“Hey Mina? Can I ask you something?” Kirishima asked between kisses. “If you had the ability to go back in time, would you change anything about our relationship?”

Mina only smiled, sitting up on his lap and placing two fingers on his chest. “Nothing at all, Eijirou,” she said, moving her fingers upward with each syllable. Kirishima smiled before pressing his lips against hers once more. At that moment, a knock came from outside the door.

“Who could be up at this hour on a Saturday?” Kirishima asked in a quiet voice.

“I’ll check,” Mina said. She walked over to the closed door and asked, “Who is it?”

“Auntie Mina?” Eri’s voice called out from the other side. “It’s me, Eri, can I talk to you for a second?”

Upon hearing the little girl’s voice, both Mina and Kirishima looked at each other, terrified.

“Uh…” Mina said in a nervous tone. She scanned the room frantically. Her eyes soon fell on the space between her bed and the floor. “Sure thing. Be with you in a minute.”

“What are you doing?” Kirishima asked in a horrified whisper.

“Hide under the bed,” Mina whispered back, “she won’t see you, I promise.” Kirishima only nodded and slid under the bed with some difficulty. Mina knelt down and said, “Stay still and don’t make a sound.” She gave him a quick peck on the lips and proceeded to put on short pajama bottoms and a tight t-shirt that hugged her figure.

She opened the door to greet the little girl. “Hey, sweetie, how are you?”

“Fine,” Eri said. She tilted her head to the side to look behind Mina. “Auntie, who were you talking to?”

“Nobody, pumpkin,” Mina said, moving her leg in order to block Eri’s view. “So, what did you want to talk to me about?”

Eri turned her attention back to Mina. “Well, the thing is…I need your help with something. The truth is…I…I need your help to get Mama and Papa to love each other!”

There was a sudden silence in the area. “A-Auntie?”

Mina swooped the little girl up, embraced her, and gave the biggest smile Eri had ever seen. “Oh my God, Eri!” she squealed, pressing and rubbing her cheek against Eri’s. “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for someone else to recognize that your Mama and Papa are perfect for each other.” She brought Eri inside her room and closed the door behind her.

“I’ve been analyzing their reactions toward each other ever since the Final Exams last June, months before we met you,” she said, putting Eri back down and walking over to the bedroom window. She pulled back the curtains to reveal a huge rectangular wooden board blocking out the view from outside. As Eri looked on, she noticed the board had notes, some pictures of her Mama and Papa, and lots of red string connected to said items. Eri’s eyes soon followed the numerous threads until they reached the center of the board to a pin and a paper that read 'Possibility of relationship: 100%’. “So, what do you think?” Mina asked with a huge smile on her face.

“I think you have too much free time, Auntie,” Eri said. “So what does this have to do with Mama and Papa?” she asked.

Mina lifted an eyebrow, but her smile didn’t waver. “Well, the truth is that I’ve been trying to get your parents together for the last few months. I’ve locked them inside a room together and I even put them under the mistletoe during Christmas, but it didn’t work. But then I realized something; the problem wasn’t my methods, it was that I was working alone. With your help, I think we might be able to do it.”

“So, what do we do?” Eri asked.

“Well, the first thing we have to do is to get them to ask the other out on a date. If you can convince Midoriya to ask Uraraka, then I can take care of Uraraka. I have a few things and ideas afterward for them. But we need to do this first task before anything else.”

“And then Mama and Papa will love each other?” Eri asked, her eyes filled with hope.

“If all goes smoothly, yes,” Mina said.

Eri smiled and cried out, “Yeah!” And before Mina could stop her, she leapt onto the bed and jumped up and down. Kirishima let out a muffled gasp when Eri’s feet connected with his back.

“E-Eri!” Mina said, terrified. She quickly lifted Eri off the bed and set her on the floor. “Wh-Why don’t you go try and get some more sleep? I’ll talk to you about the details later.”

“Okay,” Eri said and made her way to the bedroom door. Before she left, she turned and asked, “Oh, Auntie? When Uncle Shima comes out from under the bed, tell him I said 'hi’.”

“Will do, sweetie,” Mina said, watching the little girl leave. She knelt down by the bed and looked at her boyfriend. “How are you holding up, babe?”

Kirishima only responded with a simple “Ow.” He extended his left hand and let Mina pull him out. He stretched his back to ease the pain. “So,” he said once he was comfortable, “you two are gonna try and get Midoriya and Uraraka together, huh?”

“Yep,” Mina said with a huge smile, “and I can’t wait! It was nice of Eri to want to say hi to…you…”

They looked at each other, eyes wide open, and exclaimed, “How the heck did she know?!”

A few days after her talk with Mina, Eri was standing by the stairs on the first floor watching Midoriya speak with Uncle Iida. According to Mina, all she had to do was find a way to convince him to ask Uraraka out. 'Alright,’ Eri thought to herself, 'just remember what Auntie taught you.’ She walked over to them. “Hey, Papa! Hey, Uncle Iida!”

“Eri,” Iida said in a somewhat stern voice. “What have I told you about using that word?”

“I know, I know,” Eri said. “Hay is for horses.”

Midoriya couldn’t help but chuckle a bit at Iida’s dislike for that word. He turned to the little girl and asked, “So, what’s up, Eri?”

Eri turned to him and smiled before saying, “Well, the thing is, Papa, I wanted to tell you something about you and Mama.”

Midoriya’s cheeks turned a bright pink. “O-O-Oh, a-and what did you want to talk about?”

Eri smiled; everything was going just as planned so far. “Well,” she began, “I noticed that you and Mama looked tired lately. I was just wondering that you two should spend some time together without me.”

“Me…and Uraraka…t-together,” Midoriya mused. His blush deepened. “W-Well, y-you see I would, but I-I-I’ve g-g-got homework to do for Mr. Aizawa and then I have to meet up with All Might for training. I also have to meet up with my mo-” He noticed Eri’s head facing the floor. “E-Eri?”

Eri tilted her head back up to reveal her watery eyes and a sad look on her face. “Wh-Why don’t you want to spend time with Mama?” she asked, her voice on the verge of breaking. “Don't…don’t you like her?”

“No no no no no, i-i-i-it’s not like that!” Midoriya said. “I-I-It’s just that I’ve got so much stuff to do and, well…” He paused when he saw Eri’s eyes brimming with tears. “Oh no, don’t cry Eri. L-Look, I-I’ll talk with Uraraka about spending the day with her, okay?”

Eri rubbed her eyes with her left arm and sniffled. “Okay.”

“Good,” Midoriya said, relieved that Eri had stopped crying. “Now why don’t you go get ready for school?”

