Chapter 74: How I really feel

[3rd POV]

Kaede quickly backed off as the curtain closed. Her mind was dizzy, and she felt steam coming from her head. Kaede glanced away from Shoto with embarrassment.

Shoto still can't believe what happened, and an intensifying fear sprouts inside him: 'Does she hate me now....' Shoto thought to himself with despair.

"Kaede, I'm sorry, I," Shoto said with guilt as he slowly approached her.

"No, it's fine...." Kaede replied with a blushed face.

"But I..."

"We have to do it, or else the play would've been ruined," Kaede explained, her voice showing that she wanted no further arguments.

Shoto nodded but still felt awful: "Are you truly okay?"

Kaede smiled gently: "Thanks Shoto-Kun. I am fine."

"Besides," Kaede said as she played with her fingers: "It's not like we're strangers, and if I have to kiss someone in our class, I would've picked you..." Kaede quietly muttered the last part.

"Huh?" Shoto couldn't believe what he had just heard.

Before he could say anything, Kaede smiled before walking away; her back was facing him to hide her embarrassment: "We should go; our friends were waiting."

However, as Kaede was about to leave, Shoto grabbed her hand: "Do you want to visit the school festival.... together?"

Kaede turned around. She glanced at Shoto and blushed once more: "Sure... I like that."

Shoto's eyes lit up as his heart was now thrashing in his chest, he let go of Kaede, and they went to meet up with the class backstage. When Kaede and Shoto arrived, all their friends ran toward them while smiling. They praised the two for their fantastic performance, especially in the final scene. Hearing this, Kaede and Shoto's faces turned red and they stared at the ground.

"You two were amazing!" Mina cheered.

However, Kaede wasn't looking for praises when she stared at Mina with a devilish smile: "Care to explain?"

"Heh heh, explain what?" Mina nervously chuckled while averting her friend's gaze.

Before Kaede could say anything, Mina immediately bolted.

"Come back here!" Kaede screamed and chased after her.

Everyone laughed as Kaede and Mina ran out of the room. They all focused on Shoto: " Sooooooo... How is it?" Denki joked.

Shoto ignored Denki as he sat on a chair: "I... think... I think today will be the day I tell her how I truly feel..."

Shoto then told the class that he invited Kaede to walk around the school festival with him and intended to tell her at the end of the day. All his friends were shocked; they did not expect Shoto will tell them this: "Wah, so romantic!" Toru exclaimed, and the rest of Class 1-A nodded.

"But I'm scared...." Shoto said.

"What's there to be afraid of?" Tsuyu asked while tilting her head.

"What if she rejects me?" Shoto asked with a grim expression.

Hearing this, Shoto's friends stayed silent before laughing wildly. Shoto was irked by their behaviour: "What's so funny!?" He growled with annoyance.

However, they all just told Shoto to not worry about it; they all gave him their blessing and wished him luck. Shoto smiled and nodded in thanks. Suddenly, the backstage door was blown off its hinges before being slashed into pieces. Two figures were standing by the doorway with red demonic eyes glaring at the students.

"There you are, you little sh*t..." Itachi muttered and he pointed his sword at Shoto, "I always knew there's something wrong about you and I was right!"

Fugaku: "I'm going to f*cking kill you,"

Shoto's friends started slowly backing away as Itachi and Fugaku dashed towards Shoto with their weapons drawn. Before they could reach Shoto, two whips made of water wrapped Itachi and Fugaku by the neck and yanked them back towards the door.

"Sorry about my husband and son; they were just a bit emotional because of how great the show is," Mikoto responded with a smile and held the whips with her hands.

"H..Hi Miss Uchiha!" Ochako nervously greeted Kaede's mother.

"Hello, Uraraka-san, you did greate" Mikoto complimented.

Fugaku and Itachi tried to break free, but Mikoto pulled on the rope as the two men started to suffocate, "Anyway, we will go have fun at the school festival now; say hi to Kaede for me," Mikoto said and left, dragging the two Uchiha with her.

When the Uchiha family left, Kaede soon returned, "Ow ow ow, I'm sorry, Kaede-chan!" Mina cried and was holding her by the horns.

"You're sorry?" Kaede raised her eyebrow.

Mina whimpered, and Kaede let go: "Hey, what's going on here?" Kaede asked curiously as she saw her friends crowding around Shoto.

