School Festival

"Are you ready, Sunflower?" Mina asked you.

"I definitely am, Pinky!" You replied excitedly to Mina.

With all your friends' eyes on you and Mina, you played some music on your phone and the two of you started to break dance like pros that amazed everyone. 

"Get it! Hikari and Ashido!" Toru cheered. You can only imagine that she has an impressed expression based on the tone of her voice.

"You two are on fire!" Sero added.

"It appears they've bonded through dancing.⭐️" Aoyama said.

"Why the heck are you both wearing shorts underneath your skirts...!?"

Toru beat the perverted Mineta vigorously on the head for his comment. 

"Ashido's current body movements take inspiration from dance." Izuku went through his Hero notes in his notebook. "How should I put it...? It's a state of movement where your entire body is being used."

"She did those moves during combat training... and don't forget our battle during the sports festival.⭐️" Aoyama adds in a serious tone. "I'll never forget that.⭐️"

"I should try it, too..."

"Ah yeah, boy! Show us what ya got, Midoriya!!" Ashido said as if she was in a street gang.

"Uh, um... yes, ma'am!" Izuku answered nervously. 

You stood back and watched Mina teach Izuku and Aoyama how to dance. You laughed at the movements the boys made that didn't match Ashido's steps at all.

"It's great that Mina used her passion for dancing in her hero training. That takes strength and dedication." You spoke. "Sato's the same! His baking really helps his Quirk."

"Though, if we're talking about hobbies, Jiro's is pretty impressive, too!" Kaminari chimed in.

"Hey! Stop it!" Kyoka protests.

"Actually, that room of yours looked more like a recording studio! It's not just a hobby, it's your passion."

"Hey, enough already, okay?!"

"Yeah, that's gotta be a music pro's room, right!? How often do you practice? I can tell--"

Kaminari abruptly stops when Kyoka threatens him with her earphone jack.

"I mean it."

Kyoka walks to her seat and you and Kaminari just stared at her, completely confused by your friend's behavior. 

🌻

You all took your seats before the school bell rang, and your homeroom teacher told you an awesome announcement... while slipping into his signature yellow sleeping bag.

"We have a cultural festival." Mr. Aizawa said nonchalantly. 

"Yes! Normal school stuff!" The students of Class 1-A erupted with excitement. 

"Mr. Aizawa, have you visited Eri today?" Tsu asked.

"Ahh, let's table that matter."

"Cultural festival!!"

"Finally! We're doing ordinary school stuff!!"

"Let's decide what we're gonna do!"

"Hey, wait a minute!" Eijiro stood up from his desk to protest. "Is it really okay for us to be so carefree at this point on time!?!?"

"Eijiro." You were shocked by your red-haired friend's negativity. "I know you're on guard because of everything that's happened, but I don't think it's bad to have the cultural festival."

"Think about it! Villians have been increasing ever since All Might's retirement, so it's only valid!"

You stayed silent for a moment. The cultural festival sounds like a good opportunity for everyone to have fun and unwind after what happened at the training camp, the Shie Hassaikai, Sir Nighteye's death, and all that emotional baggage you've been dealing with since you entered UA. After hearing Eijiro's opinion, you wondered if you were the only one who thought that.

"That's an excellent point." Aizawa replied as he pulls up the zipper of his sleeping bag. "However, UA doesn't revolve around the Hero Course. If the Sports Festival is sponsored by the Hero Course, then the cultural festival is in the domain of the other departments. The level of exposure isn't comparable, but to them, it's an exciting festival. Moreover, the truth of the matter is that there's a considerable number of students who are stressed out from the daily activities of the Hero course and its new boarding system."

"Since you put it that way..." Eijiro seats back down apologetically. "I really don't have anything else to say... I'm sorry..."

"That is also why you shouldn't apologize so easily. This year will be different from past years. Part of the staff will be cut and the cultural festival will only occur within the school. I've said we're not the main drivers of this event, but as a rule, each class has to pick one program. Today, we'll be deciding on that."

After Mr. Aizawa fell asleep in a corner in his sleeping bag, you and your classmates came up with ideas on what to do for the cultural festival. Everyone (except Mineta) had interesting ideas, but you weren't able to narrow down the list. You, Tsu, Ochaco, Eijiro and Izuku can't really participate in the continued discussion because of supplementary classes, so you all agreed you'll go along with whatever the rest of your classmates decide. During your supplementary lessons, Mr. Aizawa said that Eri is ready to see Izuku, Toga and Horikoshi. You and Mr.Aizawa were the only ones that have been visiting Eri ever since the rescue mission, so you believed that this is great progress.

