakugou bristled.

"And was subsequently disappointed because Higurashi had feelings for Midoriya," the perspective teen deduced before looking at Bakugou. "Does that sound right?"

"DON'T TELL ME YOUR BRAIN IS HALF ROTTEN, ICY HOT BASTARD!"

Despite, Bakugou's bluster and denial, it was then that all of Class 1A discovered that Kagome Higurashi was, indeed, Katsuki Bakugou's first love. Later in the day, the girls of 1A congregated to discuss the development in the locker room after training.

"So, Kagome-chan," Mina was the first to approach the topic. "It sounds like you, Midoriya-kun, and Bakugou were in a love triangle as kids."

Kagome was a good sport and was able to laugh at herself and nodded, "Yeah, it sure does. Thinking about it that way makes a lot of things make more sense in hindsight."

"Hindsight always has that effect," Momo agreed as she reached into her locker for a fresh uniform.

"More importantly, how do you feel about them now?" Mina questioned exuberantly. "Do you still have a crush on Midoriya-kun?" Her pink cheeks became reddened with her growing excitement, "Or maybe your palate has changed and you fancy the hot head now?!"

Kagome couldn't help but notice how Uraraka tried to appear laid-back with her interest. The brunnette looked away, whistling innocently.

Kagome chuckled before admitting, "Honestly, it's been so long that my crush faded years ago." She smiled softly as she spoke, "I can think back to those times fondly, but... I don't feel that way anymore. I haven't fallen in my first true love yet, but that's okay, I'm way too busy with hero studies for something like that."

And so, the status quo remained. Kagome was great friends with Midoriya and his crew. But by this time, she was also on friendly terms with Bakugou's friends. The latter group secretly noticed how Bakugou and Kagome became more and more tolerant of each other. Or rather, their relationship changed from Bakugou exploding at everything that Kagome did and Kagome responding by happily playing it cool and poking further at his fuse. It went from a one-sided rage to a tamer dynamic the class didn't how to interpret.

It all began when Midoriya and Uraraka were trying to comfort Kagome about a math exam that she narrowly failed after she returned from a week of absence. "Ch," Kirishima heard Bakugou suck his teeth. When he looked over at his friend, the blond's eyes were melting holes in the oblivious Midoriya's head. Before the redhead could comment on his behavior, Bakugou went from leaning back in to chair to taking long, powerful strides toward Kagome.

As he passed her desk, Bakugou gripped her forearm firmly and literally dragged the unsuspectingly girl to her feet, "H-hey, what's the big idea, Kacchan?!" Kagome was able to hold her ground using her weight but was unable to break free of his iron clasp.

"Shut up," The blond snarled. "You're falling behind because you missed so I'm going to get your slow ass up to speed," he told her.

"Huh?" Kagome's agitation fell into surprise, wondering if he was actually worried about her performance.

Bakugou's eyes narrowed, "Don't tell me your brain is as short as your legs."

"Hurrraay!" Mina and Kaminari suddenly erupted into a bought of spontaneous cheer and dance. "Study session at Bakugouu's place!"

Kagome couldn't help but chuckle as Bakugou instantly shouted that he didn't invite the people who had no excuse for failing, but ended up relenting...

Ever since then, Bakugou seemingly made a point of taking Kagome and dragging her away from Midoriya and his friends when he felt like it. After the fifth time, Kagome casually told him, "You know, Kacchan, I tolerate it because I'm beginning to like you again, but I'm not your property." He scoffed at her statement, but was unable to ignore how she added, "Unless you confess to me properly."

Bakugou met her small smile with an intense glare and fervid denial of his interest.

...something that he would come to regret not long afterwards.

[ ]

It was a takoyaki day at the LunchRush cafeteria. Students of all ages bum-rushed the station in rabid hoards. Midoriya, Uraraka, Tsu, and Iida made the shrewd decision to forego the station in order to find seats and fill their bellies sooner. But something about the sound and smell of the takoyaki made the prospect of securing an order irresistible to Kagome.

"Save me a seat, okay?" Kagome asked of her friends before she turned to face the crowd of students clutching handfuls of cash.

'Maybe this wasn't such a great idea...' Kagome thought as a sinking feeling of regret settled in after the crowd hadn't moved after standing there for ten minutes. 'Oh!' Her dampened spirits perked up when the crowd suddenly moved forward by three steps. The progress was small, but something was better than—.

A bell suddenly resounded towards the front of the crowd. "Attention, students!" The takoyaki distributor announced. "LunchRush has to make an emergency trip to the staff office so we'll be closing the takoyaki station!"

'What...?' Kagome froze, paling inwardly. 'This can't be happening...'

"We're sorry for the inconvenience but if he returns before the period is over, we will resume serving the takoyaki. In the meantime, please enjoy the other dishes that have been prepared today!"

Kagome was frozen in place, her face crestfallen as the crowd dispersed around her. The many students ahead of her were walking past her, some looking just as dejected as she was while others loudly complained. It was only after the crowd completely disappeared that the girl came back to reality, but without lifting her lowered head. She sighed and took a few steps forward, "Oof!" Only to smack forehead first into someone else.

The impact was enough to make her lose her balance, her feet scrambling for purchase but unsuccessful. Kagome was sent stumbling backwards, gravity pulling her backside towards the floor. Her eyes shut, waiting for the impact and humiliation of being sent falling to her butt.

But it never came.

Instead of a painful impact, Kagome found thick, firm muscles wrapped around her waist and ankles. Within the blink of an eye, the girl was pulled and placed into an upright position on her feet. The rush of motion and colors left her a bit dazed, but still, Kagome managed to lift her head to look up at her savior as tentacles retracted from around her form and returned to ordinary, human fingers.

The person who saved her from a pained hiney was a much taller student with messy dark hair, pointed ears, and a stoney, almost aloof expression as he looked down at her.

"Um..." Despite her surprise from a quirk that she had never seen before, Kagome still found her words, "Sorry about that. Thanks for the save."

The girl flashed a smile that brought her savior back to the moment. His initial focused expression was swallowed in a rollercoaster of emotions that befuddled Kagome. First, the young man stiffened, looking shocked. The shock then melted into an expression akin to someone who was ill, "Y...You..."

Kagome blinked and echoed, "I...?" Her tone urged him to continue after he trailed off. Her curious eyes stared up at him as she raised a hand near her lips.

The teen's mouth opened slightly, like he was going to continue speaking. But after a moment, his lips collapsed on each other to form a wavy, unnerved scowl. Suddenly, he shoved an order of takoyaki into her hands before promptly turning heel and muttering, "I'm going home."

"Huh?!" Kagome's smile faltered into bemusement. "But why...?" She blinked, and within that split-second, the stranger was already across the way, exiting the cafeteria entirely. "O..." The first year was unsure of what to make of the interaction. "Kaaaay..." She then looked down at the order of takoyaki in her hands. "He didn't have to give me his lunch though."

Kagome wanted to learn the name of the person who helped her, but with how quickly he fled the scene, she had no choice but to give up for the day. 'Oh well, his loss~' She smiled widely, now glowing as she received the treat that she had been craving all morning. She was in a state of bliss when she joined Midoriya at their table. Everything from being saved from embarrassment to avoiding the disappointment of being deprived of the takoyaki that she stood in line for made her day that much better.

It was a chance encounter, but it still made Kagome curious.

She asked around her classmates and Class 1B but no one knew of the student she was looking for. She figured that based on his quirk, he had to have be enrolled in a hero course, but after covertly scoping out all of the first year classes, she deduced that the young man was older than her. She was surprised to come to this conclusion because he seemed so skittish for a senpai, but she had no other explanation.

[ ]

It took two weeks and an impromptu trip to the restroom during class, but Kagome finally was able to bump into the student again. After she exited the restroom and headed down the hall towards her classroom, she spotted a trio of students turning the corner down the way. They were walking in her direction from the opposite end of the hall, but even from the distance, Kagome could make out her savior's frame, tustled hair, and pointed ears.

Kagome was happy to raise her arm and wave towards the trio as she jogged up to them, "Good morning!"

The trio paused in their stride and allowed the first year to approach them.

"Oh, good morning~!" The sole girl of the trio spoke up, matching Kagome's bubbly energy. "I've never seen you before. Are you a first-year?"

Kagome nodded affirmatively as she gave her seniors a polite bow, "I'm from hero Class 1A." Once she returned to her full height, her hand was placed to her chest as she added, "Kagome Higurashi."

"A first-year, huh?" A broad-shouldered blond teen grinned. "I hope you're working hard in your studies. I'm Mirio Togata," he gestured at his chest with his thumb.

"And I'm Nejire Hado," the girl added before taking a curious stance. Her hands were cupped behind her back as she leaned forward, "So Higurashi-chan, what drove you to stop and talk to us like this~? Do you happen to know who we are~? Could you be a fan~?" Before Kagome could answer, Nejire straightened her posture and giggled, "How strange, but it's so cute."

Kagome opened her mouth in an attempt to make things clear, but the older girl immediately turned around. She found the third of their trio, facing the wall and muttering to himself.

"Amajiki-kun," Nejire called over to him. "This cutie of a first-year obviously needs help from her seniors so straight up and greet her properly.

No one was able to make out how the gloomy teen grumbled to himself, "Even if you say that...it doesn't change that this task is impossible for me... I want to go home."

Kagome sweatdropped but smiled inwardly, 'Amajiki, huh...? I guess being this anxious is his default mode around strangers...' The first-year then put on her best, friendly smile as she spoke up, "Actually, I approached you three because I ran into him a couple of weeks ago but he ran away before I could introduce myself."

Mirio's hands were on his hips as he released a loud, hearty laugh while Nejire returned to pointing at her friend, "Really? You ran away from our adorable kohai, Amajiki-kun? Come over here and introduce yourself properly! You have to set a good example."

Kagome felt a bit of guilt when instead of obliging Nejire, he kept his forehead against the wall but sunk into a pitiful squatting position. "Hado-san, you've given me a hurdle that I can't overcome..." He responded, just audible enough to be heard by the other three students. "It's taking every fiber of my being just to be here..."

"Eheh, I guess it's a no-go, huh?" Kagome asked, sweatdropping but without malice.

"Don't worry, Higurashi-chan!" Nejire insisted as she half turned to gesture towards the student who wanted to be swallowed by the Earth. "This guy here isn't cold-hearted, he's just our shy, little kitten: Tamaki Amajiki."