As Eri made her way upstairs to get her school supplies, a small smile crept on her face. She had completed her part of Phase One; she just hoped Mina had done hers with Uraraka.

“Hey, Ochako!” Mina called out. They were making their way to class after training with All Might.

“Hey, Mina,” Uraraka said, smiling at her friend, “What’s up?”

“Oh, nothing much,” Mina said, “I just wanted to talk about you and Midoriya.”

Uraraka’s cheeks turned a slight pink. “O-Oh?” she asked. “W-What did you want to talk about?”

“Well, I’ve just been noticing that you two haven’t really been spending time together. Before Eri came into our lives, you two would hang out in the living room watching TV, spend time at the mall, and even team up together during game nights.”

Uraraka’s cheeks maintained their pinkish hue. “W-Well, we’ve been busy lately, what with schoolwork and training. If you add caring for Eri on top of that, the two of us really haven’t had any time to relax.”

“Well,” Mina said, her smile growing slightly. “What if I were to look after Eri for a day? Maybe you and Midoriya could do something together then?”

Uraraka paused while considering Mina’s offer. “It would be nice to have a day to ourselves,” she said. “J-Just as friends, of course.” She turned to Mina and said, “Okay, I’ll ask Deku if he wants to get together for a friendly outing. I believe next Saturday will work for me. I’ll ask him after class today.”

“Sweet!” Mina said with a wide smile on her face. As Uraraka walked away, the smile on her face shifted into a smirk. 'Well, that was easier than I could have imagined,’ she thought with delight, 'let’s just hope Eri had some luck with convincing Midoriya.’

'Okay, you can do this, Izuku. You can do this,’ the green-haired student thought to himself. It was late in the afternoon at Alliance Heights and Midoriya was waiting in the hallway, hoping to talk to Uraraka before dinner. 'It’s not like I’m asking her out on a date, we’re just gonna hang around. Maybe find a place to eat, go to the park, and…wait, that’s exactly like a date! I can’t go through with this! What if she thinks I’m a weirdo and won’t even talk to me again? How do I explain it to Eri if that happens? Will she not see Uraraka as a mother figure just because she doesn’t like me in that way? Will I have to-’

“D-Deku?”

“AAH!” Midoriya screamed. He turned to see Uraraka standing a few feet in front of him with a look of concern on her face. “U-Uraraka, hi.” He tried to compose himself.

“Hi, Deku,” Uraraka said before asking, “Are you okay? Your face is really red.”

“I’m fine,” Midoriya said. “Listen Uraraka, there’s something I wanted to ask you.”

“Oh?” Uraraka said. “What is it?”

“W-W-Well, the th-thing is…um…” Midoriya trailed off, unable to get the words out. “W-What I wanted to ask was”-he bowed and shouted-“DOYOUWANNAHANGOUTSOMETIME?”

“What?” Uraraka asked.

“What I was asking was,” Midoriya continued, still in bowing position, “would you like to hang out with me sometime? Just the two of us.” It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Midoriya came back up to see a red-faced Uraraka shaking and stuttering in front of him. “I-I’m so sorry!” Midoriya said. “I-It’s okay i-if you d-don’t want to; I j-just thought what with Eri and everything-”

“S-Sure,” Uraraka finally said after freezing for what seemed like forever. “T-T-That sounds nice.”

“Oh…really?” Midoriya asked in surprise. When Uraraka nodded in response, his mouth formed into a nervous smile. “That…that’s great! So, when do you wa-”

“Next Saturday!”

“W-What?”

“S-Sorry,” Uraraka said, “I’m available next Saturday. Is that fine with you?”

“Um…” Midoriya said, still unable to believe that the arrangements were going over smoothly. “Y-Yeah, that’s…perfect. It’s a date!”

“A date?!” Uraraka exclaimed in surprise.

“N-N-No, I-I-I didn’t mean it like that!” Midoriya said, gesturing wildly in embarrassment.

Around the corner at the far end of the hallway, a certain pink-skinned girl and a one-horned angel who had heard everything were looking at each other and grinning from ear to ear.

“So, you and Uraraka are going out, huh?” Kaminari asked with a smirk on his face as he, Midoriya, and the rest of the male student body of Class 1-A sat around the living room. It was Wednesday, three days before Midoriya and Uraraka’s outing, and the news that they were going out had spread throughout the dormitory like wildfire.

“Y-Yeah,” Midoriya said nervously, “b-but it’s just an outing between friends, that’s all.” His response was met by a few chuckles from some of the male students.

Bakugou only grumbled and said, “About damn time, if you ask me.”

“Wow, man,” Kirishima said, looking at his best friend. “I didn’t know you cared about them that much.”

“Are you kidding me? Like I give a shit if they get together! I’m just sick of them getting all nervous in front of each other.”

“Ignoring Bakugou’s language,” Iida said before turning his attention back to his friend, “When are you two socializing?”

“Oh, this Saturday,” Midoriya said. “It’s the only day she and I have off and we figured it would be nice to…” he noticed Mashirao, Kirishima, and Kaminari smiling slyly at him. “What?” he asked in confusion.

“You do know this Saturday is the fourteenth of February, right?” Kirishima asked with a hint of mischief in his voice.

“Y-Yeah?” Midoriya answered.

Kirishima placed a hand on Midoriya’s shoulder. “Midoriya…the fourteenth of February is Valentine’s Day.”

Midoriya continued to look on in confusion until Kirishima’s words finally sunk in. His whole face turned a pinkish hue and he began to shake like mad. “EEEEH?!” he exclaimed. “Are you serious?” The others nodded their heads. “Oh my God, what am I going to do?” he said, pacing around the room with worry. “Should I cancel and rearrange for another date? Should I expect chocolates from her? Will it be so awkward that we can’t even talk to each other like we do now? Do I-”

Iida placed a hand on his shoulder. “Listen, Midoriya,” he said, “you shouldn’t worry about any of those things. Like you said, it’s just an outing between friends.”

Midoriya calmed down and took a deep breath. “You’re right,” he said with a smile, “it’s just a friendly get-together, nothing more.”

“Stupid, stupid, stupid!” Uraraka repeated to herself while continuing to smack her head against her planner. “How could I forget about Valentine’s Day?! What do I do, what do I do, what do I do?”

“Well, for starters, you can calm down,” Jiro said, rolling her eyes. “It’s just a simple get-together. It’s not like you’re going out on a date with him.”

“But what if he’s expecting something else?” Uraraka asked. “What if he expects me to give him chocolates since it’ll be Valentine’s Day? What if we’ll be uncomfortable around other couples? What if we-”

Momo placed a hand on her shoulder. “Listen Ochako,” she said, “you shouldn’t worry about any of those things. Like Kyouka said, it’s just an outing between friends.”

