The air in the U.A. gymnasium crackled with barely contained energy, an almost palpable buzz that had nothing to do with quirks and everything to do with hormones and shimmering tulle. This was it. Third year prom. My last hurrah before the real world, before the relentless grind of becoming a pro hero truly began. And the theme? "Fantasy Land." Fucking ridiculous.
I adjusted the stiff collar of my borrowed tux. Borrowed wasn't quite the right word. "Strong-armed" was more accurate. Mina, in all her pink, glittery glory, had practically frog-marched me to a rental shop, insisting I couldn't possibly spend my last U.A. prom moping in my dorm room.
"Come on, Bakugo! Loosen up! It's PROM!" she'd shrieked, her pink skin practically vibrating with excitement. "Everyone deserves a little magic!"
Magic. As if. I was about as likely to encounter a friendly dragon as I was to enjoy myself tonight. Still, I'd caved. Mostly because Mina was relentless, but also, a tiny, shameful part of me didn't want to be alone on prom night. So here I was, dressed like some goddamn Disney prince, navigating a throng of giggling, shimmering classmates.
The gym had been transformed, I'll give them that. Fairy lights twinkled like captured stars, casting a soft glow on the make-believe forest constructed from draped fabrics and plastic trees. A cardboard castle loomed over the refreshment tables, and someone had even managed to conjure (probably with Yaoyorozu's help) a fog machine that puffed out wisps of artificial mist. The whole thing reeked of cheap perfume and forced whimsy.
I spotted Kirishima near the punch bowl, his crimson hair styled to a perfect, gravity-defying point. He was laughing with Denki and Sero, and for a moment, I felt a pang of something akin to envy. They looked…happy. Unburdened.
"Bakugo!" Mina's voice cut through the music, and she materialized beside me, radiating pink energy like a walking supernova. "There you are! I was starting to think you'd blasted your way out of here!"
"Wouldn't put it past me," I grumbled, stuffing my hands into my pockets.
"Don't be such a grump! I'm going to introduce you to some people!" Before I could protest, she was dragging me towards a group of girls dressed as various fairytale creatures.
The next hour was a blur of awkward small talk and forced smiles. I answered questions about my quirk, dodged attempts to dance, and generally tried to blend into the background like a grumpy, tuxedo-clad gargoyle.
Then, just when I thought I couldn't take another minute of forced pleasantries, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I glanced at the screen. Unknown number. Probably a wrong number.
"Excuse me," I muttered, stepping away from Mina's latest victim, a girl dressed as a particularly sparkly unicorn.
I walked towards a quieter corner of the gym, near a fake waterfall that gurgled annoyingly. Taking a deep breath, I answered the call.
"Bakugo Katsuki speaking," I barked, my voice sharper than intended.
"Mr. Bakugo, this is Dr. Eleanor Vance from the California Hero Institute."
My heart stopped. The California Hero Institute. CHI. It was the top heroics college in the United States, renowned for its rigorous training program and cutting-edge research. It was my dream school, the place I'd obsessed over since I was a kid. I'd applied months ago, sending them everything I had, my blood, sweat, and damn near my soul.
"Dr. Vance?" I croaked, trying to keep my voice steady. "I…I applied to CHI."
"Yes, Mr. Bakugo. And we were incredibly impressed with your application, your transcripts, and, of course, your practical demonstrations. We believe you have the potential to become an exceptional hero."
A wave of dizziness washed over me. This was it. This was what I'd been working towards my entire life.
"We'd like to offer you a full scholarship to the Institute," Dr. Vance continued, her voice warm and encouraging. "We think you'd thrive here, Mr. Bakugo. You'd have access to the best training facilities, the most advanced technology, and the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest heroes in the world."
I could barely breathe. "A scholarship? Really?"
"Yes. Of course, there's a catch."
The catch. There was always a catch.
"Due to the competitive nature of our program, we require all scholarship recipients to begin their studies in late August. That's just a few short weeks away."
A few weeks. That meant leaving Japan almost immediately after graduation. Leaving my family, my friends, everything I knew.
"I…I don't know what to say," I stammered, my mind racing.
"Think about it, Mr. Bakugo. This is a significant opportunity. But it's also a significant decision. We need your answer by the end of the week."
"The end of the week?"
"Yes. We have other candidates waiting. I understand this is a lot to process. Take your time. Weigh your options. And call me when you're ready."
Dr. Vance gave me her number and hung up.
I stood there, phone clutched in my hand, the music from the dance floor seeming to taunt me. The air felt thick, suffocating.
This was it. My dream, right in the palm of my hand. But grasping it meant letting go of everything else.
I looked around the gym. Mina was laughing with Kirishima, her pink hair bouncing. Denki was trying to teach Sero some ridiculous dance move. Even that damn Deku was here, awkwardly chatting with Uraraka, his face flushed. These were my friends, my rivals, my family. We'd fought side-by-side, bled side-by-side, grown up side-by-side. Could I really leave them?
Could I really leave Japan? This was my home. My training ground. The place where I'd honed my quirk, where I'd discovered my purpose. Could I really abandon it all for a chance at something bigger, something better?
The thought of CHI, of the unparalleled training, the cutting-edge technology, the chance to become the absolute best, tugged at me with irresistible force. It was a chance to surpass everyone, to prove myself on a global stage. It was a chance to become a hero unlike any the world had ever seen.
But the thought of leaving my friends, leaving my family, leaving the only life I'd ever known, filled me with a cold, hollow dread.
I knew what everyone would say. They'd tell me to follow my dreams, to seize the opportunity, to become the hero I was destined to be. They'd tell me I was crazy to even consider staying.
But they weren't me. They didn't understand the weight of the choice, the agonizing pull between ambition and loyalty, between self-fulfillment and belonging.
I walked back towards the dance floor, the music a monotonous drone in my ears. Mina spotted me and grinned, pulling me towards her.
"Come on, Bakugo! Lighten up! It's prom, remember? Let's dance!"
I stared at her, at her bright eyes and carefree smile. I wanted to tell her, to tell everyone, about the phone call, about the impossible decision I had to make. But the words wouldn't come.
Instead, I forced a smile, took her hand, and stepped onto the dance floor. The music swelled, the lights pulsed, and for a fleeting moment, I forgot about the California Hero Institute, about the scholarship, about the future that stretched before me, uncertain and unknown.
For a fleeting moment, I was just a kid at prom, dancing with his friend, caught in the magic of a fantasy world.
But the magic couldn't last. The call, the choice, loomed over me like a thundercloud, a reminder that the real world, with all its complexities and compromises, was waiting just around the corner. And I had a damn hard decision to make.