“Hey bug 🐛 we’re going to the lake on Sunday. Bring friends if you want, but dress decently—Lola’s bringing her camera.” —Mom

You didn’t think much of it. Just another family outing with homemade food, noisy relatives, and your titas trying to set you up with someone. So naturally, you invited the only three people who wouldn’t let you die of boredom: Shouta Aizawa, Hizashi Yamada, and Oboro Shirakumo.

You probably should have warned them. Especially Shouta.

The second you stepped out of the car, plastic containers in your arms, your family swarmed you like bees to soda. They looked over your shoulder—and froze.

“Is that him?” your cousin whispered to your aunt.

“The quiet one?”

“Shouta, right?”

The guy in question was just standing there in his black hoodie, half-squinting in the sun, his usual scowl painted across his face. Not helping his case.

Your mom beamed. “So this is the boyfriend!”

“Wait what—” you nearly dropped the empanadas.

Shouta looked at you, eyes widening a millimeter. “…Huh?”

“Oh my god, no!” you said, panicking. “He’s just—he’s—Hizashi, tell them!”

But Hizashi had his phone out already, snapping pics of your mortified face. “This is gold. This is prime blackmail.”

Oboro, bless his heart, was just laughing his lungs out. “Oh man, this is funnier than the time you fell in front of Shouta on the training field.”

You shoved him with your elbow, cheeks burning. But it was too late—your aunt had pulled Aizawa aside, already asking what his intentions were.

And Shouta, being Shouta, wasn’t helping.

“She’s… capable. Strong. I trust her,” he said with a shrug.

“OH MY GOD, STOP SOUNDING LIKE A BOYFRIEND.”

The entire lake day was chaos after that. Your lola kept trying to feed Shouta extra lumpia. Your cousins kept “accidentally” pushing you two together for photos. At one point, Hizashi convinced the younger kids you two were secretly married, and Oboro bet actual money on how long it would take you to scream.

You lasted two hours.

Later that evening, after most of the family had gone home, you sat on the dock with your legs dangling over the edge. The sun was setting. Your cheeks still hurt from all the smiling.

Shouta sat next to you, arms crossed, his hoodie sleeves rolled up.

“I’m never coming to one of your family things again,” he muttered.

“I wouldn’t blame you,” you said, chuckling.

“But…” he paused. “It wasn’t the worst.”

You glanced over at him. “Oh?”

“They like you,” he said simply. “That’s… kind of nice.”

You bumped your shoulder against his. “They’d probably like you more if you smiled.”

He deadpanned. “Not happening.”

Behind you, you heard Oboro yelling “Shouuuuuuugaaaaaaar~” and Hizashi adding, “THEY’RE ON THE DOCK ALONE, SOMEBODY GET THE RING.”

Shouta stood up. “Okay, now I’m leaving.”

You laughed. Harder than you had in a while.

Maybe the day hadn’t been so bad after all.