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The canteen was crowded as always, the chatter of students bouncing off the walls. Bakugou, Mina, Kirishima, Denki, and Sero were scattered around their usual table, Kaminari animatedly retelling another one of his stories.
“So, then I told him, ‘If you’re gonna do it, you gotta go all in!’” Denki laughed, clearly proud of whatever dumb thing he’d done. His mouth was full of food, so the sentence came out more like a jumble of words.
Kaminari's chuckles faded as he shoved a sandwich in his mouth, waiting for Bakugou’s response. The group had grown used to their friend’s fiery reactions by now.
“Yer such a fucking dumbass,” Bakugou growled, his voice gruff and unfiltered, clearly having heard enough.
Sero burst out laughing, mimicking the tone with exaggerated flair. “‘Yer such a fuckin’ dumbass,’” he said in a high-pitched, exaggerated version of Bakugou’s voice. “‘What’s up with that, tough guy?’”
Mina giggled, nudging Kirishima. “What’s he trying to sound even tougher for? Everybody already thinks he’s feral, there’s no need to make himself seem even worse.”
Kirishima grinned, holding his hands up. “I don’t know, man. He’s always had that rough voice when he’s mad. I’m telling you, he does this all the time when he’s heated. Listen out next time we have Heroics.” He grinned at Bakugou, who had his eyes trained on his food, clearly ignoring them.
Bakugou snorted. “Quit talkin’ about me like I’m not here, idiots.”
Kaminari leaned in, half-serious. “You’re not secretly a badass biker or something, are you? I mean, you’ve got the attitude for it.”
Bakugou rolled his eyes. “I said shut up, you moron.” He crossed his arms tightly, clearly done with the conversation.
“Yeah, yeah,” Kirishima said, his grin wide as he reached for more food. “Guess we won’t find out about your secret life as a thug then, huh?” Everybody laughed, before Kaminari launched back into his story as if the interruption hadn’t happened.
-----
The common room was calm for once, the usual hum of conversations and activities taking a brief pause as the students lounged, taking a break. Shouto was seated on one of the sofas, flipping through a book, though his attention wasn’t entirely on the pages in front of him. He could hear Bakugou rummaging around in the kitchen for a snack, his footsteps heavy as always. The soft buzz of a phone on the couch next to him pulled Shouto’s attention.
It wasn’t unusual to hear phones go off in the common room, but the buzz came again, louder than usual, as if the message were urgent. Shouto glanced at the phone, sitting innocently on the sofa beside him, its screen glowing brightly. For a brief moment, the message caught his eye.
The text could have been harmless at first glance, but the way the words sat there, unassuming yet vaguely ominous, struck Shouto as odd. He didn’t have much time to think about it, as the sound of Bakugou’s footsteps approaching the common room interrupted his train of thought.
Bakugou returned to the sofa, his eyes scanning the room as he grabbed his phone and quickly unlocked it. His face, which had been previously set in its usual gruff expression, immediately shifted. There was a brief moment of tension, a flicker of frustration or perhaps surprise, as Bakugou’s gaze moved to the screen.
Shouto’s eyes remained on him, noting how Bakugou’s brows furrowed for the slightest second, then quickly relaxed as if the initial reaction had been nothing at all. He tossed the phone back onto the couch with a sharp motion, slouching against the armrest, as if brushing off the moment entirely.
“Everything alright?” Shouto asked, though the question felt more like an observation than a genuine inquiry.
Bakugou scowled, taking a bite of the apple he had grabbed from the kitchen with a huff. “Yeah, just—fucking annoying text.”
Shouto’s gaze lingered on the phone for a moment, unsure why it seemed so important. The whole exchange felt off. It was the way Bakugou had reacted to the message, and how quickly he’d dismissed it, that caught Shouto’s attention. Bakugou wasn’t one to let anything slide so easily.
He could have easily brushed it off if it was just a minor inconvenience. But there was something about it that didn’t sit right with Shouto. He didn’t ask any more questions. There wasn’t any point pushing when it came to Bakugou, but the interaction lingered in his mind.
-----
The dorms were unusually quiet as Saturday night rolled around, but the calm didn’t last long. As soon as dinner was over, the common room came alive with chatter and laughter. Tonight was movie night, the one event that seemed to get everyone excited, regardless of how busy or stressed they were. Denki, always eager for a good time, was already sprawled out on one of the bean bags, snacks scattered around him as he prepared for the chaos to begin.