Uraraka sighed and said, “You’re right. I shouldn’t worry about this too much.”

“Sweet,” Mina chimed in, “now let’s figure out what you’re gonna wear!” She began to pull out various clothes for Uraraka to try on.

“Well, someone’s enthusiastic about this whole thing,” Jiro muttered.

After three long and grueling days, Valentine’s Day finally came. The forecast was sunny with a high of sixty degrees and a humidity of forty percent, unusual for that time of year. The news anchors said it was to be the nicest day to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

Meanwhile at Alliance Heights, Midoriya was pacing back and forth in the living room waiting for Uraraka to join him. He was wearing dark brown pants, a light green shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and a sleeveless dark blue vest. Of course, he had to wear his signature red shoes as well.

“Midoriya calm down, will ya?” Kirishima said after watching Midoriya pace back and forth for the twentieth time.

“Sorry,” Midoriya said, rubbing the back of his head, “I’m just nervous. Truth be told, I’ve never hung out with a girl on my own before.”

“It’s true,” Bakugou said. Before UA, girls at their old school would look at Deku like he had three heads if he even so much as tried to talk to them.

“Trust us, Midoriya,” Iida said, placing a hand on his shoulder, “everything is going to be fine.” Midoriya only responded with a smile.

“D-Deku?” The sound of a familiar voice caused Midoriya to turn his attention towards the stairs. His cheeks turned pink when he saw Uraraka standing at the top of the stairs with the other girls behind her and Eri by her side. She was wearing denim shorts, a white t-shirt, and a beige button-down coat with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows. She was also wearing green track shoes. She walked up to Midoriya and blushed a little. “You…You look nice,” she said.

“Y-You as well,” Midoriya said as the redness from his cheeks covered his entire face. For a few minutes, they stood in total silence wondering what to do or say while the rest of their classmates either smirked or giggled.

“ARE YOU TWO MORONS GOING TO LEAVE OR NOT?” Bakugou yelled in frustration, causing both of them to jump nervously.

“R-Right, sorry.” Midoriya said. He turned to the others. “Okay, we’re going to be gone for awhile. We’re counting on you to look after Eri. All of her nutritional information and what she doesn’t like are on the fridge. She’s not allowed any sweets until after dinner. And that’s only if she behaves herself.”

“Well, that’s all the time, isn’t it Eri?” Mina asked, pressing Eri’s cheeks together and smiling at her while Eri giggled and nodded vigorously. “Besides,” she continued, “she’ll be fine. Don’t worry about it. You two just have fun today.”

“Well, alright,” Uraraka said and retrieved her purse. “We’ll see you all when we get back. Be good, sweetie.” She and Midoriya leaned forward and gave Eri a quick peck on both cheeks, causing the little girl to giggle again.

“Bye, Mama and Papa,” she said. Midoriya and Uraraka smiled and walked out of the building. As soon as the doors closed, Mina and Eri ran upstairs to get ready for their mission.

Meanwhile, Bakugou’s phone vibrated in his left pocket. He picked it up and, seeing a new message, texted back:

On my way

Should be there at 11:10 at the latest

Pocketing the phone away, he said “I gotta get going. Something important.”

Kirishima raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”

“None of your damn business, that’s what it is!” Bakugou snapped before slamming the main entrance doors behind him.

In some part of the city, Midoriya and Uraraka were walking down the streets while trying to act calm and casual. It was difficult, however, since they had to pass couples who were either holding hands, hugging, or kissing. Seeing such sights caused the two students to blush and glance away from each other.

“S-So,” Midoriya said, trying to break the silence, “n-nice weather we’re having, huh?”

“Y-Yeah, it is.” Uraraka said. Midoriya made a mental note to kick himself for talking about the weather.

Two black-hooded figures wearing sunglasses followed them at a distance, trying to look inconspicuous. The smaller one was wearing a cute hat, which drew the attention of the passers-by.

“Why aren’t they doing anything?” Eri asked, a sense of worry in her voice.

“Patience, Eri,” Mina said, “everything comes to those who wait. Besides, I’ve got a few things that may help ease the tension between them.”

Midoriya scratched the back of his head before he turned to Uraraka. “So…where are we going again?”

“Oh,” Uraraka said, Midoriya’s voice snapping her out of her thoughts, “there’s this street market that Mina told me about. It’s supposed to have some weird and interesting stuff. She went with Kirishima a couple of times in the past.”

After thirty minutes of walking, they arrived at the market. The whole street was filled with pedestrians. Pop-up tents with blankets and tables displayed the various items on sale. As Midoriya and Uraraka looked around, they saw a diverse variety of items, ranging from international antiques to vintage goods, handicrafts, accessories, and organic food; as well as flowers and plants. Midoriya and Uraraka moved through the vendors, checking out individual items like hats, action figures, vintage CDs, and clothes, all the while unaware that Mina and Eri were tailing them every two booths.

Midoriya and Uraraka came across a booth that had various articles of jewelry, handicrafts, and accessories. The old woman running the booth smiled at them while they looked at the various items. Uraraka’s eyes soon fell on something pink and pretty. It was a pink rose with a clip on the back. Midoriya noticed it as well and picked it up, amazed at how light it felt in his hand. “Hey Uraraka,” he said, “Isn’t it nice?”

“A hair clip! It’s cute!” Uraraka exclaimed before looking at Midoriya. “Can you put it in my hair?”

“Umm…sure.” His hands were trembling. He had no idea what to do. “W-Where do you want me to put it?”

She pulled a strand of hair behind her left ear and pointed at it. “Around here should be fine, Deku.”

He gulped and took a deep breath. He caught a whiff of her shampoo and almost let the hair clip drop. He was pretty sure she could feel the heat radiating from his face.

He gently put his left hand on her hair to keep it in place and, after what seemed like an eternity, managed to clip it on. “H-Here you go, Uraraka.”

“Thanks, Deku…” She caught Izuku’s look and realized how close they were to each other. For a minute they stood frozen in place, their faces turning bright pink while looking at each other. The silence between them was finally broken when Midoriya leapt back. “WAAH!” he said, “S-Sorry! I-I-I sh-should’ve asked first!”

“N-No!” Uraraka said, her face still red. “I-It’s okay! Thank you!”

“Hehehehe.” The two students turned to see the old woman chuckling at their antics. She looked at them and said, “If you like it so much, I can give you the couple’s discount on that hair clip. Only six hundred yen.”

“Couple's…discount?” Midoriya and Uraraka both said before glancing at each other. “NO-NO-NO-NO-NO, I-I-I-IT’S NOT LIKE THAT! W-WE’RE JUST FRIENDS, THAT’S ALL!”

