(Kata POV – Karaoke Box)
The room gradually shifts from chatter towards its intended purpose as people start drifting toward the mic and flipping through the song selection menu.
The karaoke machine's cheerful jingle plays over the speakers, and the glowing screen pulses with neon pastels, casting a soft glow over everyone's faces.
As expected, there's a clear divide—those who are practically vibrating with excitement, and those glued to their seats like they're one wrong move from being dragged to center stage.
Jiro leans back on her seat, arms crossed, eyes scanning the screen with feigned disinterest. Tokoyami mutters something under his breath that probably includes the word "darkness." And Koda... well, he smiles sheepishly and nervously pets a hamster poking its head from his collar.
And then there's—
"Me first!!" Mina shouts, already halfway to the front, one hand raised high like she's trying to be called on in class. She slides between classmates with fluid, dance-like ease, twirls once for good measure, and yoinks the mic before anyone can react.
She spins around, triumphant, facing us with a cheeky grin. "Too slow~!" She sings, sticking out her tongue and throwing up a peace sign.
"Hey!!" Kaminari cries. "I called dibs in my head."
"Then you should've used your mouth, genius." Kirishima claps a hand on his shoulder with a laugh. "Guess I'll be second!"
Kaminari looks at him like he just got stabbed. "Bro… I trusted you."
Kirishima shrugs, entirely unrepentant. "Gotta claim your place in line. That's the way the world works."
"Fine! Third! I'm definitely third!" Kaminari says loudly, scanning the room, daring anyone to challenge him. And no one does, since the extroverts have been exhausted.
Most of the others chuckle but stay seated. There's amusement, curiosity… and maybe a little secondhand panic at the idea of singing in front of everyone.
I observe from my spot near the back, comfortably settled with Eri in my lap. Her eyes are locked on the front, wide and gleaming, soaking up every sound and shimmer with wide-eyed wonder.
"Do we sing now?" She asks innocently, looking up at me.
"They're fighting over who goes first," I explain. "Looks like Mina won, Kirishima's up next, and Kaminari ended up third."
Eri frowns thoughtfully. "What about us?"
"…Do you want to sing?" I ask, already bracing for the answer.
She nods without hesitation. "Yeah! I wanna sing with you!" Her grin shines with unfiltered joy, and she kicks her legs lightly, almost bouncing in place.
"I've never sung before," I admit, already picturing the trainwreck that will be my attempt. "I'd probably be bad at it."
"I've never sung either," Eri replies simply. "We can be bad together."
I stare at her, speechless for a moment, before sighing in defeat. 'Yeah… that sounds like something you'd say.'
"…Fine," I say. "We'll be bad together."
Her smile somehow gets brighter.
Meanwhile, Mina has finally settled on her song—a vibrant, high-energy K-pop number that instantly fills the room with electric rhythm. The moment the beat drops, she's no longer just Mina Ashido, the hero course student.
She's a star.
The screen behind her flashes with swirling visuals. The bass pulses through the floor. She grips the mic with confident ease, and her voice comes alive — playful, excited, upbeat, and shockingly in sync with the rapid Korean lyrics scrolling across the screen.
But what really stuns the room is her movement.
She dances.
Not just bouncing or stepping in place, but a full choreography. Sharp pops of the shoulder, smooth body rolls, tight footwork that flows from pose to pose like a pro on stage. Every spin, every arm flick, every pivot is timed with the beat. Her pink curls bounce with each step, and her eyes sparkle with pure joy.
"Whoa…" Someone whispers.
"Yooo she's killing it!" Kaminari adds, leaning forward with wide eyes.
"Tch…" Even Bakugo grunts in begrudging approval, arms crossed but watching intently, his frown deepening.
'He's probably thinking about how to one-up her.' I think. 'I don't think he stands a chance.'
I glance down at Eri, who's practically vibrating in my lap.
"Wow!" She gasps, grabbing my sleeve with both hands. "She's so cool! Look at her move!"
"I'm looking," I say with a soft chuckle. "So is everyone else."