“Alright, Alright! Movie night! I’ve been waiting for this all week!” Denki said, grinning like a kid on Christmas morning. He grabbed a handful of popcorn, tossing it in the air like it was some grand celebration.
“Yeah! Finally!” Sero chimed in, equally as animated. He sat beside Denki, rubbing his hands together like he was about to unleash some kind of master plan.
The rest of the class trickled in, gathering around the TV with an air of casual excitement. Bakugou, however, was nowhere to be seen. Denki glanced around, frowning slightly.
“I’m guessing he’s gonna skip out again…” Denki muttered under his breath, only half-joking. He nudged Sero with his elbow. “What do you think? Think we can get him to join us?”
Sero raised an eyebrow. “Come on, you know it’s past the old man's bedtime” he said with a wink. “Maybe if we pull out the puppy dog eyes, he’ll take pity on us.”
Denki nodded enthusiastically, but before they could put their plan into action, Bakugou walked into the room, his face set in that familiar scowl. He didn’t seem overly thrilled, but that was no surprise.
“Oi! We’re starting movie night. You in or what?” Denki called out, waving his arms like a conductor trying to get the orchestra to play.
Bakugou stopped in his tracks, narrowing his eyes. “Nah, I got plans.”
Denki blinked, momentarily taken aback. “Plans? Like, what kind of plans? Are you seeing someone?” He grinned mischievously, trying to lighten the mood.
“Like it’s any of your business Dunce face,” Bakugou snapped, crossing his arms over his chest. He shot Denki a glare that could melt metal, but Denki wasn’t fazed.
Sero chuckled, leaning back in his chair. “You sure? You might be missing out on a good time.”
“I'm good,” Bakugou growled, already starting to turn away toward the kitchen.
Just as Denki was about to continue pestering him, Iida’s voice rang out from across the room, sharp and authoritative.
“We need to respect Bakugou’s privacy, Kaminari,” Iida said, standing tall with a stern look on his face. “It’s clear he has other plans, and we should not push him any further.”
Denki huffed sheepishly, unsurprised at Iida’s seriousness. “Hey, I was just messing around…” he muttered, but Iida wasn’t backing down.
“No further investigation is necessary,” Iida continued, his voice firm but not unkind. “We have to trust our friends, even when they choose not to share every detail with us.”
Sero nodded. “We get it Prez, it’s Bakugou. He’s… well, you know.”
Iida sighed, his shoulders relaxing just a little. “Yes, I know. But I believe we should allow him the space he needs. We can’t force him to share what he’s not ready to. As much as we care about him, we must respect his boundaries.”
Denki and Sero exchanged glances, their excitement for the movie night dampened by the weight of Iida’s words. It wasn’t like them to give up so easily, especially when it came to Bakugou, but they couldn’t deny that Iida had a point.
Bakugou, still by the kitchen, didn’t seem to care about their conversation. He grabbed a water bottle, twisting it open with a quick flick of his wrist.
“Whatever,” he muttered, clearly done with the discussion. “I’m not coming. Don’t act like I don’t have a life outside of this dorm.”
As the group began to settle in for the movie night, Denki glanced at Bakugou one last time. His friend was already heading out, apparently uninterested in the fun the rest of them were having.
Maybe Iida was right. Maybe it was best to back off for now. But something still felt off, like there was more to Bakugou’s behaviour than he was letting on.
With a sigh, Denki pushed the thought to the back of his mind for the moment, sinking into his seat and focusing back on the movie.
-----
Mina was the first to notice.
She had been sprawled out on the couch, scrolling through her phone, when Bakugou walked through the dorm entrance. It was late—definitely past curfew—but that wasn’t what caught her attention.
It was the hoodie.
Bakugou didn’t wear just anything. His parents were fashion designers, and he’d picked up enough that anytime Mina was stuck on an outfit, it was him she asked. All Bakugou’s clothes were good quality, and you would be hard pressed to find a loose thread on any of them. But here he was, tugging down the sleeves of a hoodie that was most definitely not his. It was slightly too oversized, the cuffs frayed, the colour a faded navy that looked more like it had been washed one too many times.
And then there was the smell.
Mina wrinkled her nose. Smoke. Not the kind that clung to their uniforms after an explosion-heavy training session, but something sharper, heavier. Cigarette smoke.