“Oh?” the woman asked. She smiled again and turned to Uraraka before saying, “Well, how about I give you the discount anyway since that hair clip really does suit you, dearie.”

“Oh,” Uraraka said. “Th-thank you.” She handed the two coins to the woman and she and Midoriya walked off, their faces still flushed in embarrassment.

Two booths behind them, Mina and Eri were giggling at Uraraka and Midoriya’s reactions. “'We’re just friends.’ Yeah, sure,” Mina whispered while Eri continued to giggle. “Right, then,” Mina said once she composed herself, “if all goes according to plan, they’ll be kissing by lunchtime.”

“Right!” Eri said in agreement.

The rest of the shopping excursion was uneventful, though Midoriya and Uraraka had avoided each other’s gaze for a while out of embarrassment. By the time they had reached the last booth, Midoriya had gotten a vinyl record of Elvis Bresley (his mother’s favorite singer), an old Farchie comic (a favorite of All Might’s), and a copy of To Kill a Jaybird. Aside from the hairclip, Uraraka had also acquired a pair of durable work gloves for her father, an antique vase that her mother could use, and a ball-and-cup game for Eri.

It was around noon that their stomachs began to growl with hunger. “I guess it’s that time of the day, huh?” Midoriya said sheepishly. “You wouldn’t happen to know any good restaurants around, would you?”

“Actually, I do,” Uraraka said. “Mina suggested this restaurant close by that’s supposed to have some really good food. Wanna give it a try?”

Midoriya smiled. “Sure, that sounds great!”

After a few minutes of following directions on Midoriya’s phone, they arrived at a sit-in restaurant. Once they walked inside, they saw that it looked completely normal if you didn’t count the heart decorations dangling from the ceiling. Midoriya and Uraraka proceeded to take a booth and looked through the menu.

A waitress walked over to them. “Hello! My name is Mika and I’ll be your server. So, what will you two be having?”

Midoriya took a quick glance back at the menu. “I’ll have the pork korokke and for a drink, just green tea, please.”

“And I’ll have the chicken katsu and green tea as well,” Uraraka said before she and Midoriya handed Mika their menus.

“Alright then, I’ll be back with your drinks,” Mika said, walking off to leave the two students to themselves.

Mina and Eri had taken a table on the opposite side of the restaurant in order to keep enough distance from the two. Eri whispered, “So, do you think this plan will work, Auntie?”

“Trust me on this one, Eri.” Mina said with a smirk. “There’s a good reason I suggested this restaurant to Uraraka.”

Midoriya and Uraraka were nervously twiddling their thumbs while avoiding each other’s gazes. The tension was broken, however, when Mika came back with two cups and a kettle of green tea. They each poured themselves some and quietly sipped the warm beverage.

“S-So,” Midoriya said when Uraraka set her cup down, “H-How’s your tea?”

“It’s nice, actually. How’s yours?”

“Same. I mean, we both ordered the same drink.”

“Oh, right,” Uraraka said sheepishly. “Sorry.”

They resumed their silence for a few minutes until Midoriya said, “So, I found out that there’s going to be an all-new All Might figurine coming out next month. I just got on the waitlist for it yesterday.”

“Well, that sounds…exciting,” Uraraka said. Midoriya could sense her lack of interest in the subject.

“I…I’m sorry, Uraraka,” he said. “It’s just that…I don’t know what to talk about in this situation. I mean, I’ve never gone out with a girl before.”

“It’s alright, Deku,” Uraraka said. “To be honest, I’ve never done this either.”

“Really? Why wouldn’t someone want to go out with a girl as sweet and beautiful as you?” The question he had asked soon dawned on him and his face turned beet-red. “Oh God, I-I’m so sorry! I-I just thought m-m-maybe you’ve been on a couple outings. Not that I’m saying you’ve dated a lot of guys, it’s just that…Oh God, what was I thinking?!” He buried his face into his hands.

“PFTHAHAHAHAHAHA!” Midoriya moved his hands from his face when he heard Uraraka laugh. After a while, she ceased and placed her hand on his. “Deku,” she said with a smile, “it’s okay. I know you didn’t mean to imply that. But it was really sweet of you to say those things.”

“Oh,” Midoriya said. “Well…you’re welcome.”

“Here are your meals!” The announcement caused both Midoriya and Uraraka to turn and see Mika holding a plate in each hand. “Enjoy,” she said, setting them down carefully. Midoriya could smell the meaty aroma of his deep-fried pork. It came with a side of shredded cabbage. Meanwhile, Uraraka’s mouth watered at the sight of her chicken katsu, which also came with shredded cabbage and sliced tomato wedges.

Using her chopsticks, Uraraka picked up a piece of the chicken and ate it. Her eyes widened when the juicy meat and the spices hit her taste buds. “Wow, this is really good!” She picked up another piece. “Hey, Deku, you wanna try it?”

“Huh?” Midoriya asked. It took him a few seconds to remember what she had asked. “S-Sure, Uraraka.” He leaned forward across the table and took a bite from Uraraka’s outstretched chopsticks “Wow,” he said after swallowing, “that is really good.” He picked up a piece of his own meal. “Do you want one as well, Uraraka?”

“Sure!” she exclaimed. Uraraka opened her mouth and bit down on the slice of pork that was between Midoriya’s chopsticks. She chewed on it slowly with closed eyes. “Wow, that’s delicious!” She opened her eyes again and turned her attention to Midoriya, who was staring at her with an odd expression on his face. “Deku,” Uraraka asked. “Is something wrong?”

“Huh?” Midoriya said. “Oh, sorry, Uraraka. Nothing’s wrong. I’m fine.”

The rest of the meal went well. Midoriya and Uraraka each enjoyed their meals and talked casually like two good friends. Uraraka was even kind enough to share a few of her tomato wedges. Meanwhile, Mina and Eri were both keeping a watchful eye on the two students. Mina turned to the little girl and whispered, “See, the strategy is to get them to calm down and make them feel comfortable around each other. And when the time is right,” she continued with a smile while Eri drank apple juice from her cup, “we reel in the prize.”

After a good twenty-five minutes, Midoriya and Uraraka rested against the back of their seats with their plates empty and their bellies full. “That was delicious,” Uraraka said while patting her stomach, “I don’t think I can eat another bite.”

“Same here,” Midoriya said.

“So, did you two enjoy your meals?” The two friends turned to see Mika standing before them with a smile on her face.

“Yes we did,” the two said in unison.

“Excellent! Now, before you two pay and leave, I would like to know if you would be interested in participating in our annual Biscuit Challenge.”