🌻

The next day, the four of you went to visit Eri at the hospital and brought her an assortment of fruits as a gift.

"It's great to see you, Eri." Izuku spoke with a smile. "I don't think we've told you our names. My name is Izuku Midoriya."

"And my name is Yuko Horikoshi!" Horikoshi beamed.

"I already know your names." Eri replied softly.

Izuku and Horikoshi looked at the little girl in surprise. 

"When Himawari visited me, she told me all about you. She told me your... Hero Names. She said your Hero names are Deku and Void. I also know Lemillion."

"Glad to hear that our Sunflower didn't forget about us when she came to see you." Togata joked.

"Hey! What made you think I forgot about you guys?" You playfully asked your upperclassan as you nudged him.

Izuku and Horikoshi chuckled. Eri paused for a minute before continuing. 

"Himawari, Void, Lemillion, Deku, and... that man with the glasses... everyone... got really hurt, all because of me..."

Nobody has told Eri about Sir Nighteye's death. If she finds out, she'll blame everything on herself and try to shoulder all of the guilt. She'll find out sooner or later, but... right now would be too cruel.

"I'm sorry you all had to experience such painful things all because of me." Eri began to cry. "It's-It's because of me that Void, that you lost your powers..."

"Eri." Void gently holds Eri's hands. "We assure you that nobody thinks that. Besides, I'm not that upset about losing my Quirk since you're okay."

"Do you wanna know what everyone is actually thinking?" Togata asked. He places his hand on Eri's head and smiles. "They're thinking: "I'm glad that Eri is safe"! It's no use apologizing to people that aren't there!! Let's take it easy. Everyone fought because they wanted to see your smiling face!"

After hearing that, Eri made a weird face then she pulled her cheeks. The four of you looked at the girl strangely, not understanding what Eri is doing.

"I'm sorry... I think I've forgotten how smiling feels."

Your heart broke for Eri. Chisaki's influence is still... that's right, this child... this child still, hasn't been saved at all.

As long as she doesn't know... what it is to truly be happy... come on. Think! What can we do to make her smile?

You were suddenly snapped out of your thoughts when Izuku got up from his seat and spoke to Mr. Aizawa who was leaning against the wall behind you.

"Mr. Aizawa, can't Eri go out for even one single day?" Izuku asked.

"It's probably not impossible, however..." Your homeroom teacher answered. "How should I put it? Where she'll be transferred to..."

"Then... Can Eri come, too...!!? To the cultural festival! Can Eri come, too!?"

You, Horikoshi and Togata realized what Izuku was getting at, and a light bulb exploded in your heads.

"Cultural festival...?" Eri looked at you with curiosity. 

"Eri! That's a great idea!" You exclaimed. "There's this thing called a "cultural festival"!"

"It's a festival put on by our school!" Horikoshi explains. "The students set up events and foods for other students to enjoy...!"

"They'll probably even have candy apples!" Togata adds excitedly. 

"Candy apples...?"

"It's an apple that becomes sweeter after being coated in a sugary substance!"

"Sweeter how...?" The thought of candy apples made Eri drool with her eyes lit up.

It's so cute to see Eri this excited about candy apples caused you to mentally spueal.

"Let's talk it over with the principal." Mr. Aizawa got out his phone.

"Well then...!" Izuku happily turns to Eri who was staring down at her hands. 

"...I-I've, been thinking, ever since I was being saved... about the people who saved me l..." Eri looks up at you and Izuku with hope filled eyes. "Lemillion, Void, and everyone else, I want to get to know them more!"

"We'll tell you more about us and everyone else until you can't take it anymore!" You smiled. "Let's start working to get the go-ahead from the principal!"

Your phone suddenly vibrated in your pocket and you pulled it out. It was a text from Katsuki. You excused yourself and went into the hospital corridor to read the text.

Katsuki Bakugou: We're gonna do a music performance.

You smiled as you read the text. A musical performance does sound like a good way to distress. Plus, if you all do great, this performance might be able to make Eri smile.

🎸

You and the others returned to Heights Alliance from your supplementary classes. When you got your boyfriend's text message, you told Izuku, Eijiro, Tsuyu and Ochaco about what the rest of Class 1-A chose for the cultural festival. 

"I see. So we've decided to go with rave Rock club music for our performance?" Tsu said.

"Having Jiro on the bass and Yaoyorozu on keyboards makes sense for sure, but..." Eijiro trails off.

"Bakugou on the drums is kind of, uh, how do I put it...?" Ochaco spoke thoughtfully.

"Shocking?" Toru answers for Ochaco.

"You got a problem with me!?" Katsuki shouts angrily. 

The three of them immediately shook their heads.

