A letter arrived for me today—the same me who just mooched ten Bargain Dash meals off Kacchan. What's this, what's this? I opened it up and found a disc inside.
"Well... it's garbage."
I said that and tossed it in the trash, only to receive a knuckle sandwich from Mom, who was opening her own letter beside me.
Ow. That hurt.
"That's obviously your acceptance notification! Don't throw it away!"
"Oh, yes, my dear mother. But if I passed, that means I'd have to actually go to U.A., right?"
"It's your first-choice school!"
"That's because there's a reason deeper than the Mariana Trench for—wait, never mind. I'll open it."
I grabbed the disc, defeated by Mom's sharp glare.
The center of the disc began glowing, and a muscular figure appeared as a hologram.
"This is—"
"Souko, this is—"
The muscle man appeared below the disc.
He was saying something, but the mic must've been positioned low because it was really hard to hear. Hm? Did I just hear "accepted"?
"Mom, listen. I passed."
"I gathered that from 'accepted.' Now flip it right-side up and listen to it properly."
Ugh, what a pain.
"Do it."
"Ma'am! Yes, ma'am!"
After listening to the acceptance notification properly, I discovered that the one who arranged my recommendation slot was none other than that damned muscle man. I immediately decided on revenge.
By the way, I passed the entrance exam without issue. I didn't find out my exact ranking, but it seemed pretty good. Not first place, though. That's important, so I'll say it again: not first place. Yes!
Being first is nothing but trouble. I'm going to the most prestigious school of all—U.A. High School. They'd definitely stick me with annoying stuff like new student representative. No thanks.
Also, he told me to think about "that matter." When Mom asked what he meant, I said I got hit on.
Mom picked up the phone with a face like a demon, but I don't know what happened after that. I ran away before I could find out.
And so, I stormed the Bakugo household.
My business, of course, was to have this exchange: "Got my acceptance letter. What about you? Did you fail? Ha ha!"
Well, Kacchan's a natural-born genius, so he probably passed.
"Oh my, oh my! You came to visit again? Welcome, Souko!"
"Heya, Mitsuki. Is Kacchan home?"
When I asked the grinning Mitsuki, she said he was in the back. Apparently, as soon as he checked his acceptance notification, he shut himself in his room.
"What's my son doing in there?"
"Probably designing his costume? I got something about that too."
"A costume, huh? If my husband hears about this, he'll be thrilled to design one—oh my, slipping in that you passed so casually! You're so confident, Souko!"
"Wasn't Kacchan way more confident than me?"
"Hmm, not really. He acts so self-assured usually, but he seemed weirdly tense this time? When he saw the acceptance results, he looked happy in a way that didn't suit him at all. Hehe, I wonder what face he'll make when he hears you passed too?"
"Who knows?"
After some idle chat with Mitsuki, I forced open his locked door with brute strength and invaded. His dumbfounded, surprised face tickled my maternal instincts a little. Cute.
"Wh-wh-what the hell are you doing barging in here?! And how did you—the lock's completely busted!"
"Don't yell, don't yell. More importantly, I heard you passed? Congrats."
"Tch! Of course I did! What about you?! Did you pass?!"
"Obviously. Otherwise I wouldn't have come."
I casually approached him and peeked at what he was hiding behind his back. Of course, Kacchan resisted, so I couldn't see it easily. How stubborn.
"Just a quick look, just a quick look!"
"Hell no! What are you trying to peek at?! Go home!"
"Come on, let me see!"
"I said no!"
His resistance was more intense than expected. I couldn't get it.
Usually there'd be an opening by now... is he seriously bothered this time?
"Fine, fine. I get it. I'll stop. I'm leaving."
"Tch, damn right you are. Listen, don't ever—"
Fool! That was a feint, of course!
I aimed for the moment he let his guard down and lunged for what he was holding—but then, an accident.
Surprisingly, Kacchan had read my move and hadn't relaxed at all.
With this unexpected turn of events, even my excellent core strength exceeded its limits, and I ended up dragging Kacchan down with me in a spectacular fall. Gah!
...Well.
I subtly used Kacchan as a cushion, so I took basically no damage. I'm the perfect girl even in situations like this.
But Kacchan was strangely quiet. Usually he'd be yelling or exploding by now.
When I looked down, I saw my childhood friend with his face buried in my chest. Whoops. That's a bit too much fanservice.
"Kacchan?"
I sat up and freed him from my chest.