“Biscuit Challenge?” Midoriya asked.

“It’s a contest this restaurant hosts every year on Valentine’s Day for couples.” Mika showed them a cup filled with chocolate-covered biscuit sticks. “The challenge is to gently put one end of the biscuit in your mouth while your partner does the same with the other end. Then, you keep biting into the stick until either of you stop or the biscuit breaks off. The shorter the distance, the greater the prize.”

Midoriya and Uraraka looked at each other before glancing back at Mika. “And what has to happen in order to get the top prize?” Uraraka asked.

Mika smiled and said, “Well, in order to win the top prize, there would have to be no trace of the biscuit between you two. In other words, you would have to be kissing.”

Midoriya’s face reddened when Mika finished explaining the rules. 'Me…Uraraka….K-K-K-KISS?!’ he thought in panic. If they kissed, what would happen to them in the future? Would they still be considered friends?

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Mika said abruptly. “You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. Maybe this was a bit too much to ask-”

“We’ll do it!” Uraraka exclaimed, causing many of the other patrons to turn their heads in confusion.

“U-U-Uraraka?” Midoriya asked.

“W-We don’t really have to fully kiss, Deku,” she said. “W-We’ll just stop with whatever we feel comfortable with. A-And besides, it would be cool to win something.”

Midoriya thought about it: it would be nice to do something out of his comfort zone. And even if they didn’t kiss, they would win something nice. “O-Okay, let’s do it!” he said with confidence.

“Excellent!” Mika exclaimed with delight. She pulled out a biscuit stick from the cup and handed it to Uraraka. Uraraka lightly placed one end of the stick in her mouth while Izuku placed the other end in his. Both students gulped nervously at how close they were to each other.

Eri and Mina were glancing over to try and catch a glimpse of the two students. “Now, Eri,” Mina said with a smirk, “the real fun begins.”

“I….I guess I’ll go first,” Midoriya said.

“S-Sure,” Uraraka replied. Midoriya began by taking a few small bites before pausing. Uraraka took it as her cue to start biting, inching closer and closer until there was about four inches left. Gulping, the two rose up in their seats, careful not to break the stick as they did. They soon began simultaneously chewing on the stick, their faces growing redder and redder by each inch. Unbeknownst to them, their hands started to get closer as well.

After a few agonizing minutes, Midoriya and Uraraka found themselves with half an inch of the stick between them. They were so close to each other that the tips of their noses were touching. As they continued to stare at each other, their faces became a dark shade of red. They immediately froze, each of them afraid to make the first move.

Around them, the other patrons and even the staff paused at what they were doing and looked on in curiosity. Even Mina and Eri were covering their mouths to silence their squeals of delight.

“S-So,” Mika said, “d-do you two give up?”

Uraraka blinked in surprise at Mika’s words. It was then that her mind was set: she was not going to back down from this challenge. There was no way she would give up. She slowly opened her mouth, ready to take the final bite while many of the patrons, including Mina and Eri, hitched their breaths in anticipation.

“Yo, Midoriya! Uraraka! What’s up?” Kaminari’s voice called out from behind them.

“GAH!” Both students jumped apart from each other while the last bit of the stick landed on the table. Some patrons sighed in disappointment. Mina and Eri, however, looked devastated. The former made a mental note to make the Electricity User pay for interfering with her plans.

“K-K-Kaminari, J-Jiro,” Uraraka stuttered, “W-W-What are you two doing here?”

“Remember that incident last month when the scaffolding from that building fell and this idiot tackled me out of the way from getting crushed?” Jiro asked, pointing a thumb at Kaminari. “Well, apparently I owe him a favor, so he brought me to this restaurant.”

A sudden cough caused the four of them to turn their attention toward Mika. “Well, it’s a shame you didn’t complete the challenge,” she said, causing Midoriya and Uraraka to blush, “but you two did win a free meal voucher for this restaurant!”

“We’ll use it for our meal, please,” Midoriya said, glancing downward. Both students were red in the face and could barely look at each other. With the meal all paid for, they quickly grabbed their things and left the restaurant.

“You think I interrupted something between them?” Kaminari asked. The Earphone Jack User only shook her head while they went to their table.

“I can’t believe that electric-brained moron ruined that part of the plan!” Mina exclaimed once she had paid their waitress. “That whole biscuit challenge was the reason I suggested this restaurant to your Mama.” She looked at Eri, who had an expression of sadness and disappointment on her face. “But don’t lose heart, Eri,” she continued while they made their way to the doors, “there’s still one plan I have for your Papa and Mama. If it doesn’t get them to confess and kiss, I don’t know what wi-”

“Pinky? Short Stack?”

Mina and Eri looked up, only for their eyes to widen when they saw Bakugou and a slim girl with fawn-colored hair standing next to him. Mina recognized the girl from the Provisional Hero License Exam last year. She had been part of the group from Shiketsu High School.

“Were you two spying on Deku and Round-Face?”

“Never mind what we’re doing here,” Mina said. “What are you doing here with…I’m so sorry,I just can’t seem to remember your name.”

“It’s alright,” the girl said. “Name’s Camie Utsushimi, Baku-bae’s girlfriend.” Mina gaped at the news.

“How many times have I told you not to call me 'bae’?” Bakugou asked through gritted teeth.

“Aw, but it totes suites you, bae,” Camie said before turning her attention back to Mina. “And you are?”

“Mina Ashido. I’m one of Bakugou’s classmates,” the Acid User said before glancing down at Eri. “And this little one is Eri. She lives with me, Bakugou, and the rest of our classmates.” She noticed Camie’s confused look. “After a few of us rescued her from some villains, the principal put us in charge of her.”

“Oh,” Camie said before her smile returned. She knelt down and smiled at Eri. “Hey, Eri. Name’s Camie. Nice to meet you.” Upon her greeting, Camie saw Eri scuffle behind Mina’s leg and cling to it in fear. Camie extended an open palm. “It’s okay, Eri. I know Bakugou. You can totes trust me.”

After a few moments of thought, Eri decided to make her way toward Camie, stepping hesitantly until she placed her hand in hers. Camie’s hand was soft and smooth like Uraraka’s. Eri looked into Camie’s eyes and saw trust and comfort, which caused her to ease up. Camie’s gaze moved to her horn. “OMG, Eri, your horn is totes adorable!” Eri giggled at her sudden excitement. Camie touched it gently while maintaining her smile at Eri, who returned said smile in response.

Mina met Bakugou’s signature glare. He got in her face and whispered, “Tell anyone about her, even Kirishima, and you’re dead, Pinky.”