"Make no mistake, Tama may be frightened of social interactions, but his combat prowess and quirk control are unparalleled," Mirio told Kagome while making a firm fist to emphasize his resolve.

Kagome mentally pictured how focused and resolute Tamaki's face was when he first helped her. "I can picture that..." She responded absently. She then proceeded to saunter over to Tamaki before squatting down to his level. "Amajiki-senpai, I'm sorry for being so pushy and scaring you so much," she told him, patting his shoulder without much thought.

Tamaki squeezed his eyes shut, visibly shaking from Kagome's proximity. She faltered and retracted her hand, wondering if she was going too far. "I-It's not about pushiness..." He strained to speak, "I just can't bear to look at your face."

"Eh," Kagome's entire body turned to stone as Nejire's smile became frozen as she released a shock, "Heh?" Meanwhile, Mirio became frozen in time, his wide grin stuck on his face but his body motionless.

"B-B-Being this close to you makes me feel ill..." Tamaki's voice was raspy as he spoke.

It took a moment for him to realize the air in the hallway had completely shifted. Tremors shook his frame as he craned his neck, briefly daring to peek at the first-year next to him. The instant that he saw her face, Tamaki instantly regretted getting out of bed that morning.

Kagome's initial glow was replaced by a chilling smile and dark aura, "So that's how it is. My face is repulsive to you..." Her aura grew darker as she leaned closer, her hands raising towards him menacingly. She went from looking like a beautiful girl to a vengeful spirit who wanted to swallow his mortal soul.

Tamaki squeaked in fright before falling completely to his butt. "I-It's not...!" His friends watched as he raised his own hand, holding it out in front of him defensively. "I-I mean..." He went into panic mode as he explained, "F-For you, i-it's the exact opposite!"

"Eh? Kagome blinked, snapped from her state of killer intent. 'The exact...opposite...?'

"Oh, my~" Nejire threw her hand over her mouth. "I've never heard our kitten be so forward before."

Mirio then laughed aloud again, "You see? Tama is strong when it comes down to it!"

"Okay, we should really get going," Nejire pointed towards the direction that the trio was headed in. "We were called to meet the principal, remember?"

Tamaki nodded weakly as he shakily pushed himself off the ground. Red cheeked, he was unable to meet Kagome's gaze and blatantly turned his face away from her direction. Seeing this, Mirio didn't hesitate to step over and help Kagome to her feet.

"There ya go, kohai~" Mirio gave Kagome a toothy grin before patting her head. "Be good and study hard!"

Kagome nodded numbly, once again, temporarily reduced to silence by the way her heart was hammering in her chest. Her internal voice was still echoing and processing what Tamaki said a few moments ago. "Un, thank you, Togata-senpai," She finally was able to say.

Neither Mirio nor Nejire missed the way the first-year's dreamy eyes were pointed at Tamaki's back as he stuffed his hands into his pockets and was the first to depart. The other two gave Kagome final waves before catching up to their friend, who was mentally reeling from the encounter.

Kagome's heart began to sink as she watched their backs become farther away. More specifically, she was stuck on Tamaki's back. It was hunched as he tried to make himself appear smaller. She couldn't explain it, but...

After hoping to meet him again for weeks, it pained her to know that their encounter was ending so soon.

She didn't know what possessed her but Kagome cupped a hand near her mouth and called out, "Amajiki-senpai!"

A violent chill ran down his spine before he stiffened.

After he was frozen for several seconds, Nejire and Mirio elbowed him from either side, prompting him to begrudgingly and shakily half turn towards Kagome's direction. His head was dipped low as he was unable to find his voice or meet her eyes.

Kagome stifled a chuckle at her senpai's actions.

He was painfully shy and socially awkward, but in a way, it was somewhat endearing.

"See you later!" The first-year cheered, unable to see the way Tamaki's eyes went from squeeze shut to wide open. "It was nice meeting you!"

How strange.

For some reason, Kagome didn't want this chapter to end completely.

She wanted to keep the door open, even if it was just a crack.

But why...?

After a few moments, Tamaki took them all by surprise as his head rose just enough for him to glimpse up at Kagome through his bangs. "...s-same to you..." He whispered so lowly that not even Tamaki himself heard the words.

But Tamaki's burning cheeks and strained expression were enough to make Kagome feel like her heart would soar. The older student then turned back to rejoin his friends, unaware of how warm Kagome's face was.

His words didn't reach her ears, but the fact that he said anything at all delivered warmth to her face. 'Oh...' Kagome's inner voice wavered as she processed what was happening. 'He's not the type I expected, but...' Her hands met over her pounding chest. 'I'm falling for Amajiki-senpai.'

Meanwhile, Nejire was praising Tamaki, as he walked with his reddened face low, "Wow, Amajiki-kun! I didn't know you could be such a casanova~! Higurashi-chan is already falling for you~! It's so cute!" She cupped her cheeks, squealing at the age-old tale of a kohai falling for a senpai.

"Hado-san..." Tamaki scowled, displeased that he was unable to cool down from the heart-racing encounter. But it must have been because of how Nejire wouldn't let him forget about it. "There's no way that someone like her would fall for someone like me..." His voice and mood soured as he whispered, "Someone with a smile that bright is much better suited to Mirio..."

Someone like him wasn't suited for things like romance so there was no point in entertaining such thoughts.

That day, when Kagome returned to her classroom, both Bakugou and Midoriya noticed her change in demeanor. When she departed the classroom, Kagome was in her usual mild manner but when she returned-. Something about her seemed off. Her eyes were hooded, glazed off, and dreamy. While Midoriya was silently befuddled, Bakugou's eyes narrowed.

He had seen that look on her face before, all of those years ago.

[ ]

Of course, it was only a coincidence that Bakugou began walking Kagome to school every morning since then. When questioned by Kirishima, Kaminari, and Mina, he exploded, telling them to mind their own and it was only a coincidence that he suddenly kept walking past her house. After the third time, Kagome herself took notice and she was not one to pass the opportunity to mess with Bakugou.

"You know, if we keep arriving at school together, people are gonna think that you've fallen for me, Kacchan," Kagome stated in the nonchalant tone that she knew would get under his skin.

Instead of his usual tantrum, Kagome was caught off guard by Bakugou scoffing and muttering, "Tch, are you trying to pick a fight with me, hah?"

Kagome blinked, 'Okay, that's weird. I was sure that would piss him off.' She then smiled and waved her hand in the manner that she did when she was trying to cover up her mischief. "Oh, no. I was just sayin, Kacchan."

"Yeah, right," Bakugou grumbled as he stuffed his hands impossibly deep into his pockets. "You've been a damn tease since the day we met," his voice was agitated but calmer than normal.

Kagome blushed a bit as she crossed her arms, ignoring the stares that they received as they walked the halls towards their homeroom, "I don't know what you mean. Izukun was my first crush, remember?"

Bakugou twitched before raising a shaking fist, "You really are trying to—!" Before he could finish his raving, he noticed that something caught her attention at the window. Kagome seemingly couldn't hear him as she unlocked the glass and slid the window open for a better view.

Kagome propped her elbow on the window sill and cupped her cheek as she smiled down at the crowd of the students below. Bakugou's eyes narrowed as he stepped over so that he was standing beside her. He tried to follow her line of sight, but was unable to pinpoint who the girl was aiming her smitten gaze and tender smile at.

That was until Bakugou noticed a pair of male students pause in the crowd. The first was an obviously well-built blond. He raised his head and grinned from ear to ear when he saw Kagome. Bakugou seethed as his hair became spikier. He was on the verge of telling the guy off through the window, until the blond nudged a dark-haired male next to him.

The dark haired student stiffened.

Bakugou couldn't believe his eyes as the student strained to lift his head to peer up at Kagome. She released an amused giggle as her expression melted. She then lifted her hand and gave him a wave.

The guy had the nerve to panic and to lift his backpack, shielding his face from Kagome as he sped off towards the entrance and out of sight.

The blond below merely grinned widely at Kagome while shrugging.

"Tch," Bakugou sneered at the thought of Kagome falling for someone so timid. "Who the hell was that clown?"

His gravelly tone brought Kagome back to reality. She turned a blink at Bakugou, "Clown? You mean—?"

Before the girl could finish her inquiry, Bakugou returned to his normal self, his eyes glowing red, "LIKE I'D KNOW HIS NAME! I JUST KNOW THAT I'D MURDER THAT PUNK!"

To further add to his frustration, instead of ignoring his outburst as she usually did, Kagome's hands balled into fists as her arms became straight and stiff at her sides, "Senpai is a third year and he'd kick your butt any day!"

Bakugou's brain malfunctioned.

For as long as he could remember, if there was one thing that he could count on when it came to Kagome, it was that she knew how he outranked extras in every way possible, especially power. Even when it became obvious that she preferred shitty Deku's useless sentimentally soft personality, she still knew who was strongest—who would come out on top and protect her.

But now...

"Uh oh!" Kaminari looked unnerved and panicked as he and Kirishima approached the fuming pair. "What's got your panties in a bunch today? Eep!" Kaminari jumped into Kirishima's arms as he trembled beneath the weight of Kagome's glowing blue eyes that matched the intensity of Bakugou's glowering red eyes.

Meanwhile, Mirio wrapped his arm around Tamaki's neck after he caught up to his hunched friend. "See, Tama?" The blond praised with a grin. "You have a kohai who wants to be your friend. Try waving back at her next time!"

It was only the morning and Tamaki was already completely drained from the encounter, "Easy for you to say. I don't shine as brightly as you do, Mirio." His aura darkened as he pictured himself trying to reciprocate the girl's gesture. "I'm sure that if I tried, I'd just screw it up somehow. I'm better off not being noticed."

While a tiny part of him was pleasantly surprised at the development, the vast majority of Tamaki was sickened with anxiety at the thought of being so close to her again. Not only did she have the aura of a shining star, but she was so beautiful. He was sure that someone like her was just acknowledging his existence to be kind. There was no way that she could be interested in befriending a gloomy, hopeless guy like him...especially with someone like Mirio standing next to him.

Despite his slightly vain side being a little excited at the prospect of an attractive girl wanting his attention, Tamaki was determined to keep their interactions to a minimum. Having his heart racing so often couldn't be good for his health...

That was his intention.