And it's true. No one's even talking anymore. We just watch in amazement as Mina moves—even Jiro, who had been arms-crossed and aloof a minute ago, now has her fingers twitching with the beat, her expression more eager than before, like she wants to jump in and join.
Mina finishes the verse with a flawless turn and finishes her chorus with one final power pose—flashing a dazzling smile and throwing her free hand high in the air.
The room immediately erupts.
Cheers. Claps. Even a few loud whistles from Kaminari and Sero.
Mina just bows dramatically, panting slightly but grinning happily. "Thank you, thank you! I'll be here all week!"
Kirishima hollers, "It's a tough act to follow, but I'll give it my all!"
Eri claps enthusiastically. "That was amazing!!"
I nod in agreement, also clapping my hands with a smile, watching as Mina struts back to her seat, basking in the praise. "She really went all in."
"She looked like a idol!" Eri gushes, still mesmerized.
"Yeah…" I say, watching her, cheeks flushed and smiling. "She really owned it."
Mina struts off the stage, still glowing from her electrifying performance. She twirls the mic once in her hand before holding it out to Kirishima with a playful grin.
"I'm expecting big things, Red Riot." She teases in a sing-song voice. "Don't let me down."
Kirishima laughs and accepts the mic with a dramatic bow. "I'll give it everything I've got!" He declares with his usual boundless energy.
As Mina rejoins the others, the girls immediately pounce and shower her with praise, questions, and teasing admiration. She beams under the attention, giggling as she deals with her new fans.
Kirishima, meanwhile, stands in front of the screen with a focused expression as he scrolls through the massive song list.
"C'mon, what screams manly?" He mutters mostly to himself.
Then he stops.
A familiar guitar riff kicks in as he smacks the "Confirm" button. His grin returns—wide, eager, and fired up.
"Oh yeah. This one's perfect!" He shouts, gripping the mic like a sword. "This one's for all my bros!" He shouts.
Then, as the girls give him pointed looks, he adds with a sheepish laugh, "You guys too are my bros too!" He says with such sincerity, that they find it hard to argue.
The first chords of a gritty J-rock anthem blast through the speakers. It's fast-paced, loud, and heart-pounding. Kirishima jumps in without hesitation.
He doesn't have Mina's polish, not even close. His timing's a little off. His pitch wavers here and there.
But none of that matters.
Because the guy is belting it. Each line is a war cry—raw, unrefined, and blazing with conviction. His voice cracks in places from the sheer force of his efforts, but it only makes it feel more real. It's like he's singing straight from his soul, uncaring whether he's good or bad, and just unleashing his passion.
I glance around the room, and the effect is obvious.
Heads start bobbing in time with the beat. Sero throws a fist in the air. Even Todoroki taps his fingers against the table. Cheers erupt every time Kirishima punches through a chorus, and people shout the lyrics back at him like they're at a concert.
I find myself tapping along, and even Eri's head bobs to the rhythm.
"This is awesome!" She yells up at me with wide, starry eyes.
"You like music like this?" I ask in surprise.
"I don't know!" She says cheerfully. "But it's fun, so I think I do!"
'Fair enough.' I think speechless. 'Why complicate it?'
Kirishima finishes strong, dropping into a power pose on the final note, the music echoing around him. He stands tall, grinning ear to ear, panting just slightly from the effort.
"How was that?!" He calls out, lifting the mic into the air.
The crowd explodes in response.
"Super manly!" Mina cheers, throwing her arms up.
"Totally rocked it!" Sero adds.
"Very spirited, Kirishima," Aoyama says, striking a dramatic pose of his own.
"Yeah! That was so cool!" Eri chimes in, her own arms raised high.
Kirishima beams and makes his way over to Kaminari, handing him the mic with a clap on the back. "Alright, buddy. You're up!"
Kaminari gulps.
The confidence he'd been radiating earlier evaporates the moment he touches the mic. He stares at it like it's a loaded gun.
"Uhhh… Okay…" He mumbles, shuffling up to the screen. "Lemme just… find the right song…"
He scrolls. And scrolls. Then scrolls faster.