Mina only gave an evil smile at Bakugou’s threat. “Oh, don’t worry, Bakugou. As long as you remain a good boy and don’t tell Midoriya and Ochako about us following them, nobody has to know about you and your girlfriend.” She said the last word in a sing-song voice. Bakugou only scowled, his cheeks turning a bright pink. “Well,” Mina said, taking Eri by the hand, “it was nice to meet you Camie, but we have to go. Say 'bye’, Eri.”

“Bye, Ms. Camie. Bye, Kacchan,” Eri said before she followed Mina through the restaurant doors.

“It was nice to meet Mina,” Camie said, watching the two of them leave. “And Eri was totes adorable.”

“Yeah, she’s really precious,” Bakugou said through gritted teeth.

Midoriya and Uraraka were walking around the city with red faces. Even after they had left the restaurant, they had avoided looking at each other out of embarrassment for participating in that challenge.

After walking for almost half an hour, they came upon a park with a large gazebo in the middle. Looking around, they saw families enjoying the sunshine or playing, couples holding hands or dancing, and a band playing music in the gazebo. The two students noticed an empty bench close to them and decided to take a break.

It was after a few minutes of silence that Uraraka finally spoke up. “Deku, I,” she began before taking a deep breath to steady herself. “I just wanted to say that I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable back at the restaurant. I wasn’t thinking about your feelings and-”

“No, Uraraka, don’t.” Midoriya said. “You shouldn’t apologize. I agreed to take part in that contest with you. You just seemed so happy that I didn’t want to disappoint you by saying 'no’. And besides,” he added before glancing at Uraraka with a smile, “we got a free meal out of it.”

Uraraka couldn’t help but smile along with Midoriya. No matter the situation or how upset she was, she could always count on his smile and kind words to make anything seem better than it was. It was one of the many reasons why she liked him so much. “So,” she said after a minute of silence, “how about we put the incident behind us and just enjoy the rest of the day?”

“Sounds great,” Midoriya said, still maintaining his contagious smile.

“Alright, all you happy couples out there!” The lead singer of the band called out. “Since it’s Valentine’s Day, we’re gonna be playing some love ballads for you. First on our lineup is the song 'L-O-V-E’ performed by our very own Pat Cole!”

A middle-aged man walked up to the microphone and waved at those who were applauding. He nodded to the band, who began to play a classic jazz tune. Pat then snapped his fingers and began to sing.

As the song began, many couples began to swing and sway to the beat of the music. Even Midoriya and Uraraka were bopping to the rhythm and smiling. Midoriya turned to Uraraka and an image of the two of them dancing together popped into his mind. His face turned a shade of red at the thought, but something inside him told him to do something he had never done before: ask a girl to dance with him. 'I mean,’ he thought, 'it would just be some dancing between friends, nothing more.’

As the song reached it’s instrumental bridge, Midoriya knew that this was the moment to ask. He stood up, turned to Uraraka, and asked, “U-Uraraka…w-would you like to dance? I-I mean, i-i-it’s okay if you don’t want. I-I-I just-”

“Sure.”

“Huh?” Midoriya asked.

“Sure,” Uraraka repeated before taking his hand. “I’d love to dance.”

“Oh,” Midoriya said in surprise. “G-Great.” He led her to the brick pathway and placed his right hand against her waist. Uraraka placed her left hand on his right shoulder, with her pinkie raised in order to prevent him from floating away. They began to sway to the music as Pat picked up on the song.

While the music continued to play, Uraraka and Midoriya both began to calm down and smile at each other. Both soon laughed a bit at how much fun they were having, even if they were just swaying and not actually dancing.

The song came to an end and the two friends clapped along with everyone else when Pat Cole took a bow and returned to his seat and instrument. “Thanks, Pat!” The lead singer of the band said.

Mina and Eri were hiding in a bush near the pathway, watching Midoriya and Uraraka. “And you’re sure this will work, Auntie?” Eri asked.

“Trust me, sweetie, it will,” Mina said with a smile. “I gave the band a hefty tip to play a song I requested. Your Mama and Papa will be kissing in no time.”

“And now,” the lead singer announced, “we’ll be playing one of our hits, 'You are in Love’.” He picked up a guitar and started strumming it. After a few seconds, he sang.

Many couples moved closer as they danced to the slow rhythm, Midoriya and Uraraka among them. Midoriya placed both hands around Uraraka’s waist while Uraraka placed her hands on Midoriya’s shoulders. Once they felt comfortable, they began to move in a circle.

Uraraka and Midoriya looked at each other and soon realized how close their faces were. She was able to make out the smallest freckle on his face while he was able to make out the scent of her lavender perfume. Uraraka looked into Midoriya’s green eyes and saw the boy who had saved her when they first met. The boy whose words and determination gave her the strength to continue on with her dream. The boy… she had feelings for, but had pushed them away so she could become a great hero, just like him.

Midoriya was looking into Uraraka’s eyes and saw the girl who always saw the good in things. The girl who always greeted the day with a smile. The girl…who he had feelings for, but had pushed them aside because he felt that she deserved someone better than him.

Looking at each other, they lost track of everything else. A new sensation built up inside both of them. Neither one could tell what it was, but that it felt strangely good.

“Uraraka,” Midoriya whispered. “T-There’s something I have to-”

“Ochako.”

“Huh?” Midoriya asked in confusion.

Ochako only looked at him. “That’s my first name: Ochako.”

“Oh…okay,” Midoriya said.

Almost on instinct, Uraraka and Midoriya closed their eyes and slowly leaned in toward each other, tempting to close the gap between their lips.

“ACHOO!”

Uraraka and Midoriya retracted from each other in surprise. “You heard that, right?” Midoriya asked.

“Yeah,” Uraraka said, “and it sounded very familiar.”

“It came from over there,” Midoriya added, pointing to a bush on his right. The two of them walked over and were surprised to find a certain one-horned angel and a girl with pink skin and pink hair hiding there with their backs turned to them. “Eri? Mina?” Midoriya asked.

Mina and Eri whipped right around to see Midoriya and Uraraka staring at them. “Midoriya! Ochako!” Mina exclaimed with false excitement. “What are you guys doing here?”

“We were spending time together,” Uraraka said before her features went dark. “Why are you two hiding in the bushes? And spying on us?” She picked up the set of binoculars next to the bush.

“Well,” Mina said while Eri fidgeted nervously. “You see…the thing is, we…ummm…”

Midoriya crossed his arms and frowned. “I believe you two have some explaining to do,” he said.

“So, let me get this straight,” Midoriya said after Mina had told them the whole story. “This entire excursion was just a set-up to make Uraraka and I confess our feelings for each other and kiss?” Mina and Eri nodded in unison.