Futhermore, theoretically, it should have been relatively easy to avoid meeting a first year student.

But Tamaki was sure that fate itself had it out for him because Kagome kept popping up when he least expected it.

From spotting him and Mirio entering the school grounds from a window to crossing paths in the halls, and even going to the faculty lounge to deliver papers, Kagome had an aptitude for shaking up his day with her cordial smiles, waves, and greetings. Unlike him, the girl didn't hesitate to initiate contact, no matter how brief it was.

After being ambushed by her smile so many times, Tamaki could distinct her voice or the top of her head in a crowd effortlessly. Kagome's daily cameo was a surprise attack to his heart. Worst of all, every single one of them was super effective.

Tamak would be drowning in his pessimistic musings when she'd popped out from seemingly nowhere with a, "Senpai!" or "Amajiki-senpai, good morning." The girl didn't even seem bothered by greeting him when she was walking with friends or with other guys. She especially had no qualms about saying terribly embarrassing things like wishing him a good day, telling him about what she was up to, or that she noticed and liked his recent change in shampoo.

It reminded him of things that a doting girlfriend would say.

But Tamaki was quick to shut those thoughts down.

There was absolutely no way that Kagome meant anything by any of it.

She was just another nice person that had the misfortune of being in his face.

Kagome was another ray of sunshine who tried to brighten his day with her smiles every chance that she got.

Each time, however, Tamaki would be completely tongue-tied, paralyzed by Kagome's natural luminosity. She even sparkled when she was arguing with the blond guy who often was not far behind her. She had the bounciness and positivity of Mirio and Nejire, but with a dangerous addition of inflicting a new type of nervousness that he never felt before.

Worst of all, no matter how many times he tried to envision the girl as a happy potato, not even her face would disappear.

Tamaki was in quite the dilemma. There was a kohai who seemed to enjoy talking to him. But the efforts were completely oneside. It took all of his mental reserves just to look at her. Talking to her was beyond the scope of his abilities, he was sure of that after his lips felt ziplocked together for the umpteenth time after she approached him.

They carried on that way for a while.

While Bakugou found Kagome's fixation to be agitating, Nejire was beyond psyched.

She was already enamored by the prospect of a kohai-senpai romance, especially when it was a girl who didn't seem daunted by Tamaki's extreme social ineptitude.

While Midoriya panicked and claimed innocence when Bakugou cornered him and demanded any information that he had on the guy "that damn pipsqueak has been drooling over", Nejire clapped her hands together and asked rhetorically, "I wonder when Higurashi-chan will show up next~?"

The same question was on Mirio's mind as they marched through the halls. His eyes had been on Tamaki's lowered face. Mirio couldn't help but notice how the mention of their kohai's name had an immediate effect on his best friend's mouth. His tight-lips squirmed.

Mirio could tell that Tamaki was fighting off an involuntary smile.

And the pointed tips of his ears were warmer in complexion.

That told Mirio all that he needed to know.

[ ]

One day, during their lunch hour, Tamaki was carrying a tray full of food and an inadequately lidded cup of yuzu and pineapple juice. As usual, he was in a rush to take his food and resign to the darkest corner in the room. That was his plan until Kagome literally bumped into him, again. He had been so distracted by his idle thoughts of her that he didn't have time to react like during their first encounter.

So instead of being able to salvage their lunches using his quirk, Tamaki ended up with two lunch trays squished between his and Kagome's body as his arm held her steady around her waist.

For a moment, time came to a stand-still as people stopped and stared at the ridiculous spectacle that was Kagome bracing herself against Tamaki.

This time, even Midoriya and Bakugou noticed the events, the former's jaw dropping as he scrambled over to the pair, "H-Hime-chan, are you okay?!"

The sound of her friend's voice brought Kagome back to the moment. She opened her eyes to find Tamaki's stuck in a state of shock as his eyes were devoid of life, as if he had died on the spot. "I..." He sounded like he was going to cry.

It wasn't his kohai crashing into him that made him feel this way.

It wasn't even the way his jacket and pants were covered in food and beverage.

No.

His arms fell from Kagome's waist to hanging limp at his sides.

"I-I..." Kagome's concerned voice didn't reach his ears as all Tamaki could hear were the deafening whispers of onlookers. "I'm going home!" He cried out, his eyes squeezed shut, banishing the countless stares that he received.

"Amajiki-senpai!" Kagome called out as she chased after the fleeing upperclassman , leaving a slippery, heaping mess in the middle of the floor.

"Hime-chan, wait!" Midoriya extended his arm, but immediately realized the trouble that she could face for leaving a mess in the middle of the busy cafeteria. "A-A mop!" His eyes darted left and right, only to be shocked to see Bakugou sneering as he approached the splatter and puddles with a broom, mop, and a bucket. "K-Kacchan, you're helping them...?"

The blond instantly tensed before he denied the reason for his assistance. He barked at Midoriya to mind his own business, especially when he was only helping because the mess was unsightly.

Meanwhile, Tamaki didn't make it far before Kagome's hands clasped around his wrist, halting him from going any further. "Senpai, wait a second!" She huffed.

Tamaki's lips were a trembling scowl, "What is it? I won't return there with you." His shoulders hunched more than usual as his aura became darker, "N-Not with all of those eyes...staring."

"That's not it," Kagome responded. "Even I'm a little embarrassed about what happened back there." When it looked as if Tamaki was subdued, she released his wrist then maneuvered herself so that she was standing in front of him. She wasn't surprised or offended when he turned his head to the side to avoid looking at her. "I'm the reason you're all messy so I wanted to help."

Tamaki focused a flustered glare at the hallway wall as he responded shakily, "T-There's no nee—. Ah." In his attempt to salvage the remaining reserves of his speaking ability, he didn't bother to look at the first-year before him. Because of this, her touch came as a surprisingly pleasant shock to his system. "W...What...?!" He whispered, looking down at Kagome with a mortified expression. "What are you doing...?!"

Kagome paused in her gentle dabbing of her handkerchief against the stain on Tamaki's chest. She looked up at him, finally meeting his eyes for the first time in a while. She was both confused and afraid of the terror and fear in his eyes. "I'm..." She raised and displayed the handkerchief in her hand. "Cleaning you up," she answered simply, her face not betraying how she wondered if she really did repulse him.

Unbeknownst to the first-year but the dread in his voice and terror in his eyes were because Tamaki was startled with himself. Even with the handkerchief, his jacket, and uniform shirt as barriers between his skin and Kagome's, her touch made him shudder in a sinfully delightful way. It made him liken himself to a shameless pervert, a budding villain of sorts who derived pleasure from an innocent first-year trying to lend him her aid.

Many seconds elapsed between Kagome's explanation and the ravings and self-deprecation that raced through Tamaki's mind. The girl suppressed a sigh as her bemused expression became dejected. She pulled Tamaki back into the moment by gently grabbing his hand, placing her handkerchief in his large palm, then curling his fingers around the cloth.

Tamaki's eyes widened when Kagome silently took a step away from him—out of his space. Normally when people respected his personal bubble, he was filled with gratitude. Usually when people avoided looking directly at him, the way Kagome was now doing, his day went smoothly.

Her cheeks were pale pink as she tucked some hair behind her ear. Her eyes were on the wall as she tried to smile through her disappointment and embarrassment. "Amajiki-senpai, I'm sorry," The girl's smile was smaller than usual. "I'm not trying to make you uncomfortable. I touched you without thinking about it, but that's no excuse for crossing boundaries."

Kagome gave him a slight bow, "I promise not to bother you anymore."

Tamaki's eyes were still wide, his lips slightly ajar as he silently watched his junior veer off to the side and jog back towards the cafeteria.

A solid 99% of the time, Tamaki would have been in bliss if someone promised to leave him alone. But he was surprised to find that Kagome's strained smile unsettled him. His mind initially rationalized it as him wanting people like her only to wear genuine smiles. But it was more than that... Her promise and her immediately making good on it was surprisingly...painful.

It bothered him.

Then again, the moment that Kagome stepped away from him, Tamaki was surprised to find that part of him wanted her to return to him, to be against his chest again.

Tamaki lowered his head, glaring at the floor as he gripped the handkerchief in his hand. He was no fool. He didn't know when, but at some point, his attraction to Kagome grew into an interest. It was an interest that made him ache to chase after her the way that she did for him.

But alas, his feet remained rooted to the floor.

The image of her downcast expression weighed him down with guilt.

If he was someone as honest and courageous as Mirio, he wouldn't have been afraid of himself. And he would have reassured Kagome that he wanted her in his presence when she was in doubt.

[ ]

Normally, it was only Midoriya and Bakugou that noticed the shifts in Kagome's demeanor and moods. But when Kagome returned from lunch, her usual cheer was all but depleted. Her usual peppy but powerful stride was reduced to a somber, sluggish pace. Her usual passive smile was replaced with a small, labored one.

In her state of despondency, Kagome didn't hear the whispers of nearby classmates as Denkimari looked back at Kirishima, "Yo, what's up with Hime?" He ignored Bakugouu's seering warning not to call her that.

The red-head merely shook his head, his face contorted with concern, "Don't know. I saw her chasing after some guy during lunch, but I have no clue." He then turned to Bakugou, whose expression was irritable and his eyes fixed on Kagome, who sat severe rows ahead of him.

"Tch, like I'd know. Do I look like a damn mind reader?" The blond gruffed through a clenched jaw.

As much as Bakugou didn't want to see Kagome end up with that wuss or Deku, it still pissed him off to think that some shitty extra had the nerve to break her heart. He watched as Midoriya and Uraraka swarmed around Kagome's desk and raised a fuss about her obviously sullen mood. 'Tch, your sentimental ass better make her feel better,' the blond mentally warned Midoriya.

After three days that lacked a greeting from their underclassman, Nejire and Mirio took notice. Mirio especially noted how Kagome still stared out of that second floor window in the morning. Her eyes still found Tamaki with ease. And if Tamaki noticed her gaze and raised his head, instead of smiling and waving, the girl would look crestfallen. Her pained expression would be followed by her sliding the window closed and leaving.

The extroverts had little to no filter, especially when it was just the three of them. So as the trio headed towards P.E., late because of a special circumstance, they openly discussed the topic.

