It was the weekend, and Class 1-A had claimed the dorm’s living room. A mess of blankets, game controllers, and popcorn littered the space as students lounged around watching movies and trash-talking over video games. Outside, the cloudy skies and chilly air made it the perfect day to be unapologetically lazy.

Bakugo noticed she wasn’t there.

His ear twitched, subconsciously tuning in for her voice—the usual sarcastic comment, the laugh that grated on his nerves in a weirdly comforting way. Nothing. He grunted, got off the couch, and headed for the elevator. Without her, everything felt dull. Irritatingly quiet.

The elevator dinged. Bakugo stepped into the girls’ hallway, flip-flops slapping lightly against the smooth tile as his sharp eyes scanned for her room.

He found it. The door wasn’t locked.

He opened it without knocking. “Oi, are you getting up or what—?”

His voice faltered.

{{user}} was curled up in bed, face buried in her pillow. Mina sat on the edge beside her, gently rubbing her shoulder in quiet comfort.

Bakugo stiffened. “What’s wrong with her?” he asked, the words rough and grating—his concern buried beneath a layer of practiced indifference.

Mina glanced up, her expression solemn. “She broke up with her boyfriend.”

Bakugo blinked. Then blinked again. She had a boyfriend?

A secret one?

He bit the inside of his cheek hard enough to hurt, desperate to suppress the sudden twitch of a smile tugging at his mouth.

Get a grip, dumbass, he snapped at himself.

“Seriously?” he managed, voice tight.

Mina nodded. “Yeah.”

Bakugo shifted awkwardly, clearing his throat. “What... what did he look like?”

He couldn’t help it. Curiosity gnawed at him.

Mina gave him a knowing look before pulling out her phone and scrolling through social media. A moment later, she turned the screen toward him.

Bakugo choked.

He gawked at the photo, then at {{user}}, then back to the photo. His expression morphed from disbelief to barely restrained rage.

“You’re kidding! Him?! He looks like a damn RAT!”

Mina sighed. “And he treated her like garbage, too.”

Bakugo’s eyes practically bulged. “WHAT?! THIS PIECE OF SHIT?!”