“Hey, Bakugou,” she called, swinging her legs off the couch. “Where’d you get that hoodie?”
Bakugou barely spared her a glance. “None of your damn business.”
Mina’s eyes narrowed, a playful grin creeping onto her face. “Ooooh, so secretive. That means it is my business.”
By now, the commotion had caught the attention of the others still lingering in the common room. Denki, Sero, and Kirishima glanced up from their conversation, while Iida, ever the responsible class president, stood up from his chair with a disapproving frown.
“Bakugou, do you realize what time it is?” Iida scolded, his hands already moving in those dramatic, choppy gestures. “It is well past curfew, and as students aiming to be Pro Heroes, we should be setting an example of proper behaviour—”
Iida stopped mid-rant, his nose scrunching. His gaze flickered to Bakugou’s hoodie, and Mina saw the exact moment he caught the scent.
“Bakugou,” Iida said slowly, his tone shifting. “Why do you smell like cigarettes?”
That got everyone’s attention.
Denki sat up straighter. “Wait, yeah, dude. That’s—uh—kinda strong.”
Sero whistled. “Damn, did you roll around in an ashtray?”
Kirishima, however, was studying Bakugou more carefully. His brows furrowed, concern creeping into his expression. “Come on there’s no way Bakugou was actually smoking, right?”
“Obviously not, dumbass.” Bakugou clicked his tongue, rolling his eyes. “I don’t touch that shit.”
Iida crossed his arms. “So then who were you with?”
Bakugou stiffened. It was subtle—probably unnoticeable to anyone who didn’t know him well. But Mina caught it. The way his fingers twitched slightly at his sides, the brief pause before his next words.
“Just drop it,” he muttered.
Mina exchanged glances with the others. That was not the reaction they were expecting. Normally, Bakugou would just yell at them to shut up, maybe throw a few insults before storming off. But this? This was weird.
“Bakugou,” Iida said, voice quieter now, more serious. “If you’re getting involved with—”
Bakugou’s glare was instant. “Don’t start, Four-Eyes.”
“Bakugou, you know i have to —”
Bakugou scoffed, pulling the hoodie’s hood up as he turned toward the stairs. “Ain’t your problem.”
And just like that, he was gone, leaving the rest of them staring after him.
Mina crossed her arms, rocking on her heels. “Sooo… we all agree this is strange, no?”
Iida adjusted his glasses, his lips pressed into a tight line. “Very.”
Kirishima sighed. “Yeah.”
Denki clapped his hands together. “Cool, cool, cool. So we are investigating.”
“No, we are not,” Iida snapped.
Denki grinned. “Okay, so we are investigating, but we’re just not telling Iida.”
“I heard that!”
Mina smirked, watching the boys bicker before glancing toward the staircase where Bakugou had disappeared. Yeah, something was definitely up. And whether he liked it or not, they were going to find out what.
-----
ida should have known this was going to happen.
He really, really should have known.
And yet, somehow, he still found himself sitting in the common room, rubbing his temples as Kaminari excitedly paced in front of the couch.
“I’m just saying, what if Bakugou secretly joined a biker gang?” Kaminari theorized, gesturing wildly. “He already has the attitude for it, and he was definitely wearing some delinquent-ass hoodie. I mean, what if he’s out there, racing through the streets at night—”
Sero snorted. “Dude, this isn’t an anime.”
Kirishima grinned. “It’d be kinda sick, though.”
Mina, lounging upside down on the couch, wiggled her fingers dramatically. “Oooor… hear me out—what if Bakugou has a secret lover and he’s been sneaking out for romantic midnight rendezvous ?”
Kaminari gasped. “Holy shit. What if it’s a villain ?”
Iida sighed, adjusting his glasses. “Can we please focus on realistic possibilities?”
“I am being realistic,” Kaminari argued. “Bakugou’s been all secretive, coming back smelling like smoke, wearing some mystery guy’s clothes. Tell me that doesn’t sound suspicious.”
Iida frowned. It does sound suspicious. But he still felt uneasy about the whole thing.
“As his friends, we must respect Bakugou’s privacy,” Iida declared, standing tall. “If he wishes to tell us about his activities, he will. Otherwise, we should not meddle in his personal business.”
Mina lifted a brow. “Okay, but you do agree it’s weird, right?”
Iida hesitated. “It is… unusual behavior.”
Kirishima leaned forward. “And if he’s actually getting involved with the wrong people?”