"You know, I was sure that Higurashi-chan was completely in love with Amajiki-kun," Nejire began suddenly and casually. Her hands were clasped behind her back as she looked up at Mirio, not noticing how Tamaki's scowl deepened at the mention of their kohai's name. "Was I wrong, Togata-kun? She went from accidentally showing up everywhere to no contact. How strange."

"It's not just you, I'm sure that our kohai has a thing for Tama here. So it makes me wonder," Mirio responded, his eyes slyly peeking at his friend, noticing Tamaki's discomfort increasing. His smile widened but his eyes continued staring ahead of him, "Tama, did something happen?"

"Oh, that's right!" A balled up hand light slammed into Nejire's opposite palm as she had an epiphany. "Just because she had a crush, doesn't mean things would work out!" Her curiosity steered her body in Tamaki's direction as she tilted her head. "Amajiki-kun, did you reject her?"

Mirio and Nejire both halted a few steps after Tamaki suddenly froze on the spot. They saw how his face looked as if he was sinking further into a void of despair. His head bowed in defeat and he whispered, "...unintentionally..."

"Oh," Nejire blinked before her finger raised, "Unintentionally, which means that you actually want to accept her feelings."

The blunt statement made warmth rush to Tamaki's face as he glared his embarrassment at the floor. "I..I might, maybe...if she really had those feelings for me."

"Hey, you're getting there, Tama," Mirio grinned as he placed his hands on his hips. "For now, let's fix this little mess and get you back on the right track."

"I think you're being way too optimistic..." Tamaki began, but his pessimistic mutterings were drowned out by Nejire's and Mirio's brainstorming.

They knew their friend well so also they knew his realistic limits.

As much as they wanted to push him to give in to cupid's arrow, they knew he could only take baby steps.

That's why their plan of action for the next morning was simple and to the point. It was so simple that even a flea-hearted man like Tamaki could accomplish it.

True to her schedule, Mirio spotted Kagome gazing out of the window before homeroom period. Sure of enough, her eyes found him and Tamaki as they approached the school building. Mirio quickly averted his gaze and elbowed his friend in the ribs, the signal that Kagome was looking at him.

'Senpai...' Kagome's heart ached every time she spotted Tamaki's face. She knew that she should quit her bad habits, but she still longed for glimpses of him. She didn't know how she went from being too busy for romance, to wanting to meet a stranger once again , to falling head over heels for him. 'I never expected to like someone like him so much...' She thought with a sigh.

Perhaps it would have been better if she had fallen for Midoriya again. No. He was pretty shy too, and she didn't want to step on Uraraka's toes.

Outside of spotting him entering the school grounds, Kagome tried holding fast to her promise and avoiding Tamaki at all cost, no matter how much she wanted to find out if she could turn his perpetual anxious scowl into a smile... But fate had it out for her poor heart because she narrowly missed bumping into him at least once per day.

Despite wanting to focus on her studies, part of Kagome wanted to explore the experience of falling in love. But now she realized these feelings were only a burden if they had no place to be accepted. 'Senpai...why'd it have to you?' she thought wistfully.

But she already knew the answer.

There was something alluring about his shy nature...

There was the desire to see him smiling.

And it didn't help that he was more than easy on the eyes too...

Suddenly, as he and his best friend got closer, their faces becoming more clear, Tamaki took Kagome by surprise. Her eyes widened and her chest felt light when Tamaki's pace slowed to a stop. He was still as a statue for a moment before he lifted his head and met Kagome's eyes. Kagome meant to keep to her promise and tear his eyes away, but—. She just couldn't. It was the first time that he voluntarily looked at her.

Suddenly, Tamaki's shy, uncertain wave and that slight widening of his lips into a timid, nervous smile made Kagome forget about the world around her. Her heart soared as she mirrored his motion, lifting her hand in a wave.

And her relieved smile, Kagome didn't know it, but it made Tamaki's entire day.

Moreover, unbeknownst to Tamaki but Mirio was right, that small gesture lifted Kagome's spirits exponentially. She was able to enter class 1A, literally glowing. "Good morning, everyone~." Her crush, the adorably shy Tamaki Amajiki-senpai, waved and smiled at her for the first time. She never thought that she'd live to see the day when he initiated an interaction with her.

Kagome's spirits were so high that she was hearing angels. She didn't think that her day could get any better. But as she gathered her belongings at her locker, she couldn't have been more wrong.

Kagome was lost in thought as she placed the books that she didn't need to take home inside her locker. 'I guess this means that it's okay to talk to Amajiki-senpai,' She smiled softly as she continued to exchange items with and organize the contents in her personal storage box. 'But at this point, I want to get to know him better. I wonder if it's okay to do more than greet him...'

Once she was satisfied with the books and supplies that she was leaving at school, Kagome closed her locker door—only to find none other than Tamaki Amajiki standing on the other side of the door. "EEK!" Her hair tensed as she jumped back, startled out of her stupor.

"Eh—!" Tamaki trembled at her reaction, "I knew it. I'm a creep. It's weird if I'm the one who goes to you." He turned his back to her. This was the confirmation that he needed. It was time to give up.

"That's not it at all!" Kagome protested as she gripped his shoulder and swung him around with a force that took him by surprise. "I didn't hear you approach and you didn't say anything, so I had no clue you were there! You just surprised me!" She declared with a mix of exasperation and huffiness.

"O-Oh..." Despite her words, Tamaki's face was aimed for the floor. "I see. Still..."

"No "still"!" Kagome dared to cup Tamaki's cheeks with her hands and gently but firmly lifted his face to its proper position. "Jeez, senpai. We really need to work on your confidence," she declared with a pout.

Tamaki allowed his head to stay up, but he did make a move to look away. "Mirio has been working on that for years," Kagome was surprised to hear him speak without missing a beat. "Trust me. It's way easier said than done, especially for someone like me. I'm hopeless."

Kagome watched as his aura became gloomier. She sighed before smiling. "It's fine. There's no need to rush anything," She said before removing her hands. "Anyway, did you need something, senpai?"

"Right..." Tamaki responded, as if he had just remembered why he sought her out. "I tried to wash your handkerchief, but it was completely ruined, s-so..." His hand trembled as he reached into his pocket and shakily pulled out a piece of folded fabric. "H-Here. I hope you like it..."

Kagome blinked but didn't hesitate to accept his offering.

The previous handkerchief that she gifted to Tamaki was an inexpensive, yellow one that she bought from a bargain accessory store. 'Oh...' She thought as she unfolded the handkerchief to reveal its entirety.

'D-Does she really have to scrutinize it right in front of me?' Tamaki thought, dread settling into his veins as Kagome's eyes took in the handkerchief. He tried to find one that was similar to the one that she left in his care but he was unsatisfied with the available selection, all except for the one that the girl inspected far longer than he deemed necessary.

This handkerchief was vibrant orange with an intricate cobalt blue butterfly embroidered in the bottom right corner. Part of Tamaki knew that it was selfish of him to give her something that was connected to something that was only dear to him, but another part of him felt like this was the only one handkerchief that suited her.

Once Kagome was finished appreciating the impressive details, her eyes lifted to Tamaki's. The look she gave him set his skin aflame. "For me...?" She whispered, wondering if it was alright to accept something so beautiful when the one that she gave him was so plain.

Tamaki's tongue felt heavy in his mouth so he had to nod for an immediate response. "Mm... B-butterflies..." He whispered. "...I love them," he explained.

The pair were unaware of Midoriya's surprised eyes. He didn't mean to invade their privacy. He was merely preparing to return home for the day and his locker happened to be located a few columns away from Kagome's. His eyes wavered at Kagome's tender smile as she told Tamaki that she loved them too. "Hime..." He whispered.

From then on, the pair returned to normal. Kagome didn't hesitate to run up and greet Tamaki and his friends when they crossed paths, nearly blinding him with every smile. But now, Tamaki could be in her presence without wanting to run. Instead, he would allow the girl into his space as she would tell him random things about her day or training.

Kagome was still unaware of the effect that her close proximity had on Tamaki. But it was plain as day to Nejire and Mirio tp see that it was the best type of torture. And as much as his friends wanted him to ask the girl out, they accepted that he would take things at his own pace.

Overtime, Class 1A's first year at U.A. became more and more hectic. Kagome was unsure if she would have seen this much chaos and danger if she still was in the support course. But she had no regrets of transferring, all of the experiences further cemented her bonds with her classmates.

By now, Kagome even considered herself close to the once aloof Shoto Todoroki. He really seemed to open up to her after she took the class by storm when she cheered for him over Bakugou in the sports festival. And of course, she had her childhood best friends Midoriya and Bakugou, even if he wouldn't admit it. She was even on good terms with all of the girls in her class. Being surrounded by so many friendly faces made transitioning into dorm life smoother and less tense.

It was early morning when Kagome exited her room and entered Class 1A's common area where Todoroki was waiting on the loveseat. "Good morning, Shoto-kun~" She greeted him with a smile.

"Good morning, Kagome," He responded calmly as he rose to his feet and took a spot by the girl's side as she headed towards the cafeteria for breakfast.

Kagome was unaware of how far their voices traveled in the empty space. Bakugou, who was under house arrest after his incident with Midoriya, was gritting his teeth from the other side of his dorm room.

"Looks like it'll be just us two again, huh?" She casually queried.

'That icy hot bastard...!' Bakugou seethed inwardly as he heard Todoroki respond a bit too smoothly.

"It would seem so, but if I'm being honest, I don't mind being alone with you."

They both were fortunate that Bakugou's door had been reinforced after the last time that he blasted his way out after overhearing Todoroki "overstepping his boundaries". He refused to acknowledge it to anyone, but Bakugou was not keen on another guy falling for Kagome.

[ ]

Days later, Bakugou and Midoriya were permitted back to class, only to be shocked by the latest development that Aizawa divulged, "...we'll go into further detail about the work studies. Come on in." He briefly glanced and called to the door, "We'll have people who experienced it first hand explain how they differ from internships. Listen carefully."

Suddenly, a familiar trio filed into their classroom, making Kagome's, Midoriya's, and Bakugou's eyes widen—for different reasons.

Aizawa continued introducing them as they turned to face the class, "These are the third years who stand at the top of all current U.A. students—also known as The Big Three."'

Mirio stood before the first-years with a power pose as Nejire offered a chipper smile. Meanwhile, Tamaki stood with his hands stuffed into his pockets, his posture hunched to keep his gaze low.