I thought maybe he couldn't breathe, but even after being freed, he didn't move an inch. From the way his eyes weren't focusing, he seemed to have passed out. Maybe he hit his head badly when we fell. Rest in peace.
"Wake up, wake up, Kacchan. If you sleep, you'll die."
As I patted his face, his eyes gradually focused—and then his nose exploded with blood.
"Ew! Gross!"
"Shut up! Get out!"
After receiving one threatening explosion, I spouted a third-rate villain line—"You'll regret this!"—and quickly left the room. I headed for the living room where Mitsuki was relaxing.
If I stayed with him any longer, I'd get covered in nosebleed, which would be scary. Today's outfit isn't cheap enough to get soaked in blood.
"Oh, once you finish wiping up that nosebleed, let's go hang out for a bit. Your treat, Kacchan."
"Hell no! Go home!"
Kacchan cursed at me, but he'd probably end up coming along anyway. His reputation as a tsundere isn't for nothing.
In the end, Kacchan came out with me after all, and we explored the city. He was in a bad mood the whole time, probably because Mitsuki saw him off with a knowing grin.
Well, as long as he's treating, I don't care.
"Now that I think about it, we've been hanging out together a lot lately again, haven't we?"
"Hah? You're the one who keeps latching onto me."
"Actually, it's more you, Kacchan."
"Tch!"
Is this his rebellious phase? All Kacchan says is "tch."
Rebellious phases are such a pain in the ass.
Try that in front of my mom and you'll get destroyed. Destroyed. Mitsuki's pretty lenient with Kacchan, so she doesn't even get mad when he calls her "old hag." Isn't he being too spoiled?
But now that I think about it, we won't be able to hang out in this neighborhood much longer.
Once we go to U.A., we'll probably start hanging out with friends over there, and there are more places to hang out near U.A. than around here.
Hmm. Then I should enjoy it while I can.
On Kacchan's dime.
"Alright, Kacchan! Let's start with taiyaki!"
"Hah?! Start with?! We already ate takoyaki and everything else—stop pushing me!"
Kacchan got angry. Exasperatingly angry.
But in the end, he didn't refuse.
And he treated me. Thanks, Kacchan. Love you.
And so, on the way home after making him treat me to death.
I gave a thumbs-up to Kacchan, who was glaring resentfully at his now-light wallet and at me.
Kacchan seemed mildly pissed, but maybe he was tired of being angry—he just sighed. Huh, that's not like him.
Normally he'd...
Hmm.
Right, normally. The fact that I can say "normally" means Kacchan and I go way back.
Come to think of it, we've known each other since kindergarten. It's impressive I didn't turn delinquent hanging around this guy.
All he says is "die" and "shit," he's self-centered, tyrannical, and his pride is so ridiculously high that beating him is a huge hassle. How much have I suffered? Actually, does this guy have any good points? Nope? Oh wait, he treats me?
Well, the one who's been breaking that nose-in-the-air attitude of his has been none other than me. Hehehe.
Perfect record, undefeated.
Naturally.
Beat him to a pulp. Completely.
And now that shit-representative Kacchan is going to be a high school student.
It's kind of emotional. Yeah.
Has he grown up...? No, he hasn't. Can this guy even become an adult? As his childhood friend, I'm worried.
"Hey Kacchan, hey Kacchan."
"What?!"
"Kacchan, do you remember when we first met?"
I remember.
The boy playing hero at the neighborhood park.
He had the nerve to say he'd make me his underling, so I beat him up and made him cry.
It was the first time I used my Quirk to punch someone, so it really stuck in my memory.
Kacchan just clicked his tongue and didn't answer, so maybe his memory is fuzzy. If he remembered, he'd definitely snap at me about it. No doubt.
I thought we'd stop seeing each other pretty quickly, but who knew we'd end up going to the same high school? Life's unpredictable.
"Hey Kacchan, hey Kacchan."
"What?! You've been calling me 'Kacchan, Kacchan' so familiarly this whole time—"
"Let's get along for another three years, okay?"
"...! Gh, uh—tch!"
How much versatility does this explosion-head see in the word "tch"? Seriously.
If he doesn't knock it off, I'll kick him. I'll kick his manhood. Hm?
Well, whatever. It's fine.
It's a bit late for that anyway.
Hmm.
"I'm not really interested, but work hard to become a hero, okay?"
"Hah?! I don't need you to tell me that! And you're in the Hero Course too! Hey! Why are you trying to ditch?!"