“I find it highly unlikely that Bakugou would let himself be influenced so easily,” Iida argued.
“But what if ?” Sero pressed.
Iida exhaled sharply. “I still don’t see the need for such drastic—”
“I saw a weird text,” Todoroki’s voice cut in.
The group turned to find Todoroki standing a few feet away, arms crossed, expression neutral as ever.
Mina blinked. “Wait, what?”
Todoroki stepped closer. “Bakugou left his phone in the common room the other day. A message popped up.”
Sero leaned in. “And?”
Todoroki hesitated, then recited, “‘You’re all bark, huh? That why you won’t come through?’”
Kaminari’s eyes widened. “Okay, that definitely sounds sketchy.”
Iida stiffened. “That could mean anything. Are you certain it wasn’t just a training-related conversation?”
Todoroki shook his head. “Bakugou made a face when he read it. Like it got under his skin.”
Iida frowned. That was strange. Bakugou wasn’t the type to be rattled by messages like that. If anything, he’d usually respond with something equally aggressive.
Kirishima rubbed his chin. “So, someone’s trying to get Bakugou to do something?”
“Or trying to bait him into something,” Sero added.
Mina leaned forward, eyes gleaming with excitement. “This proves we need to look into it!”
Iida groaned. “This does not prove anything—”
Denki clapped his hands. “Operation What The Hell Is Bakugou Doing is officially a go!”
“I never agreed to this!”
Sero grinned. “You kinda just did.”
Iida sighed, realizing this was inevitable. If nothing else, it would be better if he supervised rather than let these idiots spiral into increasingly ridiculous conclusions.
Mina twirled a finger. “Alright, first thing’s first—who is he even hanging out with?”
Kirishima nodded. “I know Bakugou’s always been kinda a loner, but lately, he’s been disappearing way more than usual.”
Sero shrugged. “I mean, for all we know, he could just be going off to train by himself.”
Denki scoffed. “Then why would he be all weird about it?”
Iida exhaled. “Regardless, we cannot go around snooping into Bakugou’s personal life. If he wants to keep something private, we must respect his—”
Mina leaned toward Todoroki. “Think you could sneak another look at his phone?”
Iida gasped. “ Absolutely not! ”
Todoroki blinked. “I could try.”
Iida groaned.
“Better yet,” Sero said, grinning, “if all of us keep an eye out, someone’s bound to catch another message eventually.”
Denki nodded. “Exactly. We just gotta be subtle about it.”
Mina smirked. “So, it’s settled. We gather intel first. No dumb assumptions, no biker gang theories—” she side-eyed Kaminari, who muttered a dejected "damn." “—just facts.”
Kirishima grinned. “Sounds solid.”
Iida sighed in defeat. “This is an invasion of privacy.”
Denki patted his shoulder. “Nah, it’s an intervention. Totally different.”
Iida groaned again.
-----
Jirou wasn’t buying it.
All this sneaking around, the ridiculous theories, Todoroki of all people engaging in espionage —it was completely blown out of proportion.
“Maybe he just made a new friend?” she had told them that morning. “Not everything is some big conspiracy.”
Yet here she was, flipping through vinyls at a local music shop, completely at peace—until she saw him.
Or rather, them.
Jirou had only just recognized Bakugou near the counter when another guy walked up and draped himself over him.
She froze.
The guy was taller than Bakugou, with messy black hair, a few piercings, and a cigarette dangling from his fingers. His arm slung loosely around Bakugou’s shoulders like it belonged there.
Bakugou, shockingly, didn’t shove him off immediately. Instead, he just scowled and muttered something under his breath.
Jirou narrowed her eyes. That’s weird.
Not the physical contact, Kirishima got away with stuff like that all the time, but the fact that Bakugou looked uncomfortable and wasn’t doing anything about it.
Who the hell is that?
She moved closer, pretending to examine a display of guitar picks while shamelessly eavesdropping.
“—dunno why the hell you’re even here,” Bakugou grumbled.
The guy—Jirou mentally labeled him Piercings —snickered. “’Cause you’re here, dumbass.”
Bakugou rolled his eyes, but there was no real heat in it.
Okay. Weird.
Piercings took a slow drag from his cigarette, then leaned in way too close. “C’mon, let’s go. I’m bored.”
Jirou’s brows shot up.
Bakugou tensed, shoulders twitching like he wanted to react but held himself back. “…Just gimme a sec Kariage.”