Mina squealed in delight as other classmates whispered in awe of their presence. Meanwhile, Kagome was shocked to discover that for months, she had been casually waltzing up to an esteemed upperclassman like it was nothing. And moreover...

"Okay, can you please introduce yourselves?" Aizawa requested of the trio. He looked towards the student at the end, "Let's start with Amajiki..."

Blood rushed to Kagome's cheeks as reality set in.

She had been madly crushing on one of the Big Three.

The moment that the class' eyes went to the anxious upperclassman, his eyes became insanely intense and hyper focused. The sheer willpower put into his gaze sent shockwaves through the classroom, causing most of the class to stiffen. The only ones immune to his gaze were Kagome, Bakugou, and Todoroki.

After a few moments of silence, Tamaki was suddenly sinking, "It's no good..." He was visibly quaking on the spot, bewildering the class, "Mirio, Hado-san... even when I try imagining them as potatoes, they still retain their human bodies..."

Kagome sweatdropped as she smiled nervously, feeling sorry for her senpai, 'He looks like he's going to vomit.'

Tamaki was gasping for air as his voice became breathy, "What should I do? I can't...say anything..." He was having a mental meltdown in front of his underclassmen and that made it all that much worse. "My mind is going blank—."

'Is he going to pass out?' Kagome wondered. Without thinking, the back of her knees pushed against her chair, sending the sound of the legs scraping across the floor. The moment that she stood up, Mirio's grin widened.

"Well, well..." He commented as Nejire looked pleasantly surprised,

"Hey, Amajiki-kun. Your beloved kohai is here. You've got to look cool for her sake!"

"Eh...? What on Earth is happening?" Jirou muttered, just loud enough for a few people around her to hear.

Most of the class was shocked to discover that Kagome was already acquainted with The Big Three, but remained quiet as the scene unfolded.

"Actually, Amajiki-senpai," Kagome spoke, despite her mounting embarrassment of possibly outing her crush on her senpai in front of her classmates. "You're already cool enough so try to breathe."

Tamaki's sinking expression was on the verge of calming.

Kagome smiled as her hand formed a fist, "You can do i—."

"Hah?" Bakugou suddenly interrupted from the back of the classroom. "You've gotta be shittin' me," he scoffed and didn't hesitate to show his disdain for the student who he knew stole Kagome's heart months ago.

Kagome bristled, her eye twitching at her friend's brazen jealousy. It was enough to sentence Tamaki to facing the wall completely. Before she had the chance to turn and admonish Bakugou for his rudeness, Mirio stepped in.

With a grin that eerily resembled a smirk, he challenged their entire class to take him on all at once...

...needless to say, that didn't end well for the class. But on the bright side, Kagome was able to immediately alleviate everyone's pain after Mirio made quick work of single-handedly subduing all of them. She even healed Bakugo's pain, despite his claims of not feeling a thing.

After Mirio gave them an inspirational speech worthy of a pro-hero, Bakugou was further ticked to watch Kagome hurry to Tamaki's side. While they didn't verbalize it, there were two other sets of eyes on the exchange between the pair as they exited the training facility and headed toward the shower rooms.

"Amajiki-senpai," Kagome's smile was a sight for sore eyes, and one that put Tamaki at ease. "As cool as Togata-senpai is, I'd much rather see you in action," She told him, giving his arm a light-hearted, chummy pat.

"I may be in The Big Three but I'm not that great..." He responded as he tried swallowing the weight in his throat. "I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you..." Tamaki responded, not knowing how Mirio overheard and was proud of how his stutter dropped when he spoke to Kagome.

"Well, it's too late," Kagome teased as she linked her arm around Tamaki's, sending a shockwave through the onlookers. Her action made his entire face turn red, "I found out that my favorite senpai is one of the Big Three so I'm a little excited."

"Oh, G-God..." Tamaki looked ill as his voice became strained, "T-The weight of your expectations... I-I might hurl."

"Come on, senpai," Kagome lightly scolded. "I'm sure you weren't arbitrarily determined as a top student."

The pair spent a few minutes exchanging pessimistic and optimistic banter, each tipping the scale back and forth with their conflicting auras.

Finally, Kagome waved to Mirio and Tamaki as they entered the boy's locker room. Tamaki, who hadn't broken a sweat because of Mirio's feat, merely trailed behind his friend out of habit. It was inside the locker room that he shielded himself from Bakugou's heated glare using his friend's muscular back.

Todoroki observed the way that Bakugou gritted his teeth and stepped towards the blond, "Bakugou, compose yourself. This exercise served as proof of how far we have to go."

"Don't give me orders!" Bakugou barked in response, before returning to glowering at the upperclassmen who were changing back into their standard uniforms. "Besides..." his tone was grumpy as his volume lowered. "That's not what pisses me off."

Midoriya stiffened when Todoroki looked between Bakugou and the upperclassmen. "I see," Todoroki responded calmly. "You are frustrated by Kagome's affection for Amajiki-senpai. I empathize with those feelings."

"T-Todoroki-kun?!" Midoriya's cheeks flushed as he squeaked. "A-Are you also in love with Hime-chan?"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'ALSO'?!" Bakugou roared at Midoriya before turning his rage towards Todoroki, "And you, half-and-half—! Who gave you permission to use her name so casually, hah?!"

"It was Kagome who requested that I stop being so formal with her," Todoroki readily explained. "As you can see, she also uses my given name."

As Bakugou continued spitting fire, the girl's locker room was abuzz with squeals and excited talk aimed at Kagome. "Kagome-chan, you're amazing," Uraraka smiled. "I had no clue that you were dating one of The Big Three."

Nejire, who was changing near Kagome, blinked when Kagome's hands rose. She waved her hands defensively as she blushed, "Ochaco-chan, you have the wrong idea. Amajiki-senpai and I aren't like that."

"Eh?" Jirou blinked at her denial. "Coulda fooled me with that loveydovey act you two had going."

Nejire was quick and happy to chime into the conversation, "I know, right~?" She absolutely beamed as she announced for all of the girls to hear, "Higurashi-chan and Amajiki-kun has had the hots for each other for months now but their relationship hasn't advanced past quick chats and one-sided flirting."

Kagome's face went beet red when Nejire tilted her head curiously, "I wonder why that is? Higurashi-chan, you seem super into him so why is it that you haven't made a move yet?"

"Months, huh...?" Momo whispered while trying to picture what she would have done in Kagome's situation.

"Months are way too long, Kagome-chan!" Mina piped in, her hand forming a fist. "You and Amajiki-kun already look like a couple so you should just go for it!"

"Well..." Kagome looked unsure. "I won't pretend that I don't like Amajiki-senpai, but it's just..." She flashbacked to the past few months of her knowing him. "He's just become comfortable enough with me touching him, kinda. I don't know if he actually returns my feelings. I could just be a pesky kohai who he's grown to tolerate..."

"Oh, is that why? No way!" Nejire was suddenly grasping Kagome's shoulder. "Trust me. Amajiki-kun is head over heels for you! I'm sure that if you went for it, he'd be putty in your hands~!"

"You should go for it, Kagome-chan~!" Uraraka encouraged her friend, but not without hopes to eliminate her as competition for Midoriya.

"Okay..." Kagome was still not entirely convinced as she held a hand near her mouth shyly. "But I don't want to rush him. Maybe I should wait until I'm a second year, eheh?" She half-joked with an embarrassed chuckle.

"Um..." Momo's brows furrowed. "By the time we become second-years, Amajiki-senpai will have already graduated."

Kagome froze, internally paling with an expression that cried "Oh, shit".

The previous night, she had been up fantasizing about showing off to him at next year's sports festival, about wondering how far she'd go next year, and if she'd be able to hold his hand...

In the midst of those dreamy delusions, it didn't dawn on her that this was the final year that she'd have with Amajiki as her senpai at U.A. She didn't know how but she let so much time slip away. And sooner than later, he would graduate and move on to become a full-time pro-hero. He wouldn't be her adorable Amajiki-senpai, but the untouchable Suneater.

Kagome's lips twisted up as stinging moisture gathered at the corner of her eyes. 'Senpai...' She had forgotten that she didn't have all of the time in the world to bridge the gap between them.

Her heart quivered, silently wishing that she hadn't been born so late.

"Uh oh," Momo looked concerned. "Did I say something wrong...? I was just..."

Kagome then shook her head, swiftly swiping at her eyes, "No, it's okay. I was just being dumb."

Nejire held her hands up, smiling brightly, "Don't worry! I'm sure things'll work out if you try!"

Kagome nodded, her cheeks warm as she made up her mind.

Even if she ended up embarrassing herself, Kagome didn't want to give up on her senpai before giving it her all. All of the girls were cheering for her and her romantic endeavor, even double agent Mina who blabbed to Bakugou that Kagome might need some cheering up.

"And why are you telling me, pinky?" Bakugou huffed, his arms crossed as he scowled. Before she could answer, he immediately followed up with, "What's wrong with the damn pipsqueak this time?"

"Aw, Bakugou!" Kaminari was able to speak about it openly since they were behind the safety of closed doors—Bakugou's bedroom door to be precise. "You don't have to be shy around us. We all know how you got it bad for Hime-chan."

A blond eyebrow twitched.

"Yeah, bro," Kirishima grinned. "I think it's super manly to support her even when your feelings are unrequited!"

Said blond eyebrow twitched again.

"Anyway, poor Kagome-chan is sad that Amajiki-senpai will be graduating this year!" Mina exclaimed with a pout. "I feel so bad for her when she likes him so much!"

"YEAH, WELL, I CAN'T WAIT FOR THOSE DAMN SENIORS TO GET OUT OF HERE!" Bakugou was breathing fire, earning some rare sympathy from his friends. "WHO NEEDS EM'?!"

[ ]

Over the weekend, when her mind and body wasn't preoccupied with studying with Midoriya, training with Bakugou, or making sure that Todoroki ate properly, Kagome's mind went back to Tamaki. It was late Saturday evening when she wondered what he did outside school hours. He had a license to do hero work but she wondered how often he used it. Kagome sighed as she absently scrolled through her social media feed.

Before meeting Tamaki, she never wanted the weekend to end so quickly.

Suddenly, she happened upon a live news feed. Directly to the right of the live video was a chat box where fellow viewers spammed the inbox. The camera panned away from a group of costumed criminals being handcuffed by the local police. The camera then switched to feed of a reporter standing next to someone who was too familiar.

