Chapter 39 - U.A Party Festivities

Yuuki followed Bakugo down the hallway, still trying to force her brain to work after what had just happened in the storage room. Her steps were small and quick, almost like she was trying to keep up without walking too close behind him. Every once in a while she dared to glance at his broad back, the way he carried the box with one hand like it weighed nothing. His suit jacket shifted with each step, the fabric stretching over the firm lines of his shoulders.

Yuuki swallowed hard and looked away before she embarrassed herself further.

They reached the lunch room again, where the rest of the class was still bustling about, placing decorations, hanging lights, and adjusting tablecloths. As soon as they stepped inside, Uraraka floated down from adjusting string lights and beamed.

"Oh! You got them—thank you, Yuuki! And Bakugo, thanks too!"

Yuuki smiled softly, bowing her head a little. "You're welcome, Uraraka! I just—"

"I did all the damn work," Bakugo cut in gruffly, shoving the box toward Uraraka with a scowl.

Yuuki puffed her cheeks and pouted, turning her head away with a tiny huff. "I helped..." she muttered under her breath.

Before she could walk off to prove her point or at least escape the teasing, Bakugo reached out and—shockingly—patted her head. His hand lingered just a second longer than necessary, fingers brushing her hair gently.

Yuuki froze completely.

So did everyone else.

Jiro dropped a roll of tape. Kaminari's jaw fell open. Kirishima whispered, "Bro... did you just... head pat?" Todoroki blinked slowly like he wasn't sure if he hallucinated it.

Even Uraraka covered her mouth in silent shock.

Bakugo immediately exploded—figuratively.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU ALL STARING AT?!" he roared, sparks flaring from his palms. "GET BACK TO WORK!"

Everyone scrambled back to their tasks, mumbling things like "Yes sir—" and "Okay okay—" and "He's... changed...?"

Bakugo stalked off toward Kirishima, muttering about useless extras, and the two boys immediately began arguing over where a stack of decorations should go. Yuuki, still pink in the face from the head pat, tried to help Uraraka again, but every time she lifted something she kept glancing over at Bakugo without meaning to.

Once the last streamer was hung and Todoroki finished sculpting a beautiful ice centerpiece shaped like the UA logo, All Might clapped his hands loudly—still in his skinny form—and announced that everything was perfect.

"Let the festivities begin!"

The lights dimmed slightly, soft music filtered through the speakers, and the entire room transformed from a decorated lunch room into something that actually looked like a school dance.

The students cheered with excitement.

Immediately the room filled with energy.Kaminari and Mina rushed toward the snack table, piling plates to ridiculous heights.Jiro plugged in her phone and changed the playlist to something with a beat.Kirishima tried to get everyone to dance with him, already laughing.Sero and Ojiro were talking about trying the new drinks Aizawa brought.

Class 1-A split off into lively groups—some dancing, some eating, some chatting.

Yuuki wandered in slowly, looking around with wide, sparkly eyes. The music washed over her, the colored lights reflecting against her pink dress. The room was warm and vibrant and alive.

She smiled softly, hands clasped together in front of her chest as she took it all in.

Neon lights flickered, laughter echoed from every direction, and plates clinked at the buffet table. Students were dancing, spinning, being silly, taking pictures on Kaminari's phone, and dragging each other onto the floor.

Yuuki drifted toward the quieter side of the room, where Jirou was leaning against a table, sipping a drink and quietly observing the chaos around her. The music pulsed in the background, lights shifting colors across the walls, but here—just a few steps away from the crowd—it felt calmer. Yuuki exhaled softly, relieved for a moment of peace.

Jirou smiled when she saw her. "Hey, Yuuki. Party not too overwhelming, right?"

Yuuki shook her head, her pink dress swishing. "No, it's fun! Just... loud. But I don't mind."

Jirou laughed lightly. "Yeah, 1-A doesn't really do quiet."

Yuuki stood beside her, hands clasped behind her back as she watched Kirishima drag Kaminari to the dance floor. After a moment she whispered, "Jirou... can I ask you something?"

Jirou tilted her head. "Sure. What's up?"

Yuuki hesitated, cheeks warming. "Do you... ever get scared at night? Like... when it's dark? Or when there's thunder?" She bit her lip. "I can't sleep when that happens. I get really anxious."

Jirou blinked in surprise at how honest the question was, but her expression softened. "Yeah, I used to be scared of thunderstorms when I was little. The loud cracks... they just kinda hit you right in the chest." She tapped her earjacks thoughtfully. "But I grew out of it."

Yuuki nodded, looking down. "I... I haven't." Her voice grew small. "The dark freaks me out, too. I usually sleep with a little night-light. And sometimes I... sing lullabies to myself. Just something soft to keep my mind busy. My mom used to hum to me so I try to copy it."

Jirou's eyes softened even more. "That's really sweet. What kind of lullabies?"

Yuuki perked up a little, fidgeting with the bow on her dress. "Um... mostly really soft ones? I make them up sometimes. Or I hum. It helps me feel less alone." She giggled nervously. "Kinda childish, I know."

"No," Jirou said firmly. "It's not childish at all. Everyone has something that helps them feel safe. You're allowed to need comfort."

Yuuki smiled shyly at that. "Thank you, Jirou."

Neither of them noticed that Bakugo, who was walking past with a plate stacked high with food, had slowed down just enough to catch pieces of the conversation. He heard "scared of the dark," and "thunder," and "lullabies," and something small twisted in his chest. He didn't even know why he cared—he just suddenly wanted to yank her into his arms and tell her she didn't have to be scared of anything ever again.

His grip tightened on the plate.

But before he could linger any longer, Kirishima slung an arm around his shoulders.

"BRO! Come sit with us!"