He's sweating bullets.
Eventually, he stops on a pop-rock hit. It's catchy, upbeat, and flashy. Something he thinks he can manage.
He clears his throat and turns toward the crowd. "Ahem. Prepare to be amazed." He announces dramatically.
It might've sounded believable if his voice didn't crack halfway through and if he wasn't visibly trembling.
"You got this, dude!" Sero calls out, clapping.
"Give it your best shot!" Kirishima nods encouragingly.
Eri pumps her little fist. "Go, Kaminari!"
Even I give him a subtle thumbs-up.
Bolstered by the support, Kaminari straightens up, cracks his neck theatrically… and the music starts.
He launches into the lyrics immediately… a moment too early. The words are off-tempo, and sometimes completely wrong. His voice rises and falls in weird places, and halfway through the first verse, he throws in a body roll that looks more like he's slipping on a banana peel.
But instead of groans or awkward silence, the room fills with laughter.
Not cruel laughter.
Warm, contagious laughter. The kind that turns a bad performance into a shared joke, something everyone's a part of.
The girls start singing along, out of tune on purpose. The boys clap along, stomping their feet in time with the beat. Even Jiro snorts and covers her face, while Tokoyami actually smiles… just a little.
It's chaotic and messy… but it's just like them to do this.
And Kaminari, to his credit, leans into it. He starts hamming it up—twirls the mic like a cowboy, throws in finger guns between verses, flubs a lyric so badly he just replaces it with a loud "YEAH!"
By the end, he's dancing like a malfunctioning robot and grinning like a madman.
The song ends with a final flurry of claps and improvised dance moves, and the room erupts again—clapping, laughing, cheering.
"Now that was a performance!" Sero says through wheezing laughter.
"Not gonna lie, you were awful." Mina laughs. "But it was so good. I should've been recording."
"Don't worry. I had it all on camera," Momo says serenely, holding up a 4K rig that no one saw her take out.
Kaminari pales. "You WHAT—" He begins to panic, but smiles from all around shut him up. He pretends to cough, putting on a charming smile.
"I mean… exactly as planned." Kaminari says with mock pride, straightening his collar, although I catch him nervously glancing at Momo's camera.
He's still beaming though, flushed with adrenaline, and for a second—you'd think he really did plan all of it.
I shake my head and take a sip of juice.
'This class…' I think, not for the first time, 'is ridiculous.'
But that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Even Eri is giggling at the joyous atmosphere.
"So, who's up next?" Kaminari asks with a dramatic spin of the mic, waving it around like a trophy.
This time, there's no awkward silence. No averted gazes or half-hearted mutters.
Instead, hands start going up.
Kaminari's chaotic, ridiculous performance seemed to shake off everyone's fear of judgment. The mood has changed, and everyone realised that they just need to have fun, not be perfect.
Uraraka is the first to step forward.
She hesitates slightly at the mic, rubbing her fingers together anxiously, but eventually smiles and selects a soft, dreamy pop love song. The intro plays—a gentle piano melody—and she closes her eyes, swaying slightly as she begins.
Her voice is light and sweet, and a little unsure at first… but it's warm and genuine.
As she hits the chorus, her voice steadies, confidence finally blooming. She opens her eyes, smiling as she sings about the attraction that makes one fall in love.
Across the room, Midoriya is blushing so hard it looks like steam will start pouring from his ears.
'He's probably hoping she's singing about him.'
The rest of the girls begin swaying softly in time with the beat, caught up in the moment. But I catch a few glances from them in between verses—Mina, Momo, and... Toru?
Their cheeks are a little pink, and they're all doing a very poor job of pretending they aren't looking directly at me.
Even Eri sees it. She looks up at me from my lap with a sly grin that's way too mature for her age.
I raise an eyebrow in return.
She just shrugs smugly and sips from her juice box.
And before they realise it, the others notice. Whispers spread, and the other girls give them a few nudges, some smirks, and even Sero raises an eyebrow at me knowingly.
'There's nothing to know.' I mutter internally. But now's not the time—or place—to argue my case.