Kagome recognized her senpai even through his cloak's low-hanging hood and through his mask. His knees were trembling as if he would wet himself at any second.

"This is Kiyone Takada here with the young hero who single-handedly caught these despicable criminals," The reporter spoke into her microphone, looking straight into the camera before aiming her torso at the young hero. "While I have you, could I ask you a few questions?"

'Poor senpai...' Kagome thought, noticing how he was surrounded by civilians on all sides, effectively cutting off his escape routes. He had wings, but she was sure that the last thing he'd do was call more attention to himself by taking to the skies.

"S...Sure..." Tamaki whispered after the microphone was raised near his mouth. That was what he said, but Kagome could just hear his inner voice asking the gods why he was put on Earth to suffer.

"Firstly, could you start by sharing your name with us?" Kiyone asked with a charming smile.

Tamaki looked terribly uncomfortable, but it was a simple question, "S-Sun...eater..."

"Oh~! Suneater-kun, you look very young for an expert," The reporter remarked. "Do you mind sharing your age with us?"

"Se..." His answer was only audible because of the microphone and off-camera audio-enhancing equipment. "Seventeen."

"Oh, my!" The woman took a moment to grip her cheek and give the camera a shocked expression. "You must be a student then, that's quite impressive!"

Tamaki's eyes narrowed at the compliment but he remained tight-lipped.

Meanwhile the online chat exploded with a mix of comments. Some claimed to go to the same school as him. Others were fans gushing over how shy and cute he was, praying that the reporter would get some useful information out of him. And of course, there were commenters who boasted that a lucky rookie had nothing on the true pros like Endeavor.

"Even with that mask, it's plain to see that you're a good-looking young man," the reporter stated. Kagome smiled and nodded, feeling proud that people besides her other senpais and herself gave him the praise that he deserved...

...though she did have some mixed feelings about it coming from another woman.

"I'm sure the ladies out there are dying to know, do you have a girlfriend?"

Tamaki looked as if his heart had stopped. He immediately grabbed the hem of his hood and pulled it over his face. Kagome wondered if he intentionally designed his hood for this reason. "N-No..." his voice quivered as much as the rest of his body.

"Aww, you're so shy~! One last question, I promise~!" The woman smiled, obviously milking the young hero's adorable reactions for views. "Tell us, Suneater-kun. Can your girlfriend problem be fixed, or do you already have a crush?"

Kagome wasn't even there in person and found her heart racing as she and countless budding Suneater fans eagerly awaited his answer. Part of her wished that she was on the scene to rescue him from what was one of his worst nightmares: attention.

"I-I..." Tamaki's grip on his hood tightened as he tried to find the words. "I don't want anyone out there to get their hopes up," he responded.

A pang of pain struck Kagome's heart as she wondered if Tamaki was indirectly talking to her...about to tell her that he wasn't interested in anyone.

"...t-there is someone..." He whispered. "A girl who I treasure."

The weight of those words forced Tamaki to his hands and knees as he cried into the pavement, "Ugh. Please. I want to go home."

[ ]

A few days later, Class 1A was called out to the urban-setting training grounds for an emergency drill. Red lights and sirens blared as their principal informed them of the drill and commanded them to don their costumes and prepare to be dispatched. It was during this drill that Kagome was going to join the Rescue Squad but before she could take a single step, Bakugou casually grabbed her arm and dragged her along with him, Kaminari, and Kirishima.

"Wait, my squad needs me!" Kagome protested as she was led in the opposite direction. "Ugh," she nearly tripped over her own feet. "Where are you taking me?!"

"To find villains. Leave the rescuing to the extras," He told her. "You're my sidekick after all."

"Excuse me!" Kagome tried digging her heels into the ground, but she was no match against Bakugou's built arms. "If anything, you're my hot-headed side kick."

"Shut your damn mouth before I do it for you," He warned her, only for his cool demeanor to erupt into a blush when Kaminari broke out into stickers.

"Pfft! It sounds like one of those cheesy excuses to kiss a girl!" Kaminari snickered to Kirishima. Kagome sighed as Bakugou commanded the other two to get their asses together before he blew their faces off.

After scouting the area for villains and using Kaminari as a battery to hot-wire a converter with one row of seats, Bakugou's hunting squad followed the sound of battle and charged towards the direction. Kagome deadpanned at Bakugou's back as he opted to plant himself on the hood of the speeding vehicle.

The blond couldn't hear her muttering over the roar of the engine as she sweatdropped, "Kacchan tries really hard to look cool, huh?"

Kirishima then grinned from his spot next to her, "I don't know, Kagome-chan. I think it comes naturally to him." He then aimed admiring eyes at Bakugou, "You don't think so?"

Kagome blinked and fell silent. She never thought of Bakugou as anything close to cool, even back when they were children. She always thought that people who had more control over their impulses were much cooler.

But if you asked Kagome if she liked him more than she used to, then her answer would undeniably be yes.

"PEDAL TO THE MEDAL, SPARKS!" Bakugou bellowed as the fight scene came into view.

Kagome nodded as she assessed the situation, "Looks like Hado-senpai and Amajiki-senpai are roleplaying as villains." It was a shocking development, but Kagome didn't mind this outcome. She could finally see her senpai's quirk in combat.

"Deku is in trouble!" Kagome suddenly gasped when her friend narrowly dodged being battered by Tamaki's enlarged tentacle fingers.

"Red Riot, go!" Kagome looked towards Kirishima, who nodded and jumped to his feet.

Bakugou was quick to turn and glare at the pair, "Oi, Shitty Hair and Pipsqueak! I'm the one who calls the shots!"

"Rescue Deku!" Kagome was on her feet as she extended her arm, aiming her palm towards the battle. She willed her energy to form a giant pink disc that Kirishima didn't hesitate to mount. "Show 'im what you've got!" Kagome then shot the disc and Kirishima towards Midoriya and Tamaki, again ignoring Bakugou's demand to act like a side kick.

"Deku! Kirishima shouted as he launched himself from the disc just as it dissolved on cue. Over time, he had learned how to mentally time the duration of Kagome's energy discs. He crashed his hardened body into Tamaki's back.

Tamaki held his ground, despite the mass of hardened muscle barreling into him from the side. "Red Riot..." He whispered before swinging his clam-enforced hand towards the new arrival hero.

"Nice try," Kirishima grinned as he scooped Midoriya into his arms and bounded away from the scene. "But your opponent will be the star of the show!"

Tamaki's attention was diverted to the loud humming of a car engine. The electric hero was the sole occupant of the vehicle. Tamaki's eyes went to the sky to find Bakugou and Kagome standing on top of a single energy disc. Bakugou's arms were crossed as he glowered down at the upperclassman. To his direct right was Kagome in her skin-tight, black and pink hero costume. Her hand was on her hip.

"Villain," Kagome called down to him, pointing a judging finger that made Tamaki internally wince. "Prepare yourse—!"

"Enough blabbing, go, sidekick!" Bakugou commanded with a slap to Kagome's back.

Kagome shot him a quick glare before her current disc dissolved, prompting her to form new, separate platforms for her and Bakugou to use. Kagome surfed the air on top of her energy disc while hurling pink energy rings at Tamaki.

"Not enough, hero," Tamaki whispered as he blocked the barrage with his clam shield hand. "But then again..." he allowed his eyes to stray from Kagome as he heard the sound of Bakugou racing towards him from another direction. 'She's just serving as a distraction, because of her focus on offense, her guard is down.'

Kagome gasped when Tamaki turned his back to her completely, 'S-Senpai?!' A split second later, his tentacles rushed through the air and accosted the girl. Kagome looked down and took in the sight of giant, muscular tentacles wrapped around her torso. She couldn't move a muscle and was horrified that she was completely immobilized due to her own carelessness. But she had no time to process what was happening as Tamaki retracted his tentacles, causing Kagome to be dragged through the air.

"H-He's captured Hime-chan?!" Midoriya called as his friend screamed as she soared till she was at Tamaki's side.

The usually anxious teen had a stony expression as his tentacles shrunk in size but held around Kaogme's frame firmly. The girl couldn't fight a blush as Tamaki held her backside to his chest. Tamaki's eyes never left Bakugou, who was forced to jump off Kagome's fading energy disc. "Not a step closer," He spoke up, his voice cold. "If you don't want to see your sidekick get hurt, I suggest you surrender."

"Who are you calling a sidekick?!" Kagome barked, earning a squeeze from Tamaki as he harshly whispered,

"Shut your mouth."

Bakugou and the spectators were frozen on the spot. Midoriya was analyzing the situation, scrambling to figure out how to overcome a comrade hostage scenario, especially with an opponent as formidable as Suneater. They doubted that Hagakure's strategy would work twice in one fight.

That was when it happened.

Kagome swallowed her pride and utilized the technique that the pro-hero she interned with taught her. At the time, the first-year never would have thought that she'd have to resort to something like this, but—. When it came to life or death, as a hero, she had to use all of her powers. She could hear her mentor's voice tell her that.

"Suneater..." Kagome's voice was suddenly soft and sultry, making Tamaki's body stiffen and his eyes stray. He looked down at her face to discover a demure, blushing girl who squirmed beneath the muscles of his tentacles. "I know we have our differences, but..."

Midoriya's jaw dropped while Mineta's and Kaminari's noses gushed blood.

"I'm still a girl," Kagome whispered before averting her gaze for a moment. Tamaki was sweating bullets, his focus broken into his panicked expression. When she met his eyes again, her eyes were hooded and alluring, "So please be gentle."

Tamaki released a high pitched scream and his hostage all at once. "I'm not that type of villain!" He declared with red cheeks and a quivering lower lip.

Kagome lifted a hand to her forehead and sweatdropped, 'Senpai, I'm embarrassed too. I'm sorry.'

Tamaki then turned his back and announced, "I-I'm going home."

"Oh no, you doooooooooon't!" Bakugou's thundering voice called from across the way. Tamaki turned around and looked up to find the blond had launched himself several meters in the air.

Bakugou then used his quirk to rocket down towards the upperclassman. His eyes thirsted for murder, "Prepare to DIIIIIIEEEEE!"

"Senpai!" Kagome cried out as her friend smashed into Tamaki, the sheer force dented the concrete as they slid several meters. "Kacchan, what are you doing?!" She called out as Bakugou remained on top of Tamaki.

