Back to Reality
An hour passed. We shopped, laughed, and tried on weird sunglasses. But I couldn't stop thinking about what had just happened. I didn't tell anyone. Not yet. I didn't know how to.
By the time we got back to the dorms, the sun had already started to set—and there, waiting at the front gates, were Todoroki and Bakugou.
Great.
My stomach twisted.
The girls slowed, but I waved them on. "It's okay. I've got this."
Ochako hesitated. "Are you sure?"
Tsuyu narrowed her eyes. "We'll be right inside if you need anything."
I nodded, and they slipped inside, casting one last look over their shoulders.
Once we were alone, I crossed my arms. "Okay. What is it you both want?"
The two boys glanced at each other—then, to my utter shock, they both spoke at the same time.
"We want to take you on a date."
I blinked. "What?"
Bakugou scowled, cheeks slightly pink. "One date. With each of us."Todoroki added calmly, "You choose who makes you happier."
My heart nearly dropped to my feet. "I… I have to choose?"
Toga. Bakugou. Todoroki.
Three dates. Three paths.
Three sets of feelings I didn't even know how to process.How did my simple shopping trip turn into this? I didn't know the answer—but I knew one thing for sure.Tomorrow was about to be complicated.
The Triple Date Challenge
It started with an argument.
"You're too explosive for her!" Todoroki snapped, arms crossed, calm but icy.
"And you're too damn boring!" Bakugou growled. "She needs someone who can actually handle her fire."
Toga just smiled, leaning back against the wall. "You two are cute when you argue. But let's be honest—she deserves to choose."
The three of them turned to look at me. Me—sitting awkwardly in the middle of the common room, sipping a smoothie and trying to pretend I wasn't being fought over like the last slice of cake.
"She shouldn't have to guess who's right for her," Toga said, stepping forward. "Let her see it."
Bakugou scoffed. "What're you saying? A contest?"
Todoroki's eyes narrowed. "A series of dates."
I choked on my drink. "Wait—what now?"
Each of them turned to me, their eyes full of unspoken tension, nerves… and hope.
"We each get a day," Toga said casually, twirling a pen between his fingers. "One day to show her why we're the best choice."
"And at the end," Todoroki added, "you choose."
My stomach dropped. "This is insane."
Bakugou grinned. "But kinda fun, right?"
And just like that… the triple date challenge began.
Date One: Todoroki's Day
He took me to the botanical gardens—quiet, serene, full of color and life. We walked under flowering arches and beside koi ponds. He talked more than usual, telling me stories from his childhood, his favorite tea blends, even how nervous he was to ask me out.
Under a glass dome full of cherry blossoms, he reached for my hand. "With you, I don't feel cold anymore."
Date Two: Bakugou's Day
He surprised me with a trip to a go-kart track. Loud, fast, competitive—just like him. We raced, trash-talked, and laughed until I almost forgot why we were there.
Afterward, we grabbed spicy noodles from a street stall. He walked me home under the stars, quiet now, gentler somehow.
At my door, he muttered, "You're the only person who makes me want to be better. That's gotta mean something."
Date Two: Bakugou's Day
He surprised me with a trip to a go-kart track. Loud, fast, competitive—just like him. We raced, trash-talked, and laughed until I almost forgot why we were there.
Afterward, we grabbed spicy noodles from a street stall. He walked me home under the stars, quiet now, gentler somehow.
At my door, he muttered, "You're the only person who makes me want to be better. That's gotta mean something."
Date Three: Toga's Day
His day was the most unpredictable. A thrift shop scavenger hunt, milkshakes at a retro diner, and dancing under neon signs in the city plaza. Everything was spontaneous, full of mischief—but weirdly sweet.
At the end of the night, he brought me to the park, where he'd first asked me out.
"Life's a mess," he said, his voice low. "But with you, it doesn't feel so broken."