"If you want my opinion, I think the drums suit you." You said as you stride closer to your boyfriend. "I would be shocked if it was a classical instrument, but I find it hot that you play the drums.❤️"

Katsuki blushed and turned his head away from you.

"W-whatever, dumbass."

You giggled. Even though your explosive boyfriend responded rudely to your flirtatious comment, you know that he actually appreciates it.

"I love you, too, Blasty." You shifted your gaze to Kyoka. "So, who's going to do vocals?"

"We haven't figured that part out yet." Kyoka answered. 

"Huh? Doesn't it have to be you, Jiro?" Ochaco queried.

You and Tsu agreed with Ochaco because it makes the most sense. You all are going to use her instruments and she is helping you all out the most with this thanks to her knowledge of music. Why shouldn't she be the lead singer?

"Lead singers get all the chicks. I could do it." Mineta quickly volunteers. 

"Just imagine a singing disco ball." Aoyama says with his usual charming smile. "C'est magnifique!⭐️"

"Guy! Not to brag, but I'm a pretty awesome singer!" Eijiro says proudly while pointing to himself. 

To prove his claim, Eijiro sang "Captain of The Ship" by Nagabuchi Tsuyoshi. His singing was okay, but it was the wrong genre. Mineta sang, too... sort of. Honestly, he was just shouting a jumble of words and characteristics. Aoyama wasn't actually singing either. He was just doing falsetto. In other words, none of them were approved. 

"Hikari, why don't you give it a try?" Mina asked you.

"Sure-- wait, what?!" You were baffled by Mina's suggestion. 

You don't mind singing, but you would rather sing alone in your room than sing in front of over a hundred students that hate the Hero course. Your pink friend gives you the mic before you could decline. The gazes of your classmates made you really anxious. If you're this nervous about singing with your friends' eyes on you, it's clear that you are not a good candidate either.

"Uh... you know what, singing isn't really my strong suit, so it would be ten times better if Kyoka's the singer instead!"

You gave the mic to Kyoka and was able to convince her to do it. Everyone was blowing away by how well she sang. Her singing sounds like that of an angel's. When she finished, you all cheered and praised Kyoka for her singing which made her flustered. 

"... Okay then, that's that..." Kyoka pulled herself together and held up three fingers. "Now!! We need guitarists!! Three of them!"

Kaminari and Mineta shot their hands up to volunteer. 

"Playing an instrument is so cooool!!"

"Let me do it!!"

"I'll just break the strings." Eijiro says in disappointment. 

"Don't you dare volunteer unless you're gonna kill it, dunce face." Katsuki remarked to the electric blonde. 

"Yeah! I totally will!" Kaminari grabs a yellow electric guitar and plays it like a rock star. "The guitar is the star of every rock band."

You glanced at Mineta who was trying to play a red electric guitar. Because of his little arms and hands, he couldn't play the instrument. 

"My fingers won't reach because of my character design!" Mineta cried out as he ran away from the string instrument in tears.

Character Design?

Deciding what you want to do in the band, you picked up the guitar and played an amazing guitar riff. Everyone except Mineta looked at you in awe.

"It's like that riff is speaking directly to my heart." Eijiro said, amazed by your guitar skills.

"Damn. I didn't know you can play the guitar." Katsuki commented in surprise. 

"I started taking guitar lessons right before middle school." You said. "I almost gave up because of the F Chord."

Tokoyami puts a hand on your shoulder. 

"You are not the only one who has struggled with the F Chord." He mentions. "I put down the axe completely because of it."

(The F Chord is something all beginners on the guitar struggle with. It's the first hurdle!)

"Hey, Mineta, if you can't play, I'll play for you." You called out to the little grape that was sulking in the corner.

"Same here." Tokoyami adds.

"Have it your way, dammit." Mineta spat bitterly. "This is bullshit, bullshit. Just end already, cultural festival. Everyone's talents be damned."

You felt kind of bad for Mineta. He really does want to be in the spotlight. His main reason was to be popular with girls, but still.

"Mineta!" Mina speaks to the little guy. "Will you join thevdance team if we put together a harem for you?"

"The cultural festival can't come soon enough!"

Mineta cried tears of joy and he cheered up in an instant. 

"Hey, Katsuki." You called out to your boyfriend. "I can't wait to hear you beat those drums to death!"

"Oh, yeah?" Katsuki smirked. "You better not half-ass it on that guitar, dumbass!"

"Like hell I will! Did you not hear that riff I played seconds ago! I should be telling you that, Blasty!"

As you and Katsuki playfully argued, just like every student in UA, you can't for the cultural festival to come!

To Be Continued...