Chapter 59 - Making A Plan

Bakugo's room had never been so full—or so tense. Normally, the space was loud and crackling with his restless energy, but now it felt strangely heavy, like everyone was afraid to breathe too loudly in case Bakugo erupted again. He sat on the edge of his bed with his elbows on his knees, fingers digging into his hair, refusing to look at anyone. The others spread out awkwardly across the room—Midoriya near the desk, Uraraka beside Mina on the floor, Todoroki leaning against the wall, and Iida pacing back and forth like a malfunctioning robot.

"We need a strategy," Iida said finally, pushing his glasses up. "A logical, emotionally effective approach—one that will override the false affection induced by the potion."

Bakugo grunted. "Just tell me what to do so I can get Yuuki back." His voice cracked slightly at the end, which shocked everyone into absolute silence.

Midoriya took a slow step forward—careful, cautious, like approaching a wild animal. "Kacchan... we should start by looking at all the moments that mattered between you two. The things that made her fall for you the first time." He fidgeted with the hem of his shirt, mumbling under his breath for a moment before straightening up. "We need to remember how this started."

Uraraka nodded, her expression soft. "Yeah. Think about how you looked at her... how you talked to her... how you protected her. Those things meant something to her. You didn't just tell her you liked her—you showed her."

Mina leaned forward excitedly. "And you were so sweet in your own angry way! Don't deny it. You went out of your way to walk her to class, you stared at her like she hung the moon, you made sure no one bothered her, you carried her when she was sick—"

"SHUT UP," Bakugo snapped, face bright red. But he didn't deny it.

Todoroki lifted a hand. "We should be specific. Details matter. The potion is overriding her emotional target, but it can't erase her memories. If we remind her of experiences tied to strong feelings, the real bond might overpower the artificial one."

Midoriya perked up. "Yes! Exactly! For example—when Yuuki sprained her ankle during training and Kacchan panicked so hard he carried her across the field before Recovery Girl even got there."

Bakugo clicked his tongue but said nothing.

Uraraka added, "Or when you knocked her unconscious and you carried her to Recovery Girl."

Mina clasped her hands dramatically. "Or when she fainted after that spin-the-bottle kiss and you stayed with her until she woke up. You looked so scared—like your heart was gonna stop."

Bakugo's jaw clenched. His eyes flickered down, remembering.

"And," Midoriya continued gently, "when you confessed first. You were shaking. I've never seen you like that."

Bakugo instantly glared daggers at him. "Say one more word about that and I'll kill you."

But the damage was already done—his ears were turning red, and his fists were no longer clenched with anger but with something closer to vulnerability.

Uraraka's voice softened. "Bakugo... those moments mattered. You weren't just some guy she liked. You became her safe place. Yuuki trusted you—deeply."

Bakugo swallowed hard, looking away.

Iida finally stopped pacing, planting his hands on his hips. "Therefore, we must develop a plan that reawakens these emotional anchors. A confession alone may not suffice—we need layered stimuli. Reminders, conversations, shared memories... perhaps even recreating certain moments."

Todoroki nodded thoughtfully. "We could bring her somewhere meaningful. Somewhere tied to the beginning of their relationship."

Mina gasped. "Like the rooftop! Yuuki told me that was where she started realizing she liked him. He brought her there once so she could see the sunset because she had a bad day."

Midoriya lit up. "Yes! And Kacchan actually told her she deserved good things that day. That was huge for him."

Bakugo exploded—quietly, in a choked, embarrassed way. "SHUT UP! Why do you losers know all this?!"

"Because Yuuki tells us," Mina said simply. "She adores you, you idiot. Even if she's under a potion right now, her real feelings didn't disappear."

The room fell silent again, but this time it was warm.

Bakugo exhaled shakily, rubbing his face with both hands. "Fine. So what's the damn plan?"

Midoriya looked at him with surprising confidence. "We make her remember who you are to her. We bring her back to those moments. We remind her of how you looked at her... how you held her... how you cared."

Uraraka nodded. "And at the end of all that... you tell her the truth again. Raw. Honest. No running away."

Bakugo lifted his head slowly, eyes shining with determination—and fear.