Jirou felt her entire perception of the situation shift.
She had walked into this store thinking everyone was being ridiculous. Now, she was watching Bakugou act suspiciously submissive to some older , pierced , smoking guy who was definitely bad news.
The others were right. This wasn’t normal.
And she had proof.
Jirou left the store in a daze, her mind racing.
Bakugou was hiding something.
And now, she was completely convinced it was bad.
-----
Shouto hadn’t expected to become this invested.
When Iida, Sero, and Kaminari first proposed looking into Bakugou’s mysterious activities, he’d been neutral—mildly curious, at best. But after seeing that text message, hearing the hoodie incident, and especially Jirou’s dramatic retelling of her music store encounter, Shouto found himself unable to let it go.
So, here he was, sitting on his dorm room bed, phone in hand, doing something he never thought he’d do.
Combing through Midoriya’s Instagram followers.
It wasn’t that Midoriya’s had anything to do with this—if anything, he’d probably just tell them outright if they asked. But if Bakugou was hanging out with someone suspicious, and if this person had a social media presence, Midoriya was the best place to start.
He scrolled through profile after profile, his face perfectly blank despite the absurdity of the situation.
Mina had suggested looking for “bad vibes.”
Sero recommended checking for any “red flags,” which, according to Kaminari, included “too many gym selfies” or “posting weird cryptic quotes with black-and-white selfies.”
Todoroki didn’t know what qualified as a red flag, but he assumed he’d recognize it when he saw it.
And then—he found it.
It wasn’t even on Deku’s page. He had gone down a rabbit hole—clicking on a girl’s profile, which led him to another guy’s profile, which then brought him to a story highlight.
The thumbnail? A cigarette balanced between two fingers.
Shouto tapped it.
The video played—some dimly lit setting, a few people laughing in the background. A guy with messy dark hair and multiple piercings held up a drink to the camera before taking a slow drag from a cigarette.
And right behind him, casually sitting on a couch, barely even in the shot—
Bakugou.
Shouto blinked.
Bakugou wasn’t smoking. Wasn’t drinking. Wasn’t even doing anything remotely illegal.
But he looked comfortable.
Like he belonged there.
Like this was normal for him.
Shouto felt a strange sense of finality settle in his chest. The others needed to see this.
BLASTY INVESTIGATION SQUAD
[Todoroki]: I found something.
[Mina]: OMG FINALLY WHAT IS IT???
[Sero]: tell us tell us tell us
[Todoroki]: [sends screenshot]
[Denki]: HOLD ON. WHO IS THAT GUY.
[Jirou]: THAT’S HIM. THAT’S THE GUY. THAT’S PIERCINGS.
[Iida]: He’s smoking. And drinking.
[Iida]: …And Bakugou is just sitting there?
[Mina]: Wait wait wait wait, did u find this on Bakugou’s insta?
[Todoroki]: No. I had to go through three profiles to find it.
[Mina]: …That’s shady as hell.
[Sero]: Sketchy as hell.
[Denki]: Sus as hell.
[Iida]: This is bad.
[Mina]: Ok but also what is this guy’s name? Does he even have an insta?
[Todoroki]: His account is private.
A long pause.
Then—
[Denki]: OH MY GOD BAKUGOU HAS A SECRET BAD BOY BOYFRIEND.
[Iida]: Kaminari be serious.
-----
Iida had been through many trials in his life.
Rigorous training, near-death experiences, and managing the chaos that was Class 1-A. He had seen villains, disasters, and Kaminari attempting basic algebra.
None of that had prepared him for this.
“I believe we have reached the point where intervention is necessary,” Iida declared, arms crossed as he addressed the group.
They were gathered in the common room again, seated in a loose circle on the couches. The tension in the air was palpable —or at least, Iida thought it should be.
Mina, however, was curled up, lazily scrolling on her phone. Sero and Kaminari were eating chips. Jirou looked like she had already checked out of the conversation.
Todoroki was staring blankly ahead, his hands folded neatly in his lap like he was casually awaiting judgment in a courtroom.
And yet, despite their apparent nonchalance, Iida knew they felt the weight of the situation.
“Look,” Mina sighed, finally setting her phone down, “I know we were messing around before, but are we really about to confront Bakugou about this? I mean—what are we even confronting him about ?”
“He’s hanging out with some shady dude,” Kaminari said through a mouthful of chips. “A mystery shady dude.”
