Chapter 54 - Asking The Girls

Mineta and Kaminari approached Jirou and Tsuyu with all the false confidence of men who had absolutely no idea what they were doing. Jirou looked up first, raising a single brow like she could smell stupidity approaching from a mile away. Tsuyu closed her notebook politely, waiting to see what fresh disaster was about to unfold in front of her.

Kaminari gave his best "ladies man" grin, which somehow made him look even more suspicious. "Hey, Jirou, Tsu! Quick question for you both—totally normal question, nothing suspicious at all—"

Jirou stared. "That already sounds suspicious."

Mineta stepped forward dramatically, tiny hands clasped in front of him. "We need girl advice."

Jirou nearly snorted. "You?" She pointed her jacks at Kaminari. "And you? Oh boy, this should be good."

Tsuyu tilted her head patiently. "What kind of advice, ribbit?"

Kaminari cleared his throat, trying to look suave. "Well, hypothetically... if a guy liked a shy girl—like, super shy, cute, soft-spoken—what should he do to impress her?"

Jirou slowly lowered her notebook. "You're joking."

"No!" Mineta said, practically vibrating with determination. "We're serious! We want to know what girls like! Romantic stuff. Cute stuff. What works. What doesn't."

Tsuyu, unlike Jirou, didn't laugh. She just tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Well... if she's shy, then being too forward might scare her. You should be gentle, considerate. Compliment her without overwhelming her. And don't push her into anything she's not comfortable with."

Kaminari nodded like he was receiving ancient sacred wisdom. "Soft. Got it. Gentle. Sweet."

Jirou smirked. "Which disqualifies both of you immediately."

Mineta whined, "We can be gentle! We can be sweet!"

"No you can't," Jirou said flatly. "You two are like... I don't know... the human embodiment of a fire hazard and a warning label."

Tsuyu added kindly, "Honesty works too, kero. If you really like her, you should just be clear and respectful."

Kaminari straightened his back, purpose igniting in his eyes. "Respectful. Soft. Honest. Gentle. We can do that. We can do that."

Mineta nodded so hard he almost toppled over.

Jirou rolled her eyes. "This is going to end in flames. And crying. Mostly your crying."

Suddenly—

Heavy footsteps approached, and the atmosphere changed instantly.

Bakugo, Mina, and Uraraka walked up to the group, Bakugo looking like he was already prepared to yell at someone. Mina looked curious and bubbly, while Uraraka looked concerned but friendly.

Bakugo crossed his arms. "Alright, what the hell are these two idiots doing now?"

Jirou didn't miss a beat. "Trying to get dating advice. And failing."

Mineta and Kaminari froze, looking like cornered prey.

Mina giggled. "Awwww, that's cute!"

Jirou looked at them. "Wait—where's Yuuki?"

Uraraka's expression softened. "She had a tummy ache earlier. She said she was going to the bathroom to see if it felt better."

Bakugo's eyes widened just a fraction—a change so subtle that only people who knew him could spot it. "Damn it, Don't remind me!"

"She probably just needs a minute!" Mina said, waving her hand dismissively. "Yuuki gets nervous sometimes, you know that. She's—"

"Don't tell me to relax," Bakugo snapped, glaring at Mina. "If she's sick I'm checking on her."

"Bakugo, she's fine—" Mina tried again.

He cut her off sharply. "If she doesn't answer my text in thirty seconds I'm breaking down the damn door."

Kaminari and Mineta flinched, then whispered in unison:

"...We're gonna die."

Bakugo was already pulling out his phone, typing with the intensity of a man preparing to storm a fortress.

Bakugo glared at the boys like he could read their thoughts. "Why the hell do you two look guilty?"

They both screamed internally.

And as Bakugo waited for Yuuki's reply with the intensity of a bomb about to go off, Kaminari whispered, shaking:

"...New plan. Step one: stay alive."

Mineta nodded rapidly. "Step two: stay VERY far away from Bakugo."

•••

Mineta and Kaminari didn't just leave—they bolted, scrambling down the hallway with the panicked energy of two men running from an explosion. Their terrified screams echoed faintly as they disappeared around the corner, leaving behind nothing but a faint scent of fear and poor decision-making.

Jirou watched them go, unimpressed. She let out a long sigh, rubbing the bridge of her nose."Those poor idiots," she muttered. "They really don't stand a chance."

Tsuyu nodded thoughtfully. "They're determined, kero... but I don't think they understand what they're up against."

Bakugo, still tense but no longer vibrating with rage, crossed his arms and clicked his tongue. "Those two idiots wanted dating advice?" he growled, looking between Jirou and Tsuyu. "For WHAT?"

Both girls shrugged in perfect sync.

Jirou smirked a little. "Come on, Bakugo... it's Mineta and Kaminari. Half the time they're chasing girls who want nothing to do with them, and the other half they're dreaming."

Tsuyu added gently, "They're harmless most of the time, ribbit."

Bakugo scoffed, but the worry lingering in his eyes didn't fade. He leaned back against the wall, arms still crossed, tapping his foot impatiently as he stared toward the bathroom hallway. His jaw worked, muscles shifting with every anxious thought. He was trying hard to look calm, but everyone knew he wasn't.

Mina whispered to Uraraka, "He looks like a guard dog right now."

Uraraka whispered back, "A very stressed guard dog."

Bakugo didn't even turn his head when he snapped, "I can hear you two."

Minutes ticked by, slow and nerve-wracking, until finally soft footsteps echoed down the hall. Yuuki appeared, walking timidly toward them. Her brown pink streaked hair framed her face gently, and though she still looked a little pale, she was clearly doing much better. Her hands were clasped in front of her, fingers fidgeting lightly.

She gave a shy, tired smile. "I'm okay now... my stomach stopped hurting. S-sorry for worrying you..."

She barely finished the sentence before Bakugo pushed off the wall and reached her in two strides, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her tightly into his chest. Yuuki squeaked softly at the sudden embrace, but her hands slowly lifted to hold onto his shirt.

Bakugo buried his face in her hair for a moment, taking in the proof that she was okay. "Don't apologize," he muttered, his voice low but shaking with leftover adrenaline. "You scared the hell outta me."

Yuuki nuzzled shyly against him. "S-sorry... I didn't mean to..."

Mina, Uraraka, Jirou, and Tsuyu all watched the scene unfold, warmth softening their expressions.

Uraraka leaned close to Mina. "They're adorable."