“I cannot believe you, Mina!” Uraraka exclaimed while glaring at the Acid User. “This was highly irresponsible and downright manipulative. And to top it all off, you got Eri involved in it. I mean, what were you thinking, dragging her into something like this?”

“Mama, stop!” Eri cried out. “It’s not Auntie Mina’s fault, it’s mine.” At this revelation, Midoriya’s and Uraraka’s eyes widened in shock. “I saw how you and Papa got nervous around each other and I thought that it was because you loved each other, but were afraid to show it. I wanted you to show your love to each other so we could be more like a family. That’s why I asked Auntie Mina for help. Don’t punish her, punish me!” At this, Eri couldn’t stop the flow of tears that ran down her face.

Midoriya’s and Uraraka’s features immediately softened. They both looked at each other with concern and understanding before directing their attention back at the little girl. “Sweetheart,” Midoriya said in a calm manner. “Do you know why Mama and I were so upset about this whole thing?” Eri shook her head. “It was because we felt like we were being used and it made us feel uncomfortable knowing that. You should never try to force something onto two people because it might damage the relationship they already have and that could hurt them in more ways than one.”

“But that doesn’t mean we don’t love you any less, honey,” Uraraka said, kneeling down and placing her hand on Eri’s cheek to wipe her tears away. “And we are proud of you for being honest and admitting your mistakes. And just because Papa and I aren’t together doesn’t mean we are less of a family.”

“Am…am I going to be punished?” Eri asked through her sniffles.

Midoriya and Uraraka once again looked at each other and nodded. “No,” Uraraka said. “We think you’ve been punished enough and you seem to have learned your lesson. But if you do this again, there will be consequences. Understand?” Eri nodded.

The two students pulled Eri into a tight embrace. “Now then,” Midoriya said once the trio finished hugging, “how about we all go home?” Eri and Uraraka nodded; the sun was going down and it had been a long day. Eri took a hand each and walked between them.

“Well,” Mina said, who was walking alongside Uraraka, “today certainly has been interesting, huh?”

“Oh, don’t think you’re off the hook just yet, Mina,” Uraraka said while glaring at the Acid User. “You’re still in trouble for getting Eri involved.”

“Wait, what?”

After the four of them returned to Alliance Heights, the rest of the day was uneventful. When asked by their fellow classmates how their excursion had been, Uraraka and Midoriya merely stated that they’d had fun. Of course, there was an incident later on in which Kaminari sustained injuries for blabbing about Bakugou dating Camie Utsushimi.

“Now, Eri,” Midoriya said once they had tucked her into bed, “what did we learn?”

“Don’t play matchmaker,” Eri said while clutching her Deku plushie.

“Exactly,” Uraraka said before leaning over and kissing her horn gently. “Okay, munchkin. Good night.”

With that, Eri rested her head and closed her eyes. Midoriya and Uraraka walked back slowly in order to not wake her. It was only after they had closed the door behind them that they started laughing. “Wow,” Uraraka said, “she certainly is something, huh?”

“Tell me about it,” Midoriya said before shaking his head. “We’re going to have to watch our backs around her from now on.”

After a few minutes of laughing, they calmed themselves. “Hey, Deku,” Uraraka said, her tone becoming more serious. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure, what is it?”

Uraraka gulped. “When we danced…did you feel anything unusual? Like something warm?”

Midoriya hesitated at her question. “Y-Yeah,” he replied.

“I see,” Uraraka said. “Truth be told, I’ve felt it before in the past.”

“Y-You have?” Midoriya asked. “W-When?”

“Well…” Uraraka’s face turned bright pink. “It happens whenever I look at you or see you in action.” She looked him right in the eyes. “Because the truth is…I…I really like you, Deku!”

Midoriya’s eyes widened, but he didn’t say anything.

“I’ve liked you for a very long time, Deku,” Uraraka continued. “Ever since you saved me during the Entrance Exam, I started having these feelings that I couldn’t explain at the time. But after I got to know you more and saw you in action, I began to understand them more. You never seem to lose hope in the darkest of times, you’re always willing to help those in need, and you always give me the strength to accomplish my own goal. It’s because of who you are and what you do that I understood that these feelings I have for you are more than just liking you as a friend.”

“But when I realized I liked you more than as a friend, I knew that in order for us to accomplish both our dreams, I had to push aside these feelings. And besides,” she added, “I figured you deserved someone better than me. I mean, I’m just some plain, boring girl who can’t even- Eep!”

Midoirya pulled her into a tight embrace. “Uraraka, stop,” Midoriya said softly. “I don’t see you as some plain, boring girl. You’re the most amazing girl I’ve ever met in my life. I’ve always admired how you see the good in every situation and greet the day with a smile. Whenever I begin to lose hope, you’re always there for me. And just like how I give you the strength to work toward your goal, you give me the strength to achieve mine.” Uraraka couldn’t help but smile at Midoriya’s words.

“Truth be told,” Midoriya continued, “I also pushed my feelings for you aside because I felt that you deserved someone way better than me, like Iida or Todoroki. I mean, who would want to be with a nobody like me? A late bloomer in regards to his Quirk who-”

Uraraka broke away from the embrace and placed her hands on Midoriya’s cheeks. She gave him a stern look before speaking. “I’m going to stop you right there, Deku, because there are a few things I need to tell you. First, I don’t ever want to hear you say that about yourself. You are an amazing person who is selfless, caring, brave, honest, and who is willing to fight for what he believes in, no matter what. Understand?” She waited for Midoriya to nod before she continued. “Second, Iida is a great guy, but he’s like a brother to me. As for Todoroki, he’s a bit dense when it comes to girls. And Momo kinda has feelings for him already, so he’s off limits.”

Uraraka’s gaze softened as she continued. “And finally, stop calling me Uraraka. I told you at the park that my name is Ochako. I wouldn’t mind if you started using my first name.”

“O-Okay,” Midoriya said before taking ahold of Uraraka’s wrists and gently pulling her hands from his cheeks. “A-And you can call me Izuku. I mean, that’s i-i-if you want. I-I don’t want to p-pressure you or anything. I mean, I-I’m fine with just Deku.”

“S-Sure,” Uraraka said. “I-I mean, we can use our first names whenever we’re alone or if we’re with Eri.”

“Oh,” Midoriya said before calming himself down. “O-Okay.”

The two continued to stand in silence, still holding hands, until Uraraka spoke up. “So…what are we now? Are we friends? Are we something more?”

“I’m not sure, exactly,” Midoriya said. “I like you a lot, Ura-…Ochako, but I don’t want to ruin what we already have.”