Uraraka finishes with a radiant smile and a little bow. Everyone claps, though the applause is softer, warmer, more touched than entertained.
Then Sero stands up, ready to go next.
"Alright, alright, I got this." He says with a wide grin. But before he even picks a song—
"Hold up!" Mina yells, leaping out of her seat. "I'm joining you!"
Sero blinks. "What—"
"No backing out now." She grabs the second mic, smirking without a care in the world.
She picks a song that turns out to be a wild, chaotic duet—something similar to "Barbie Girl." High-pitched voices, ridiculous dance moves, and over-the-top theatrics.
Mina leans into every line, hamming it up, while Sero tries to keep up, getting more dramatic the worse it gets.
And everyone loves it.
Laughter echoes off the walls, and by the time they finish, they're both wheezing, and the applause is thunderous.
Momo is next.
She steps up with practiced poise, choosing a classical ballad with a string-heavy intro and slow, operatic melody.
Her voice is elegant, and controlled. A little too formal, but it suits her. She closes her eyes and sings with her whole body, standing perfectly straight as she sings.
About halfway through, a second voice joins in.
Jiro.
She steps up beside her, clearly embarrassed but holding the second mic tightly. As the ballad shifts into a more modern pop arrangement, they harmonize—Momo's classical precision melding with Jiro's low, rich tone.
The transition is seamless, beautiful, and completely unexpected.
When the final note fades, the room is stunned for a moment… then explodes into applause.
Jiro hides behind her bangs, red-faced.
"You've been holding that back this whole time?!" Mina gasps, leaping from her seat. "You traitor!"
Jiro gets absolutely mobbed. Mina grabs her arm. Toru clings to her side. Even Uraraka and Sero start throwing compliments, and she looks like she wants to melt into the floor.
Then Midoriya steps up, and picks All Might's theme song.
The moment the fanfare blares from the speakers, I audibly sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose.
He sings it so seriously, too. He even mimics All Might's heroic poses between verses, face filled with unwavering conviction.
No one mocks him. Not even Bakugo. We clap along.
Tsuyu and Tokoyami take the next turn. They're an unexpected duo.
Of course they'd pick the most haunting track on the list. It's a dark, atmospheric R&B track with heavy bass and echoing harmonies. Tsuyu's voice is low and calm, while Tokoyami brings in a soft, almost whisper-like tone that fits the gothic vibe perfectly.
The mood shifts again, and everyone listens in silence, almost entranced.
When they finish, the applause is less chaotic, but more respectful.
But then… comes the wildcard.
"Oi!" Bakugo growls from the back, arms crossed.
Everyone turns.
"I'll do one."
The silence is deafening. Even the music system seems to pause in anticipation.
He stomps up, brows furrowed, and picks a metalcore track. It's a loud and aggressive wall of noise and rage.
The second it starts, he roars into the mic.
It's not just mindless yelling. It seems practiced, and has a strange rhythm. His voice tears through the room. And the chorus? He nails it. Screams, then clean vocals. Every beat is punctuated by stomps and movements that make the room vibrate.
And when he finishes—BOOM!
He ends with a small explosion that blasts a puff of smoke behind him for dramatic flair.
Silence.
Then thunderous applause. Shocked laughter. Kirishima's yelling something about how it was so manly.
One by one, everyone takes the mic, even the quiet Koda, and eventually…
Everyone's gone.
Everyone except…
'Me and Eri.'
She's already hopped down from my lap and is tugging at my hand.
"Come on, Kata! It's our turn!" She says with an excited grin.
I glance around and everyone's watching us excitedly now. The final act.
I sigh.
'The end is near.' I groan.
But I get up anyway and face the inevitable.
**************
A/N: Hello everyone. I hope you're having a great day so far.
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So this is the chapter. Initially planned on Kata and Eri singing here, but decided to expand on it. I don't know if I focused too much on everyone's dynamic, or if I should've just summarised, but it adds life to everything, so I thought it was good.
There isn't much to comment on this chapter, so I hope you enjoyed it. Look forward to the next one😁
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