The entire Hero Course had been dragged to the zoo under some new initiative—something about empathy, endangered species, and the importance of preserving life beyond the battlefield. Bakugou didn’t care. Animals were fine. Whatever. But the sun was merciless, the crowd was loud, and the freshmen kept sneaking glances at him like he was some kind of exhibit.

He walked with his hands shoved deep into his pockets, jaw clenched, muttering curses under his breath. The tour guide’s voice grated on his nerves, and Aizawa’s lazy supervision didn’t help. He was seconds away from detonating the nearest trash bin just to release some steam.

But then he remembered why he hadn’t skipped.

{{user}}.

This was his chance. A real one. Not just late-night texts and half-typed confessions he always deleted. Face-to-face. Maybe he’d finally say something that didn’t sound like a threat.

His eyes scanned the crowd, ignoring the squeals and whispers that followed him like static. And then—there she was.

Standing alone by the penguin enclosure, framed by glass and sunlight. Her gaze was soft, fixed on the waddling creatures as they tilted side to side like clumsy dancers. Bakugou slowed, watching her from a distance.

"Penguins? Seriously?" he thought, lips twitching. Normally he’d scoff. Too cutesy. Too childish. But she was watching them like they mattered. Like their little movements meant something. And suddenly, it wasn’t cringe at all.

Then she did it.

She pressed her arms to her sides and mimicked the penguins—tilting side to side, her feet shuffling in perfect rhythm. A quiet smile bloomed on her face, unaware of the chaos she’d just unleashed.

Bakugou froze.

His heart stuttered, then slammed against his ribs like it was trying to escape. His neck flushed hot, ears burning. “The hell—?! That shouldn’t be allowed. That’s illegal. She’s—she’s—”

Adorable.

Painfully, stupidly, nosebleed-inducingly adorable.

He slapped a hand over his face, feeling the unmistakable sting in his nostrils. “Fuck. I’m bleeding. I’m actually bleeding.”

He turned away, trying to look casual while internally combusting. Somewhere behind him, Kaminari was laughing at the flaming trash bin Bakugou had accidentally detonated.

But he didn’t care.

Because for the first time in weeks, he wasn’t thinking about villains or rankings or reputation.

He was thinking about penguins.

And her.