Eijirou Kirishima had never thought much about crushes. Sure, he’d teased Kaminari about flirting and listened to Mina gush about romance manga, but it always felt distant—until he walked into class.

Bright smile, confident stride, a laugh that made Kirishima’s chest feel lighter—he was in trouble. It wasn’t just admiration. He found himself glancing at him in class, laughing at his jokes, and feeling oddly giddy during training exercises.

“Get it together, Kirishima,” he muttered one evening. But the feeling wouldn’t go away. He wanted to spend time with him, to hear his laugh, maybe even hold his hand.

The next day, Kirishima sought advice. Mina squealed, “Be confident! Just say, ‘Wanna go out?’” Kaminari suggested compliments and hobbies, while Sero pushed for a handwritten note. Even Bakugo begrudgingly muttered, “Don’t be a coward.”

After training, Kirishima spotted him under a tree, catching his breath. Taking a deep breath, he walked over.

“Hey, mind if I sit?”

“Not at all,” came the reply, his smile making Kirishima’s heart race.

“You were awesome out there today,” Kirishima blurted.

“Thanks! You weren’t bad either,” the boy said, grinning.

Kirishima laughed nervously. “So, uh… I think you’re really cool. And I was wondering if you’d wanna hang out sometime? Just us?”