Kaede's friends looked at each other before grinning. They grabbed the two of them and pushed them out of the room.

"We will do the clean-up; you two have fun!" Momo explained and she created a metal barricade on the doorway.

Kaede was confused by her friends' weird behaviours; she shrugged and tapped Shoto on the shoulder: "Cmon, let's go."

Kaede and Shoto changed out of their costumes and went to have fun at the festival. Meanwhile, the Uchiha family were buying candy apples for Eri. Itachi and Fugaku dawned grim expressions and they still couldn't ignore what had just happened.

Seeing this, Mikoto sighed: "You two need to relax."

"I can't just 'relax' after what I saw," Fugaku stated with agitation.

"Father's right; we need to do something about this," Itachi added.

Itachi and Fugaku immediately voiced their complaints. However, Mikoto answered their concerns with a carefree attitude: "I understand the both of you were worried, but you need to have faith in Kaede."

"How can you be so sure?" Fugaku asked while Itachi nodded.

"Because mother knows best... Besides, I have already done an intense background check, and the boy seemed to be a good person." Fugaku's wife casually dropped a bombshell, stunning Itachi and Fugaku. However, it didn't stop there, as what Mikoto said shocked them even more.

"But, if he ever hurt my daughter, I will ensure that boy won't be having children ever again...." Mikoto said with the coldest and most venomous tone that Itachi and Fugaku have ever heard. She accidentally unleashed heavy pressure as the bystanders beside them almost collapsed from fright.

Itachi and Fugaku gulped at the new side of Mikoto and they slightly shivered. She returned to her smiling appearance and walked away with the oblivious Eri, and the two men quietly followed after her.

A few hours later...

Kaede and Shoto spent the rest of their days cruising the school, visiting each stall other classes make. On their journey, many people praised them for their performance. They heard that Class 1-B also had a play, but it can't compare to Class 1-A's show.

Kaede and Shoto tried many delicious foods and participated in multiple fun activities, such as the haunted house, which Kaede was terrified of, the obstacle course and extraordinary exhibitions from other classes. As the day started to end, they sat in a secluded area, overlooking the UA students, packing up the stalls and ending the tiring day.

"Today was fun, Shoto-Kun," Kaede chirped happily.

Shoto remained silent as he steeled himself for what was about to come: "Can I tell you something?

"Sure, what's wrong?" Kaede asked.

Shoto stood up and gently held Kaede's hands:

"I have been feeling this way for a while now; the feeling intensified as time passed until I finally can't suppress it anymore..."

"You're always there for me when I mess up, constantly telling me that I'm strong when I think I am weak. Kaede, you're the one I can rely on the most, and I wish to be the person you can rely on..."

"Shoto-Kun..." Kaede muttered.

"I love your tender and radiant smile that gives us warmth."

"I love your indiscriminating kindness that motivates all of us to try our best."

"I love the unwavering flame in your heart that burns brighter by the day."

"I love you..."

"This is my honest thoughts, and I hope you will accept it..."

Shoto let out all his feelings in one go and was out of breath. Kaede was stunned and she stared at him for what felt like an eternity; there was nothing but silence. As every second passed by, Shoto's fear grew and grew.

Shoto felt a pain in his heart and glanced down with sadness, but suddenly, Kaede leaned in as their lips pressed together. His fear was immediately washed away, and Shoto's eyes widened with surprise. This kiss was different from the time of the play as Shoto could feel the warmth and affection from Kaede; this was her genuine feeling.

As Shoto and Kaede separated, there was a perpetual blush on their faces: "Is that a good enough answer for you?" Kaede teased.

Shoto nodded, "Thank you..... For not rejecting me...." he sincerely thanked her.

Kaede smiled softly: "You're welcome."

The two then watched the sunset before deciding it was time to go back. Shoto offered his hand, Kaede blushed, and she gladly took it. When they returned to 1-A's dorm, their friends smirked before cheering for Shoto's success.

The girls poked fun at Kaede, and she pouted at first before laughing happily along with them.

"Now it's Ochako-chan's turn!" Mina loudly declared, and Ochako desperately tried to cover Mina's mouth to protect her dignity.

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I hope you enjoy it! After this, there will be a few more chapters about Shoto and Kaede's relationship and other miscellaneous things before continuing the MHA plot, so for people who are not really into romance, please bear with me for a bit!