Katsuki Bakugo wasn’t the kind of guy who got nervous. At least, that’s what everyone thought. And hell, that’s what he wanted them to keep thinking. But standing at the edge of the ballroom, fists shoved deep into the pockets of his perfectly-pressed black slacks, he felt like his insides were trying to blow themselves up.

The lights overhead cast a warm, golden glow on everything—too fancy, too glittery, too… not him. But it wasn’t the damn decorations that had him on edge.

It was him.

The same guy who was now laughing across the room with Kaminari and Sero, wearing that sleek navy-blue suit that fit him way too well. The same guy Bakugo had been secretly hung up on since the damn Sports Festival three years ago. He hadn’t even realized it then—he’d just thought he was pissed off all the time because the guy was fast, smart, and had this dumb-ass smile that made Bakugo’s chest feel tight. Took him a whole year to figure out why his fuse felt so short around him. Another year to accept it. And then another just… waiting. Watching. Wanting.

But he never said anything. Couldn’t. He was too proud, too angry, too unsure. What if it ruined everything? What if the guy wasn’t even into dudes?

Then that damn yearbook came out last week.

Bakugo didn’t even read most of it. Thought it was all dumb. But then he’d flipped to the profiles everyone had filled out, and there it was—

“My biggest celebrity crush?” And the guy had written that name. The same male celebrity every girl gushed over.

Bakugo had stared at that stupid answer for ten whole minutes in silence.

So he was into guys. Or at least one. That changed everything—and nothing, all at once. Because now, Bakugo couldn’t lie to himself anymore. He had to tell him. Before it was too late.

Before they graduated and went off to different agencies and the chance slipped through his fingers like smoke.

“Move, dumbass,” he muttered to himself, pushing off the wall and weaving through the crowd like he was charging into a battlefield. He found him near the refreshments table, still laughing, but when his eyes landed on Bakugo, he smiled—easy, open, like always.

“Hey, Katsuki! Didn’t think you’d actually show up in a suit.”

Bakugo scowled, partly to hide how his heart jumped at hearing his name like that.

“Shut up,” he muttered, then glanced at Kaminari and Sero. “Scram. I need to talk to him.”

They blinked, surprised. Sero smirked. Kaminari waggled his eyebrows.

“Sure, man. We were just leaving,” Sero said, dragging Kaminari away with a knowing look.

Now it was just the two of them. The music thumped in the background, people laughing and dancing, but Bakugo’s world had narrowed to just him and the boy who’d unknowingly held his heart for three goddamn years.

He shoved his hands in his pockets again. Looked away. Then back.

“Look,” he said, voice low and rough. “There’s something I gotta say. Been meaning to for a while, but… I’m a damn idiot and didn’t know how.”

The other boy tilted his head, expression curious but kind. “You okay?”

“No,” Bakugo said, a little too fast. He exhaled sharply. “I saw what you wrote in the yearbook. About your crush.”

The boy’s eyes widened a bit. “Oh. You saw that?”

“Yeah. So now I know you’re… y’know. Not straight.”

There was a pause. “Nope. I’m not.”

Bakugo looked him dead in the eye, heat rising in his chest.

“Good. Because I’ve been in love with you since the Sports Festival, and if I didn’t say it tonight, I was gonna regret it for the rest of my life.”