Uraraka’s eyes lit up. “Then how about this,” she started. “We make a pact that, no matter what happens between us, we’ll always be friends. I don’t want to ruin what we have either, Izuku, but I’m not afraid to try and see if we could be more than just friends.”

Midoriya thought about it for a moment. A smile grew on his face and he said, “Yeah, no matter what, we’ll still be friends.”

They stood there, smiling at each other, before Midoriya spoke. “So…I guess we’re dating now?” he asked.

“I-I guess so,” Uraraka said.

The two of them realized how close they were to each other. Uraraka had her hands on Midoriya’s chest while he had his hands on her hips. The heavy breathing between them caused both their cheeks to heat up.

“O-Ochako,” Midoriya whispered, “I-Is it okay if I…”

“S-Sure,” she whispered back, knowing full well what he was asking permission for. Gulping, Midoriya began leaning toward her, his eyes slowly closing while she followed suit.

After what felt like an eternity, their lips finally connected with each other. It was a clumsy first kiss; it was off-centered and hesitant at the same time. But to the two students, it was perfect. They continued the awkward kiss until they pulled apart for some air.

“I-I’m sorry, Ochako,” Midoriya said. “I’m sure it wasn’t the best kiss ever.”

“It’s okay, Izuku,” Uraraka said. They stood in silence again before she continued with, “We…We could have a do-over, if you want.”

“O-Okay,” Midoriya said. And before he knew it, Uraraka had pressed her lips against his. Midoriya stiffened at first, but after a few seconds he kissed her back. Uraraka took the opportunity to move her hands from Midoriya’s chest to his shoulders. For the two friends-turned-lovers, time stood still. The rest of the world could go about in the same way; what mattered most was this moment with just themselves and no one else.

Neither of them noticed a smirking Mina taking pictures of them on her phone from the corner of the hallway, nor a smiling Eri peeking through the open bedroom door.

Bonus Content 1

Kyoka Jiro was lying on her bed and looking up at the ceiling. It had been one hell of a day: First, she was asked by Kaminari to go out for lunch. Then, the blonde idiot had to interrupt whatever Midoriya and Uraraka were doing at the restaurant. After that, he had ordered the spiciest meal at the restaurant. He had screamed so loud that they were thrown out. And of course, Kaminari just had to open his mouth about Bakugou dating that Utsushimi girl. That, of course, resulted in Bakugou blasting him with his Quirk. Jiro only sighed and draped her right arm over her eyes. At least the day was over.

A sudden ping from her phone caught her attention. She unlocked her screen and her eyes widened at what she saw. It was a picture of her and Kaminari taken while they were walking to the restaurant. Kaminari was holding the phone with one hand while his other was placed on Jiro’s right hip. Jiro herself looked tense while she glanced away from both Kaminari and the phone.

It was while looking at the picture that Jiro remembered that there were some moments about the day that were good. Like how he wanted her to choose the restaurant so she could enjoy herself. Or how they shared similar interests when it came to music. And there was that moment when he lightly kissed her on the cheek and thanked her for spending time with him before she went to bed.

Jiro lowered her phone onto her chest and rested both hands on it before closing her eyes. “He’s an idiot…” A small smile formed on her lips.

Bonus Content 2

Earlier that day…

Inko Midoriya was at her favorite cafe, waiting for her date to arrive. She was nervous; this was the first time she had ever tried dating since she met Hisashi almost twenty years ago. One might say it had been love at first sight. She always knew how to make him laugh, shared her secrets with him, and was more than willing to help him in any way she could. Hisashi, in turn, made her feel safe and warm, knew how to make her smile, and cared for her enough to let her into his life. Her features saddened when she remembered how happy she was with him before the unfortunate incident.

Seventeen years ago, Hisashi had been called to handle a hostage situation in downtown Tokyo involving a rich CEO’s family and a gang of villains. The mission was a success, but Hisashi had sacrificed himself to save a child from falling debris. Inko remembered how devastated she had been when she heard the news; it was like her life had ended. Seven months later, Izuku was born.

When he was old enough to ask where his father was, Inko couldn’t bring herself to tell him the truth. So she fabricated a story that Hisashi was off in the States doing hero work. Fortunately for her, little Izuku believed it. When he got older however, Inko suspected that her son knew the truth, but didn’t want to upset her by telling her so.

Truth be told, Inko had been contemplating dating again for years. However, she always held back in fear of her son being hurt by the idea that she was replacing his father with someone else. But after seeing how Izuku looked at that Uraraka girl, she figured that now was as great a time as any to start getting back on the market.

The bell over the entrance rang, indicating the arrival of a new customer. Inko looked up above the crowd and smiled when she saw her date approaching. “Sorry I’m late,” he said before sitting down, “traffic was a nightmare.”

“It’s quite alright,” Inko said with a warm smile. “I hope you don’t mind; I ordered your coffee for you.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he said, taking a sip of the caffeinated drink. “It’s delicious.” Setting the cup down, he glanced at Inko. “To be honest, I was a bit surprised that you agreed to meet me here.”

“Well, I figured since my Izuku is growing up and might leave the house one day, it was time to start dating again. And…” She looked at him before continuing, “I wanted to personally thank you for everything that you’ve done for me and Izuku.”

Her date nodded. “It’s no trouble at all, Ms. Midoriya.”

To his surprise, Inko giggled and placed her hand on top of his before saying, “Please, no need for formalities. Call me Inko.”

The man returned the smile and placed his other bony hand over hers. “Very well, Inko,” he said, “call me Toshinori.”

Yes, yes, YES! IZUOCHA IS FINALLY CANON! And we are finally introduced to both KatCam and InkoMight (or whatever the internet has called that ship)! This was both exciting and exhausting to write, guys. I hope you all enjoyed it.

For those of you who haven’t read the latest chapter of my RWBY fic, I will be taking a month-long vacation from writing. Why? Because RWBY and My Hero Academia are equally demanding when it comes to get a story updated! Seriously, I love you guys, but even authors need a break once in a while. But don’t fret; this doesn’t mean I’m done with this amazing story. You will hear from me before the end of August.

Huge, huge, HUGE kudos to RD1042 for editing and giving me tips within such a short time frame. If you are reading this RD, I cannot thank you enough for what you did for both me and this fic. Oh; and if you guys want more BNHA goodness, check out his story “Keep Talking and Somebody Explodes”. Let’s just say it involves a certain short-tempered student and his explosive personality.

And of course, don’t forget to favorite, review, and follow this story if you want more sweet goodness. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to someplace warm and relaxing.

Oh, and one more thing, if you spot me at Boston Comic Con on Saturday August 17th, 2019, I may just put your idea into a future chapter of Family Matters. (Hint: I will be dressed as the Joker).