“ An older mystery shady dude ,” Jirou corrected, narrowing her eyes. “With piercings .”
“ And cigarettes ,” Sero added.
“And questionable morals,” Todoroki stated solemnly.
A brief silence.
“Okay, but like,” Mina dragged a hand down her face, “what if we’re just being insane ?”
Iida straightened, adjusting his glasses. “Mina, as much as I understand your concern about overstepping boundaries, I firmly believe that Bakugou may be making irresponsible decisions— ”
“You think he’s in a gang,” Jirou deadpanned.
“I did not say gang,” Iida corrected. “I said he may be engaging with unsavoury individuals —”
“—who could be in a gang,” Kaminari supplied.
Iida groaned, rubbing his temples. “Regardless, this behaviour is unlike Bakugou. He’s secretive, avoiding us , and has been seen associating with a mystery individual whose social media presence is suspiciously difficult to find.” He levelled them with a serious look. “I believe that if we care about him as a friend, we have an obligation to investigate further.”
Sero exhaled, tilting his head. “Yeah, okay, I guess that makes sense, but like… how do we actually bring this up?”
“What if we just ask him?” Jirou suggested, exasperated.
Kaminari snorted. “Yeah, because that’ll totally go well. ‘Hey, Kaachan, so we all got together and decided to stalk your life, and we think you’re in a gang—thoughts?’”
Iida flinched. “We should avoid using the term ‘stalk.’”
“We should’ve avoided actually doing it,” Mina muttered, shaking her head.
“I still think we should ask Midoriya,” Todoroki stated.
The entire group froze.
“Nope,” Sero said immediately.
“Absolutely not,” Kaminari agreed.
“Not happening,” Mina added.
Iida hesitated. “Midoriya may have valuable information—”
“No,” Jirou cut in. “Because you know he’ll go all worried and try to fix it, and then Bakugou will actually kill us.”
Iida frowned. “Then what do you suggest?”
A silence fell over the group.
Finally, Todoroki spoke.
“We should gather more evidence,” he said.
The group turned to him in unison.
“…We’re already so deep in this,” Mina groaned, flopping over on the couch.
But no one disagreed.
-----
Sero wasn’t saying he was a master spy —but Operation: Sneakily Figure Out What the Hell Bakugou is Hiding Without Dying in the Process—was going shockingly well.
“You guys suck,” Kirishima whispered. “This is so messed up.”
“You’re literally here with us,” Kaminari whispered back.
“I’m here to make sure you don’t do something actually stupid.”
“That’s fair,” Sero admitted. “Now shh —he’s talking.”
From inside the room, they heard the muffled sound of Bakugou’s phone buzzing, followed by the click of him answering.
Then—
“Oi, you didn’t text me back fast enough.”
Sero and Kaminari locked eyes.
The voice on the other end was smooth . Confident. A little lazy, like the guy wasn’t in any rush to say what he needed to.
“Yeah, yeah, you always say that, dumbass. What, did you think I forgot about you already?”
Kaminari mouthed ohhhhhh shit dramatically.
Kirishima looked like he wanted to die on the spot.
“I don’t like the tone,” Sero muttered. “Why’s he talking to Bakugou like that?”
They couldn’t hear Bakugou’s reply, but the guy just chuckled.
“I know you too well, man. You’re so tense. What, you need me to come over there and fix that for you?”
Kaminari slapped a hand over his own mouth to contain his reaction.
Sero’s jaw dropped.
Kirishima looked like he wanted to melt into the floor .
“WHY DOES HE SOUND LIKE THAT?” Kaminari mouthed in panic.
Sero frantically waved at him to shut up.
From inside, they heard Bakugou scoff—softer than usual. “…Shut up. I will hang up on you.”
Sero nearly died on the spot . That tone? The way he didn’t sound like he was about to bite someone’s head off? Who was this person?
The guy just laughed again. “Alright, alright. But seriously, you should stop stressin’. I got your back, you know?”
A pause.
“…I know.”
Kaminari clutched his chest like he’d just been shot.
“Who is this guy?” Kaminari whispered furiously. “Why does he sound like—like he’s got Bakugou?”
“I don’t know ,” Sero whispered back.
“Like, got him got him . Like a hold on him. Like Bakugou’s the one being bossed around .”
“I KNOW.”
“I DON’T LIKE IT.”
“I KNOW.”