"Stay out of it! It's far from over!" Bakugou seethed, his eyes boiling with the rage of an erupting volcano. "You bastard, you took it easy on me, didn't you?!" He questioned.

"Huh?" Tamaki's voice went up a few octaves as he cried out, "N-no, it's just that your face was terrifying!"

"Don't underestimate me!" Bakugou roared as he continued his ranting, "You think your face is better than mine, huh, pretty boy?! And what's with that erotic tentacle act you pulled?! Did that turn you on?!"

Onlookers sweatdropped as thought, deadpanned, 'Sounds like you're the one who got turned on.'

Meanwhile, Bakugou continued his rant as he heard Kagome's voice in the distance, "You think you can just swoop in and steal my sidekick, HAH?!"

Once Kagome was in range, she was horrified to find the sparks in Bakugou's palms as he heldfast to Tamaki's chest. The upperclassman merely closed his eyes, smiling bitterly as he thought, 'I should've gone home.'

"Kacchan, don't you daaaaaarrreee!" Kagome shrieked during Bakugou's tirade,

"A hero who steals another hero's sidekick is the same as a villain TO MEEEEEEEE!"

"Oh boy..." Midoriya squeaked from the sideline.

It was that day that they discovered another use to Kagome's quirk: the ability to deflect certain attacks. It was an attribute that reflected Bakugou's explosion right back at him, causing injuries that Kagome refused to heal, forcing him into Recovery Girl's care.

It was after school that very same day that Tamaki walked by Mirio's side as they made their way from class. When Nejire and Kagome suddenly crossed their path on the stairwell, Tamaki immediately knew that it was no coincidence like Mirio and Nejire tried to lead him to believe—not that he minded being left alone with Kagome anymore.

"Oh!" Nejire looked as if she just remembered something. "Togata-kun, I left some suuuuuupppeer heavy boxes back in homeroom, can you come help me move them?"

"Hahaha!" Mirio gave a loud, bellow-like laugh. "But of course! What else are friends for?" He then saluted Kagome and Tamaki, "Since you're here, you should walk our kohai to her dorm!

"That's a great idea!" Nejire nodded in agreement. "Now, Kagome-chan, don't be too wild with our kitten, he's not quite a tiger yet~"

Tamaki blushed intensely at the implications as she winked and frolicked back up the stairs with Mirio in tow. Once they were no longer in earshot, he turned to look at Kagome, who was shuffling nervously, a trait that was rare to her.

'No way...!' As someone with frequent shyness and anxiety, Tamaki knew what the physical cues looked like. His eyes widened as he thought back to the encouragement that Mirio gave him before their drill with Kagome's class.

"Give it your all, not just to make them into stronger heroes, but this is the perfect opportunity to show off your fierce side!" Mirio told him energetically. "I know our kohai pretty well. Once she sees you in action, especially in your awesome hero costume, she won't be able to keep her hands off you!"

Mirio also tasked Tamaki with the impossible task of taking the reins and showing her that he was interested in her too. A statement that almost broke Tamaki's brain as he grumbled, "That implies that she's actually interested..."

Kagome's voice brought him back to reality. "Senpai..." Her signs of nervousness were mostly gone as she stalked closer to him. Tamaki couldn't help but notice the way her hips swayed as she closed the distance between them. Without warning, Kagome's hand planted itself on his chest.

'I-It's really happening!' Tamaki's mind was racing, as Kagome stood on her tippy toes. Her face was closing in on his. Closer and closer.

This was not the setting that he pictured having his first kiss in, but with Kagome, he wouldn't complain.

He just had to react.

Were his lips soft enough?

Did his breath smell okay?

Where should he place his hands?

Would it be too forward to kiss her back?

'D-Don't choke! Don't ruin this for her!' Tamaki told himself as he shut his eyes and braced himself for what was to come...

...only for nothing to happen.

A moment later when Tamaki felt nothing, he dared to open his eyes. Only to find that Kagome returned to her normal height and position. Her fingers delicately gripped a long, light blue hair between them. "You had a strand of Nejire-senpai's hair mixed in yours," The first-year said before flicking the strand away and smiling.

"I-Is..." His stutter returning. "Is that...all...?" He queried, his voice almost breathless.

Kagome's puzzled expression was the nail in the coffin.

All notions that his kohai could possibly like him more than another senpai crumbled with the innocent blink of her eyes. Tamaki's lips twisted up into an embarrassed scowl. The girl before him was way too beautiful to be interested in a screw-up like him. It was official. His confidence was shattered and his love life was dead.

Tamaki promptly turned, "I'm going home."

"Eh?!" Kagome felt lost at how Tamaki seemed to revert to the way that he was when they first met in a matter of seconds. She didn't give him the chance to flee. She locked his arm to her chest with her arms, "Wait, senpai! You're supposed to come home with me!"

Both blushed at Kagome's wording and she was quick to clarify, "I mean, I want you to walk me home...to my dorm!"

As Kagome swallowed her own embarrassment, Tamaki was doing his best to keep himself standing. This was the second time that Kagome had grabbed and nearly hugged his arm. Didn't she know that he was doing his best just to keep his heart from bursting through his chest?!

"F-Fine..." Tamaki relented, his shoulders dropping, "If that's what you want."

Kagome nodded and smiled, nearly blinding Tamaki with her radiance again. "Good, let's go~." They walked in silence for the first few minutes, both wrapped up in their own thoughts. Kagome was weighing the different ways to broach the topic on her mind while Tamaki was fighting to breathe and be a cool senpai.

By the time that they reached the resident area of campus, Kagome figured that an area with less people around was the best place. "Hey, Amajiki-senpai," She began as casually as she could. Despite being the more outgoing of the two, Kagome had no experience with dating so even she was more nervous than usual.

'D-Don't be a coward! You have to look at her!' Tamaki's inner voice cried as he forced himself to look down at Kagome. His heart jumped at her cute she was. He internally winced at how high-pitched and whiney his voice came out, "...Y...yes?"

"You were really cool during our drill today, you know that?" Kagome asked with a smile that turned Tamaki's insides to goo.

He wanted to have it all to himself, a shining star of his very own.

But he couldn't bring himself to say something like that. "You think so...?" He queried back, feeling somewhat guilty in how much he relished Kagome's compliments. He wasn't the best at compliments in general, but when they came from Kagome... They felt so warm and addicting.

"Mm hm," She nodded without hesitation. "And to be honest...seeing you in your hero costume..."

Tamaki stiffened as he thought back to what Mirio told him earlier.

"I hope it doesn't make you uncomfortable," Kagome whispered as she blushed. "But you were so handsome."

'M-Me?! Handsome?!' Tamaki's inner voice was in shock. 'M-Maybe she needs glasses...' He told himself, despite how irrationally happy those words made him. The rush of feelings were almost too much to bear. And Kagome had no clue how she had his heart and mind racing.

The pair was making their way into the first-year dorm area. The door closed behind them. The common halls were relatively quiet and empty, as many students opted to hang out or train right after classes. She finally unlinked her arms as she pointed towards a faintly illuminated, narrow hallway aligned with vending machines.

"I know you were just playing a villain but when you held me so close back there..." Kagome took the reins as she led Tamaki towards the small hall, intending to treat him to a snack for accompanying her. "It had my heart racing," she admitted, but not without a faint blush. Normally, she wouldn't have been this forward, but with how shy her senpai was, she felt like she had to do her best to get her point across.

"Y-Yeah...?" Tamaki croaked as the girl stopped in front of the third vending machine and finally unlinked their arms. He took his place by her side as she bent over to take in the selection, "Is that why you chose to torture me with that bit of yours?" His eyes widened and hands slapped over his mouth when he realized that his filter slipped.

Kagome lifted her face, offering Tamaki an amused chuckle, "It wasn't really payback but I'm glad that it was so effective." She dared to return to her full height and tilted her head a bit, "Do you want to leave any feedback on my performance..." Her voice softened, "Suneater~?"

[BANG!]

Kagome flinched when Tamaki suddenly lurched forward, his hands slammed on the glass near either side of her head. In a spontaenous rush of adrenaline, Tamaki trapped Kagome's body between his own and the vending machine. "Actually, I do..."

His voice was suddenly heavy with huskiness and his eyes pierced her chest. "No matter what, never pull that little stunt again," Tamaki told her, his glazed orbs not noticing the way her knees trembled beneath the brunt of his gaze. "Even against me."

Despite the compromising position she found herself in, Kagome felt adventurous and high off Tamaki's uncharacteristic boldness. "I'm sure I'd be safe if it was you..." She tried to assert, tried to smile as usual. But she was sure that she couldn't hide how deliciously uneasy he was making her feel.

"You'd best not underestimate me..." Tamaki whispered as his hooded eyes honed in on Kagome's lips. "I'm still a man, after all..."

"S-Senpai..." Kagome didn't shy away as Tamaki's face closed in on hers. The warm tickles of his breath on her lips urged her eyes closed as she awaited her reward.

"Oh! Kagome-chan!" Mina's voice suddenly cut through their heated haze. "And Amajiki-senpai!" The pink-skinned girl's cheeks turned red as she looked between the pair's faces, as if she was confirming the identities of the people who were caught in the act.

It was then that Tamaki's brain caught up with his body. The fog that he was lost in cleared and he realized that he was nose to nose with his kohai. Her eyes were as wide as his own. And their lips were mere centimeters apart.

Reality crashed down onto his shoulders and landed right in his belly.

His stomach was heavy enough to fall through his butt.

Tamaki peeled and scrambled away from Kagome with reckless abandon. He planted his back against the opposite wall and his hands rose to cover his reddened face. "Hi...Higurashi-san...!" His voice was much higher than the husky one that lulled his kohai into a haze. "I-I'm so sorry! I only meant to warn you about...about...uh..."

His eyes peered through the gaps in his fingers to the curious Mina.

Yup, she was still there.

Tamaki inwardly prayed for a tornado to barrel through the wall, sweep him up, and spit him out hundreds of kilometers away.

Mina then laughed aloud and linked her hands behind her head, "Heehee, I'll just leave you two alone~" She then offered a reassuring wave before she left, "And don't worry, I totally won't tell Bakugou."

Kagome's face fell into her hands, her muffled voice crying to her friend, "You'd better not because it's none of his business!"

"Well, okay~!" Mina held up her hand in a "goodbye" wave as her voice grew more distant, "Don't mind me, carry on!"

