Stuck With You | Katsuki Bakugou x OC [Book One]

Chapter 74 - The Secrets That Must Be Kept Hidden

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Everyone's been acting weird and Kira knows why. She's fairly certain, at least. The timing and the behavior is too obvious, like something out of a cheesy sitcom. It made Kira giddy at the thought of her friends putting together a surprise party for her. After all, it's her birthday over the weekend. Since she has to take part in her license exam retake over the weekend, celebrating her birthday during the weekday is more practical.

Even more evidence is that Iida too has been dejected, but he's taken the negativity to heart. After all, his birthday is the day after hers.

Despite their efforts, Kira's classmates can't hide their efforts. She even ended up directly asking Kirishima if there was any surprise planned for her and Iida. The way he squabbled under the pressure made her giggle as she remains confined in her room.

Banished. That's the word Mina used. Punishment for not passing the license exam on the first try, she said. Apparently, that makes it so Kira's no longer invited to their social gatherings in the living room.

She couldn't wait any longer. Kira had been laying awkwardly on her bed, her bare feet swishing across the wall, as she hung her head off the side to glance around her room upside down. She was bored and impatient. But, she's also glad she found out about her surprise party, because Kira doesn't like surprises, she never has.

Perhaps her uncharacteristic childhood played a part in her dislikes, but the last thing Kira wants to do is dwell on something depressing like that. Today was a day of celebration.

Kira scooted herself around so she was back to her normal position and pushes herself off her bed. She makes herself presentable and decides to make herself known to her classmates. She can't hide the excitement anymore - her friends already proved their party-making worth when they threw their very first dorm party a while back.

Kira jammed the button to summon the lift repeatedly, trying to calm her jittery nerves to appear calm and poised. She didn't want to embarrass herself after all.

The lift arrived and Kira made her way down to the ground level. Her joyous expression suddenly dropped when she was met with a moody-looking Bakugou. Seems he's leaving before the party even starts. The least he could do is stay ten minutes...

She moved out of the way for him and he stepped inside as the lift doors closed, not even muttering a word. Her happy thoughts had diminished slightly at the presence of Bakugou. He just radiates detrimental and pernicious intentions.

Kira shakes away the haunting feeling and is about to announce her presence when the lift dings again and Iida makes himself known.

"Iida," Kira greets. "What are you doing down here?"

She thought he was still sulking in his room. After all, Iida had his assumptions about his classmates' behaviour. He believed they were trying to cut him out of their lives. His theory made her cackle, which only in turn soured his mood.

"Actually, Bakugou told me that Midoriya was looking for me down here," he says.

Akira's shocked. "He did?"

"Yes," He nods. "Now, if you'll excuse me..."

He scoots past her to a chorus of cheers and hoots as they congratulate Iida on his birthday. Kira finds herself contradicting herself as she stares at the lift doors closing.

Here she is: back at the start.

She uses terms like detrimental and pernicious to describe him and every time, every time, Bakugou proves her wrong. He does something as simplistic as this. Nothing major, never enough to be noticed by others. A simple noble gesture to hint at the diminutive, everchanging generosity peeking out from under his harsh facade.