Kirishima buried his face in his hands. “I hate both of you.”
“Alright, I’ll see you later,” the voice on the phone said. “Try not to miss me too much.”
A click. Call ended.
The three of them scrambled away from the door just as Bakugou shifted inside his room.
For a long moment, they just stared at each other, processing .
Then—
“We have to tell the others,” Kaminari whispered.
Kirishima buried his face in his hands. “Oh my God , you guys are making this way bigger than it is—”
“No, no, he’s right ,” Sero cut in. “That was weird .”
“I—guys, seriously, maybe it’s just a new friend?” Kirishima tried weakly.
Sero and Kaminari just stared at him.
“…Okay, but —”
“Kirishima,” Kaminari said gravely. “That wasn’t just a friend.”
Kirishima groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “I hate everything about this.”
Sero took a deep breath. “Let’s go. The group needs to know.”
With that, the three of them bolted down the hall.
-----
Jirou had been tuning out most of the so-called “investigation” up until now. She’d already gone along with it more than enough —from the music store incident to hearing Kaminari and Sero’s retelling of Bakugou’s very suspicious phone call.
( “Try not to miss me too much”? What kind of person said that to Bakugou and survived ?)
Still, when they all gathered in the common room that night, she was sure the group had finally hit a dead end.
“So, uh…” Denki began, frowning at his phone. “We still don’t know anything about this dude.”
“That’s the problem ,” Iida said, arms crossed. “Even after all this discussion, we haven’t learned his real name. Just ‘Kariage.’”
“We don’t even know if that is his real name,” Sero added. “Like, let’s be honest, it sounds fake.”
Todoroki nodded. “It means ‘undercut.’”
“ Exactly! ” Denki exclaimed. “What kinda person has a name that means ‘undercut’?”
A pause.
Then, Sero shrugged. “...A guy with an undercut?”
The group nodded in slow agreement.
Jirou sighed. “Guys. Guys. ” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “Bakugou calls him that because of his haircut . It’s just a nickname.”
Silence.
Dead silence.
Then—
“Oh my God ,” Kirishima muttered.
Mina gasped. “So he’s been hiding his real name this whole time?”
Iida’s eyes widened. “That is highly suspicious.”
“No, that’s—” Jirou sighed. “That’s not what I—”
Denki clapped his hands together. “Wait, wait, wait. That means we don’t even know how to look this guy up! No wonder his social media was impossible to find!”
“Which means he could be hiding something!” Mina added, eyes gleaming.
“Oh my God ,” Jirou muttered again.
Todoroki, sitting quietly up until now, looked thoughtful. “That makes sense.”
“No, it doesn’t ,” Jirou groaned.
“I wouldn’t put it past Bakugou to have gotten involved with someone dangerous,” Todoroki continued. “Based on everything we’ve gathered so far, there are definite red flags.”
Iida nodded. “We need to proceed carefully. If this ‘Kariage’ is truly hiding his identity, we must be wary of any potential danger.”
“This is exactly why we have to keep a closer eye on Bakugou!” Mina declared. “Who knows what this guy is dragging him into?”
Jirou sighed again, dramatically resting her forehead against the table. This was getting out of hand.
“Guys,” she mumbled. “It’s just a nickname.”
“A nickname to hide his real identity!” Kaminari shot back.
Jirou groaned. This was a lost cause .
She was never getting out of this stupid investigation.
Then, as if on cue, Todoroki—who had been checking his phone—spoke up. “Bakugou isn’t back yet.”
A heavy pause settled over the group.
Kirishima shifted awkwardly. “Uh… yeah, he went out a while ago. He didn’t say where.”
“ Exactly, ” Iida said, now fully convinced. “He’s clearly avoiding us to meet with this mystery person .”
Mina perked up. “Then we should just ask him when he gets back!”
Kirishima hesitated. “Uh, guys… I still don’t think confronting him is the best idea. Y’know, cause he’s, uh, Bakugou .”
“We’ll be tactful ,” Iida assured.
Denki snorted. “Yeah, okay. Lemme know how that works out for you.”
Todoroki closed his phone. “It’s the only logical step forward. If we ask directly, we might finally get some real answers.”
Jirou groaned again. “Fine. Whatever. Just don’t drag me into this.”
“You’re already in too deep!” Mina declared dramatically.
Before Jirou could respond, Iida straightened his glasses, looking way too serious.
