HOPELESS ᵈ·ᵏᵃᵐⁱⁿᵃʳⁱ

ch. ─── seven

It was more of a rhetorical question, his words floating in the air as his thoughts went back to her. Once again he was in his own world, oblivious to Bakugo's deathly glare as Kirishima held him back.

"I'm sure Bakugo didn't mean it that way," the redhead explained, Bakugo fuming next to him. "I never knew you and Hajime were friends, Kam."

The blonde furrows his brows, Sero turning to look at him in question. Kaminari glances between everyone: Bakugo's scrunched-up expression, Kirishima's small smile, and Sero, who watched him expectantly. Kaminari didn't understand what was the big deal, his relationship with Hajime was nothing out of the ordinary to him. It wasn't like she didn't hang out with anyone, in fact, she did, everyone except him.

It flickered in his mind, the idea of him of all people defending someone so tame and fragile as Hajime. She didn't need that from him, she had Todoroki, everyone knew that. It was those confused glances he was met with, his heart quickening and mouth forming shapes in an attempt to hide his embarrassment.

"We're not friends exactly..." he chuckles, rosy cheeks and all.

With Kirishima holding the rabid boy back, Sero pushes a flustered Kaminari toward the gym where all the students meet. Sero keeps his questions to himself, not sure if Kaminari would be able to answer them anyway. It seemed that he was just as confused as he was.

"Woah—" Without paying attention, Kaminari bumps into a girl coming out from the opposite locker room, something falling to the ground. "Oh, I'm sorry for..." His sentence fades as Kaminari comes face to face with none other than Mayami Hajime, an unimpressed look falling upon her unblemished face.

Why am I not surprised, she thought, quickly straightening up her posture after the little incident. "Please, Don't apologize. It's my fault too."

Kaminari appreciated her kindness, even though he knows it was just a front. Before she quickly walked away from him as always, he ducks down and grabs her gloves from the ground. "Here, you dropped this."

Rich berry wine. That is what her eyes reminded him of. Lips stained red as Hajime smiled sweetly back at him.

"Thanks," she mumbles, her fingers grazing his hand ever so slightly.

Before their strange interaction draws any more people to the small hallway, Hajime swiftly grabs Uraraka's arm and urges her to the gate. Kaminari chuckles softly at the gesture, unknowingly staring at Hajime from afar with a soft smirk.

Sero exchanged a questioning look with Mina who stayed back; They were both thinking the same thing: Maybe Hajime was the reason for Kaminari's odd behaviour lately. However, the question of why still hovered in the air, and both were eager to figure it out.

• • •

OF COURSE, OUT of all of her classmates, Hajime was paired up with dunce face (she heard Bakugo call him that once and liked it). Apparently, Mr. Aizawa wanted to start off the training project with sparring, and her opponent would also be her partner for the entire project. He explained that each pair was chosen for how well their quirks would work together, so when Hajime was paired up with Kaminari, everyone was shocked.

"I still think there's some sort of mistake," the girl mumbled, continuing her sluggish walk next to the Kaminari.

Kaminari laughed nervously in response, not at all bothered by the situation. "Maybe there was, but I'm not gonna ask him."