Bakugo snapped out of it with a scowl and let himself be dragged back to the table where all the guys—and Mina and Uraraka—were crowded together eating.

The moment he sat down, Mina smirked like a cat who'd found a canary. "Sooo, Bakugo~," she sing-songed, leaning forward across the table. "You keep staring at Yuuki. Like, a lot."

Uraraka and Midoriya both tensed instantly.

"Mina—maybe don't—" Midoriya whispered, panicked.

"Seriously," Uraraka added quickly, "de-escalate before he explodes—"

"Oh, shut it, you two," Mina cut them off with a dramatic wave. "I'm right. He's totally into her."

Bakugo's eye twitched dangerously. Everyone at the table went still, waiting for the inevitable explosion.

But instead... Bakugo exhaled sharply, looked away, and muttered, "...It's true."

The table exploded—not literally, but in whispers, gasps, choking sounds from Kaminari, and Kirishima punching the air like he'd just watched Bakugo win a championship match.

"NO WAY—""BRO SAID IT OUT LOUD—""O-Oh my gosh—""I CAN'T BELIEVE IT—"

Even Todoroki raised an eyebrow, which for him was basically screaming.

Bakugo's eyes widened and he slammed his hands on the table. "WILL YOU IDIOTS SHUT UP?!" he hissed. "If she hears you, I'll kill you."

Instant silence.

Everyone froze, eyes darting toward Yuuki—who was still talking quietly with Jirou, completely oblivious.

Bakugo's glare softened for half a second as his gaze drifted toward her again, the lights reflecting off her soft pink dress and the gentle smile she wore.

He looked away quickly, face heating.

"I swear," he growled quietly, "if any of you breathe a word of this, I'll blow your faces off."

But the tiny, stunned smiles around the table said they weren't scared.

They were thrilled.

•••

Mina practically exploded with excitement the moment Bakugo admitted it, and she immediately leaned across the table like a detective interrogating a suspect who finally cracked.

"So—SO—are you going to confess? Are you going to ask her out? Are you going to kiss her? Oh my gosh, when did you realize you liked her? Do you dream about her? Have you ever—"

Bakugo slammed his palm on the table so hard everyone jumped. "WILL YOU SHUT UP?!" he barked, face bright red. "I'm not answering a damn questionnaire!"

Mina only grinned wider, completely unfazed. "Sooo... is that a yes you're gonna ask her out or—"

Bakugo groaned and dragged a hand over his face. For once, he looked less angry and more—embarrassed. "I want to, okay? I just—" He gestured vaguely, words refusing to line up. "I don't know what the hell I'm supposed to do."

He wasn't usually the type to openly admit uncertainty. Seeing him look almost... nervous... made everyone at the table sit up straighter.

Midoriya blinked. "Well... you could write her a note?"

"No, no, no," Kaminari interrupted dramatically. "Notes are lame. You gotta be smooth, man."

Kirishima nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! Like a manly confession!"

Iida adjusted his glasses. "A direct and clear statement of intention would be most appropriate—"

Uraraka gently cut in, shaking her head. "Guys... you're not thinking about Yuuki. She's really shy. She gets overwhelmed easily. A big confession might make her panic."

The whole table fell quiet, thinking about that. They all knew she was timid—sweet, soft-spoken, easy to fluster. She couldn't even accept a compliment without turning pink.

Bakugo muttered under his breath, almost too soft for them to hear, "Yeah... she'll try to run away before I even get a word out."

Everyone stared at him—surprised he admitted it so honestly.

Mina's eyes suddenly lit up like she'd been struck by divine inspiration. She slammed her hands on the table and stood dramatically.

"OKAY. I HAVE A PLAN."

Bakugo narrowed his eyes. "That's already a bad sign."

"No-no-no, listen," Mina said, waving her hands. "The party is perfect! All we need is a slow song. Something soft, romantic, like—" she hummed dramatically, twirling in place, "—sparkles and soft lighting and a little bit of magic. Then YOU"—she jabbed a finger at Bakugo—"go up to her and ask for a slow dance."

Kirishima grinned. "A slow dance! Bro, that's perfect!"

Midoriya nodded shyly. "It would give you a chance to talk to her alone... well, alone in the middle of a crowd, but still..."

Todoroki blinked. "Does dancing help confessions? I've never tried it."

Mineta started to say something creepy about dances and girls, but Bakugo growled so aggressively he choked on his own words.

Mina clasped her hands dramatically. "A slow dance will set the mood! The lights, the music, the moment! It's actually perfect."

Bakugo looked away, ears faintly pink. "Yeah. If she doesn't run off screaming first."

And that was when Uraraka, with a spark of mischief no one saw coming, turned to the three fastest students and said sweetly:

"Deku, Iida, Todoroki? If Yuuki gets overwhelmed and tries to run away... could you catch her?"

The three boys exchanged looks.

Midoriya sat up straighter, nodding immediately. "O-Of course! I can sprint or use All For One to get to her quickly!"

Iida began adjusting his glasses at hyperspeed. "Naturally! My Engine quirk will ensure I intercept her in a timely manner!"

Todoroki shrugged. "I can just freeze the floor in front of her."

"THAT IS NOT WHAT I MEANT!" Uraraka yelped, flailing her arms.

Mina cackled. "Nooo, it's perfect! See? The fastest boys can keep her from escaping!"

Bakugo buried his face in his hands. "I hate all of you," he muttered, but his voice held a nervous edge—he actually cared if this worked.

The group continued buzzing with ideas—lighting, timing, music cues—while Bakugo stared across the room.

Yuuki was still talking with Jirou, smiling softly, her hands gently clutching her dress.

She looked fragile. Skittish. Sweet. And for once... he wasn't thinking about himself.

He was thinking about how to hold her without scaring her.