“We’ll wait in the common room. The moment he walks in, we confront him.”
Everyone—including a very reluctant Jirou—nodded in agreement.
Except Kirishima, who sighed and muttered under his breath, “Yeah. This’ll go great .”
-----
The plan was simple .
Stakeout. Observe. Jump on Bakugou the second he returned so he would have nowhere to run.
So, naturally, they were all crammed behind the bushes outside the dorms, whispering way too loudly for people trying to be discreet.
“Okay,” Denki muttered, peeking out. “Any sign of him yet?”
“No,” Todoroki replied. “But we should stay alert.”
Iida, crouched beside them, nodded. “Indeed. If this Kariage fellow is truly as suspicious as we suspect, we must be prepared.”
Jirou, lying face-first in the grass, groaned. “We are not ‘prepared.’ We’re idiots hiding in the bushes.”
“Shh!” Mina hissed. “He’ll hear us!”
Kirishima, who had been roped into this against his better judgment, sighed. “I still think this is a bad idea.”
“We’re too far in to back out now,” Sero whispered.
Then—
The low hum of an approaching motorcycle.
Every single one of them immediately froze.
A sleek black bike pulled up near the dorm entrance, its rider effortlessly parking before kicking the stand into place.
And on the back— Bakugou.
The group collectively inhaled.
“That’s his ride?!” Denki whispered harshly.
“That’s his ride, ” Mina whispered back, eyes wide.
They observed in stunned silence as Kariage—tall, dressed in a worn leather jacket, piercings catching the dorm lights—swung a leg over the bike and climbed off.
Bakugou, still wearing a helmet , scowled as he pulled it off, ruffling his hair. “Took your damn time, idiot.”
Kariage smirked. “Had to make sure you got home safe, princess.”
The group, still hiding, collectively lost their minds.
“Did he just—”
“Did he call—”
“Did Bakugou just get called princess?!”
Their world was shattering.
Before anyone could process, Kariage reached out and tugged Bakugou closer by the sleeve, voice playful. “You’re still mad?”
Bakugou clicked his tongue, cheeks barely tinged pink. “Shut the hell up.”
Then—
Kariage kissed him.
The group had to physically restrain Denki from gasping out loud.
Jirou immediately covered her own mouth.
Kirishima choked on air.
Iida looked like he was re-evaluating his entire life.
Todoroki blinked. “Oh.”
“Oh?!” Mina whispered harshly. “That’s all you have to say?!”
Meanwhile, Kariage—who was clearly aware of their terrible hiding skills—broke the kiss with a smirk.
“You guys done lurking yet?”
The group froze.
Bakugou blinked, then turned toward the bushes.
His expression shifted.
“No way.”
The second their eyes met; the group scattered.
Or—tried to.
“RUN—”
“OH GOD—”
Denki tripped over Sero.
Mina tried to grab Iida’s sleeve and missed.
Jirou gave up and just collapsed into the grass.
Kirishima looked like he was going to pass out.
And Bakugou, furious , stomped toward them. “ WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!”
Before he could explode, however—
“Ah, Kariage!”
The group whipped around.
Standing by the dorm entrance, completely unfazed, was Midoriya.
He gave a cheerful wave.
“Long time no see!”
Kariage grinned. “Oh, hey, Deku.”
The group was losing their minds.
“You know him?!” Iida sputtered.
Midoriya blinked. “Yeah?”
Bakugou scowled. “He went to our middle school, dumbasses.”
Todoroki frowned. “Then why does he go by Kariage instead of his real name?”
Bakugou groaned. “It’s a nickname. From his name. Ashi Kari Agei . Also, HE HAS A FUCKING UNDERCUT!”
Midoriya, looking increasingly confused, tilted his head. “Wait… did you guys not know?”
“ KNOW WHAT?! ”
“That Kacchan and Kariage have been dating for a while?”
Complete. Utter. Silence.
The group—having spent days investigating— short-circuited.
Kirishima had gone pale.
Denki was visibly shaking.
Mina had her hands on her head.
Iida removed his glasses to clean them, even though they weren’t dirty.
Jirou was trying not to scream.
Sero, after a long pause, muttered, “I need to lie down.”
Todoroki, ever composed, simply said, “Oh.”
Deku looked between them. “...You guys really should’ve just asked.”
Iida, at last, let out a long, deep sigh.
“You know what?” He adjusted his glasses.
“You’re absolutely right.”