"I'll do whatever it takes," he said quietly. "I'm getting my girl back."

•••

They filed out of Bakugo's room with the rough outline of a plan, though the atmosphere was anything but calm. Bakugo stalked ahead of everyone, fists tight at his sides, shoulders rigid with the kind of tension that made Mina and Uraraka exchange worried glances. Every few steps, a low growl rumbled from his chest, and Midoriya whispered frantically to Iida, asking if maybe they should walk in front as a human shield—just in case.

But when they reached the stairs leading down toward the common room, the sound that greeted them froze everyone in place.

Giggling.

Yuuki's giggling.

And Kaminari's flirtatious voice floating up like nails on a chalkboard for Bakugo's already frayed nerves.

They stepped into the common room, and the sight waiting for them nearly made Bakugo detonate on the spot.

Yuuki was curled up against Kaminari's chest, smiling in a soft, dreamy, completely-in-love way that she had never—even on her most flustered days—aimed at anyone but Bakugo. Her fingers were lightly gripping the front of Kaminari's hoodie, and Kaminari had one arm wrapped tight around her waist. He was playing some silly video on his phone, using his free hand to scroll while resting his cheek lovingly against the top of Yuuki's head.

Mineta sat beside them, kicking his feet in excitement and giving Kaminari a thumbs-up every thirty seconds. Ashido, Jirou, Sero, Tsu, even Tokoyami were on the couches nearby—some watching, some pretending not to watch, but every single one of them wearing the exact same expression:

Deep, secondhand embarrassment.

Because they knew. They all knew. This wasn't Yuuki, This wasn't real, This was the love potion.

And yet here she was, completely lovestruck, letting Kaminari brush her bangs out of her face while she made a tiny contented hum that sounded like it physically wounded Bakugo.

Bakugo's jaw clenched so hard a vein pulsed near his temple. His palms popped with tiny sparks of heat—his temper was so close to exploding that even Todoroki subtly shifted to stand between him and the couch.

Kaminari looked up at their group with the world's smuggest smile. He tightened his hold on Yuuki—clearly for Bakugo's benefit—and purred, "Hey guys. Isn't she just the cutest? She's, like... perfect. I think this is the best morning I've ever had."

Yuuki turned her face toward Kaminari, eyes glowing with potion-fueled devotion, and she whispered in a voice so soft it was almost painful, "Kaminari... I love you."

Bakugo made a noise that wasn't human—more an eruption of pure, agonized fury, like a volcano realizing it had feelings.

Mina slapped a hand over his mouth immediately. "Don't. Kill. Him."

Uraraka grabbed Bakugo's arm and hissed, "Remember the plan! The plan, Bakugo! We need you alive to do the plan!"

Iida was vibrating with panic. "BAKUGO, CONTROL YOURSELF! THIS IS A HIGHLY UNFORTUNATE SITUATION BUT VIOLENCE WILL ONLY MAKE MATTERS WORSE!"

Bakugo's chest rose and fell in short, furious bursts, each exhale trembling with the effort it took not to incinerate Kaminari where he sat.

Kaminari, blissfully unaware he was seconds away from becoming a scorch mark, turned back to Yuuki and brushed a thumb across her cheek. She melted into his touch like butter left in the sun.

"It's okay, sweetheart," Kaminari cooed. "Ignore the jealous crowd. You've got me now."

That was the moment Bakugo's eyes flashed murder.

Midoriya squeaked. "Oh no, he's going to blow—Todoroki, ice him! Ice him right now!"

But Todoroki only placed a firm hand on Bakugo's shoulder and said quietly, "Not here. Not in front of her."

Those simple words struck harder than any blast. Bakugo froze, breath hitching, gaze locked on Yuuki's smiling face—smiling for someone else. Leaning on someone else. Looking at someone else like they were her whole world.

Slowly, painfully, Bakugo forced his hands to relax. The sparks faded. His jaw unclenched. He swallowed a hurt that none of them had ever seen on him before—not even when he'd lost to Midoriya, not even when he had been kidnapped by the League.

This hurt worse. Much worse.

"If she's gonna look at someone," he said, voice low and trembling with restrained emotion, "it's gonna be me."