Kagome sighed and brought her hands down from her face, "Sorry about that Amajiki—." She blinked.

He was nowhere to be seen.

"—senpai."

Not long later, Tamaki was alone in his dark dorm room. He trembled within the blanket burrito that he wrapped himself into. His cellphone rang a few times before Mirio's familiar voice picked up on the other end.

"Tama?" Mirio queried. "What's up, buddy?" Tamaki could hear his best friend's smile through the receiver.

"Mi...Mirio..." Tamaki's voice quivered as his mind was plagued with images of Kagome's eyes and lips. "Higurashi-san...we..." He paused as he tried processing the scene that he fled from. "I...I..."

He didn't know why but somehow, he temporarily lost his mind. Yes, that's what it was. He experienced a lapse of logic and judgment. He went into psychosis.

No, that was a lie.

"What about Higurashi-chan?" The blond teen tried to urge his friend to gather his thoughts. He could tell that something major just transpired from Tamaki's sniveling. He could only hope that it was that their kohai confessed and that his best friend was true to himself and accepted her.

"She..." Tamaki's eyes shut as he grimaced at the memory—. The shame that he felt when he snapped from his stupor was unbearable. "S-She's in danger!" He suddenly shouted.

"What?" Mirio blinked, knowing that his friend must have been exaggerating. If the girl was truly in danger, Tamaki's first course of action would not have been crying to him about it. "What kind of danger?"

Tamaki's eyes snapped open as his heart skipped a beat.

How did he tell his best friend, the person who he admired most, that Kagome calling him by his hero name got him riled up...?

How could he explain his hero name from her lips made him feel powerful?

He didn't, that's how.

"N-Nevermind..." Tamaki's voice was breathy and squeaky. He was going to wrack his brain about how to switch topics, only to be interrupted by a soft knock on his door that made him flinch. 'W-Who is that...?' "Oh, um! G-Gotta go!" He promptly stated before ending the call.

If there was something worse than hosting guests in his room, it was hosting unexpected visitors. Tamaki needed at least a week's advance notice before he could fully prepare to have guests in his room-his only haven.

He wondered if they would go away if he pretended that he wasn't home...

Yes, he had no obligation to answer random door knocks so he'd just stay quiet until they left.

"Amajiki-senpai," Kagome's deadpanned tone made his heart miss a beat. "You can't fool me."

Tamaki had mixed feelings as his mind began to race.

Sweat accumulated on his forehead.

How did she know which room was his?

What could she possibly want?

Did she not realize how dangerous he was?

Why would she actively seek out the company of a beast of a man who—.

His eyes widened as a dreadful thought struck him.

What if she realized how disgusting he was and wanted to tell him to stay away from her, forever?

"Seeeenpai," Kagome called out from the other side of the door. "Stop thinking about it and just open the door. I won't be long." She sighed and smiled when she heard the sound of a bed creaking. The creaks were followed by the miserable way he dragged his feet across the floor.

A few moments later, the locking mechanism was manipulated before the door opened just a crack. From within the void, Tamaki glimpsed at Kagome through the thin slit that he allowed for their conversation. "Y...Yes?"

'Begone, beautiful head! Become a potato! A potato!' Tamaki urged his mind to transform the girl into a form that was easier to look at. 'A potato!'

"I'm sorry to disturb you during your down time," Kagome prefaced while she shuffled her feet, looking a bit nervous. "But you left before we could finish our..."

'Don't be weird. Don't look at her lips. Don't look at her lips!' Tamaki's internal mantra was louder than some of Kagome's words. As much he wanted to give her his undivided attention, he had to do his best not to become the beast that almost took advantage of her!

Suddenly, Kagome's light blush was accompanied by a shy smile as she held up a rectangular slip of thin card paper. Tamaki's inner mind was suddenly silenced as he realized that it was a ticket. The ticket read "Beautiful World" in cursive English with a background of a scenic garden.

"I want to go with you this Saturday, but it's okay if you don't want to..." Kagome told him, her voice delicate and unsure.

"With..." Tamaki opened his door wider, revealing the full surprise on his face. He pointed at himself, "...me...?" His pale cheeks began to heat up, "J-just the two of us...?"

Kagome nodded before throwing up her hands, "You don't have to answer me right now if you need to think about it." She paused and added, "I know you probably need some time but if you want to..."

Tamaki's lips parted, he already knew his answer right then and there.

But somehow, he couldn't find his voice.

"You can just meet me at the main entrance on Saturday at 10:00AM, okay?" Kagome's head tilted slightly as her eyes shimmered with hope.

Tamaki could plainly see it in her eyes—the twinkle of a fragile dream.

He couldn't deny it the way he did in the beginning.

It was almost humiliating but his friends were right all along...

The beautiful, sunny girl in front of him was gathering her courage to ask him out. It finally dawned upon him that just because she had a radiant presence didn't mean that something like this came easily to her. She went out of her way to shower him with compliments to help buildup his own courage and self-esteem.

She was wearing her heart on her sleeve, for him.

Because of him.

Because he was a man who indulged his own cowardice to protect himself.

'No longer...' Tamaki told himself. What kind of man would he be if he let his kohai do all of the work?

As Kagome turned to leave him to his thoughts, Tamaki's hand sprung into action, catching her wrist with ease. Kagome turned questioning eyes and warm cheeks towards him.

There it was again.

That hopeful sheen to her eyes.

The desire for him to reciprocate her feelings.

Tamaki lips pursed, smashed together as he fought against his nerves—against his impulse to take the easy way out.

"I..." His slow response was not a result of reluctance, but as a pure bundle of nerves, "I'll be there."

It was that wide, joyful smile that made Tamaki want to become someone worthy of Kagome's feelings.

[ ]

The remainder of the school week seemed to drag on, but alas, Saturday morning finally came. Tamaki thought he'd be arriving early by showing up at their designated spot at 9:40, but to his surprise, Kagome was already waiting. Apparently, she was more excited for their date than he expected.

It was still unbelievable that someone like her could be that interested in someone like him.

When Tamaki queried about their destination, he blushed when Kagome gave him a cute, secretive smile, "It's a surprise, silly."

Normally, Tamaki found the prospect of surprises to be a nightmare.

But when it came to today, he found that he didn't mind waiting.

What he did mind, however, was how Kagome led him to the train station, whose entrance was flooded with crowds upon crowds of strangers. Even Kagome's overtly innocent smile couldn't stop Tamaki from visibly paling.

"Y...you...we..." Tamaki tried to find the words. "Why?"

"Well, our destination is kinda far and I didn't want to ask you to drive when I'm the one who invited you out..." She explained while scratching her pink cheek. Tamaki's internal dread was worn on his face, but before he could spiral into his despair, Kagome grabbed his hand. "Here, just hold onto me," she offered.

In response, some tension was released from his shoulders.

Seeing his anxiety reduced to a manageable level, she smiled and added, "And you can squeeze my hand anytime you need to, okay?"

Kagome smiled every time that he took her up on her offer, applying moderate pressure every time someone's eyes lingered on him for longer than he deemed necessary. Little did she know but his occasional squeezes weren't him looking for support, but it was Tamaki checking if today was real.

Everything from Kagome's fashionable, casual outfit to how she went out of her way to keep his attention on her during the train ride felt surreal. And arriving at the structure that Kagome announced to be their destination was more than he could ever ask for.

The building was elongated with low-ceilings; its outer walls were vastly glass windows. Deeper within the structure, Tamaki could make out an attached area that stood taller than the rest with a dome for its ceiling.

The attendant at the ticket booth was a middle-aged woman who smiled at the pair. Tamaki could feel how her eyes dropped to their joined hands, but didn't move to separate them. "Young people sure are more forward than we were back in my day," The woman pointed out as she stamped their tickets. "I hope you two enjoy your date~."

Kagome was glowing as she nodded and thanked the woman.

Tamaki blushed, his lips trying to fight a smile. His heart was soaring when she didn't deny or bat an eyelash at someone thinking that this outing was a date.

'This...this is bad...' Tamaki thought as they stepped into the first room down the hallway. Kagome led him into an indoor botanical garden. A bead of sweat ran down his cheek and he knew that it wasn't from the temperate controlled humidity.

'This is really bad...' His inner voice chimed again as Kagome pointed at and named a few of her favorite flowers. Despite what his insides were screaming, Tamaki would nod and point out a few of his favorite blooms as well.

'Beautiful World' was an appropriate name for the attraction as it featured recreations of various forests and other wondrous biomes across the globe.

When they finally arrived at the cylindrical structure with the dome, it was all over.

Kagome was a lovely creature, a true angel when she opened the door and led him into the room dubbed "Butterfly Heaven". "You said you love them, right?" She confirmed, giggling at the twinkle in his eyes.

It was over.

Tamaki couldn't fight it any longer.

His lips curved upwards as he chuckled, "I did. I'm flattered that you remembered."

Kagome silently gawked for a moment.

"What is it...?" He asked shyly, "Do I have something on my face?"

The girl smiled and nodded, "Only the cutest smile that I've ever seen."

She thanked him for finally showing it to her.

To which he thanked her for gifting it to him.

If this was a dream, Tamaki didn't want to wake up.

All of his life, he never would have imagined that someone could give him this type of love—this special brand of courage.

In a world of quirks, Kagome had a special magic for opening his heart and making him want to live up to her expectations.

Even if it was only for her sake, Tamaki was emboldened.

On their train ride later that evening, the pair were surprised to discover a single seat remaining on their car.

After spending a full minute of both encouraging the other to take the seat, Tamaki conceded, knowing that they wouldn't get anywhere at this rate. He planted his bottom onto the seat, then took Kagome by surprise when he pulled her into his lap.

"Amajiki-senpai...?" Kagome's cheeks burned from the stares that they received when he placed her butt on his right leg.

Tamaki squeezed his eyes shut.

He'd prefer to be in complete darkness than to be gawked at by potato heads.

Still, he managed to whisper to the top of Kagome's head, "Not Amajiki or senpai... Just Tamaki is fine..."

Fireworks exploded in Kagome's chest as her seemingly unattainable senpai dealt a critical hit directly to her heart.

"Then, you need to call me Kagome, Tamaki—" She felt him stiffen beneath her.

Kagome stifled a chuckle, she couldn't help herself, she had get it completely out of her system...

one last time.

"-senpai."