𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐍𝐎 𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐋 ᵇⁿʰᵃ

09 ┃ 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬

━ ⭒─⭑━

The pre-dawn light filtered through your curtains, painting the room in soft hues of gray and blue. You stirred, a slow smile playing on your lips as you remembered the night's events months ago.

The thought of attending U.A., a mere suggestion transformed into a reality, held a strange allure. It wasn't the prospect of heroism that excited you, but the promise of something new, a crack in the monotony of your existence.

Reaching for your phone, you saw a message from Bakugo.

𝐏𝐎𝐌-𝐏𝐎𝐌 𝐏𝐔𝐏
Be at the entrance by 7:30 sharp
Don't be late. Or else.

The last sentence was punctuated with a single, explosive exclamation mark, a classic Bakugo signature. You chuckled softly, a low rumble in your chest. "Good puppy," you murmured to yourself, the nickname taking on a new meaning in your mind.

The rest of the morning unfolded in a leisurely manner. Unlike Bakugo, who likely woke up at the crack of dawn and launched himself into some pre-exam training ritual, you opted for a more relaxed approach.

You lounged around in your room, absentmindedly squeezing and stretching one of your mother's many stress balls. Each satisfying squish was a small rebellion against the looming entrance exam, a reminder that the facade of normalcy you maintained still held some power.

As you contemplated the upcoming challenges, a detached amusement settled over you. You envisioned the predictable strategies of the other hopeful heroes, and found yourself lacking any real sense of anticipation. It all seemed so... ordinary.

Just then, the shrill blare of your alarm clock pierced the quiet. With a sigh, you acknowledged that even an eternity could feel dull after a while. The entrance exam awaited, and with it, a chance to stir things up a bit.

A glint of something akin to excitement flickered in your yellow eyes.

☆
✩
☆

You arrived at the bustling entrance of U.A. High, the air thick with nervous energy. Students milled about, a cacophony of excited chatter and worried mumbles filling the air.

Many wore the familiar uniforms of middle schools across the city, their faces a mix of determined anticipation and nervous trepidation.

There were fewer students in your own school uniform, a fact you noted with a detached curiosity.

Dodging a group of overenthusiastic students launching into a mock battle with invisible opponents, you were about to turn a corner and find a quiet spot to observe the chaos when you were suddenly slammed into by a blur of pink.

A yelp escaped the source of the collision, a girl who shot back upright with impressive speed. She bowed deeply, her apologies tumbling out in a rapid-fire stream of words. "Oh my Gods, I am so incredibly sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going and—"

She cut herself off as she finally got a good look at you. Her large, black sclerae widened, the yellow irises in the center seeming to vibrate. A deep blush bloomed across her cheeks, the light pink of her skin turning a shade closer to crimson.

You tilted your head, a bemused smile playing on your lips. For a moment, you thought you might have broken her, or perhaps she'd hit her head during the collision.

Reaching out cautiously, you brushed a finger against the side of her face, expecting to encounter some sort of injury. Your finger met smooth skin, cool and flawless.