"So everyone here is from U.A.'s Hero Course."
After randomly running into Momo Yaoyorozu and the others, Melissa led everyone to an outdoor cafe at I-Expo.
She looked surprised when she heard where they were from.
"We came because Class A got invited. It's no big deal. We're just future heroes," Kyoka Jiro said with a small laugh.
"Midoriya, where'd you meet such a pretty girl?"
"Introduce us too!"
Denki Kaminari and Minoru Mineta walked over, squinting at Melissa while whispering to Izuku.
"Uh…"
Izuku looked uncomfortable.
"My family got invited because we're one of the sponsors for I-Expo. It's just a shame another classmate couldn't make it."
Momo Yaoyorozu, as always, accidentally highlighted how different her background was from everyone else's.
But as she spoke, she thought about the person who'd disappeared somewhere after their work studies, and her expression dropped a little.
"That's too bad. Actually, my boyfriend was busy today too, but he should make it to the party tonight,"
Melissa clapped her hands and smiled. "Oh, and he's also from U.A., so he's kind of your classmate, right?"
Everyone froze. Mineta and Kaminari looked crushed, collapsing to the ground, muttering, "She... she has a boyfriend…"
"He's from U.A. too?"
Kyoka Jiro blinked, surprised.
"So are you two doing long distance?"
Ochaco Uraraka and Momo Yaoyorozu, on the other hand, looked really interested.
To be fair, girls love gossip about stuff like this.
"From U.A.? Who is it?!"
"No way! He landed a foreign chick without anyone even knowing. I'm not letting him off!"
Kaminari and Mineta looked super jealous.
Wanting to show off, Melissa completely forgot that Arthur had never actually confirmed their relationship. She pulled up her phone's wallpaper.
She showed everyone a selfie of her and Arthur standing close together at the Carnival Park.
"See? Arthur-kun won this year's U.A. Sports Festival. Now even a lot of US media call his Quirk 'the strongest in the world.'"
Melissa waved the photo around, her other hand on her chest, looking proud.
Just like guys show off when they have a hot girlfriend, girls can't help showing off when they have an awesome boyfriend.
Gulp…
Izuku, Kaminari, and Mineta all swallowed at the same time.
Cold sweat ran down their faces as they couldn't help glancing at Momo Yaoyorozu.
Kyoka and Ochaco had similar expressions, frozen as they looked at Momo.
A dark, almost foggy aura seemed to rise up around her.
"Huh? What's wrong? Everyone, d-do you not know Arthur-kun?"
Melissa still didn't seem to notice anything weird. She blinked her big eyes.
"No, no, no, hahaha, it's just that we didn't expect... we really didn't expect…"
Ochaco waved her hands quickly, trying to explain.
Kyoka Jiro kept whispering to Momo, "Momo, chill, chill, chill…"
"I-I really didn't expect Arthur-kun to be Melissa-san's boyfriend. I wonder where he is right now?"
Yaoyorozu spoke with a faint smile.
But that smile sent chills down Kaminari's spine.
Melissa still didn't seem to notice the coldness in Momo's voice. She pouted. "Arthur-kun took a request from the Hero Association yesterday, so he's probably investigating something. But he should make it to the party tonight, so you'll see him then."
"Is that so? That's wonderful."
Momo Yaoyorozu kept her perfect lady-like smile.
Meanwhile, Izuku and the other two guys instinctively backed up a few steps.
"S-so scary... Yaoyorozu-san."
"Dang it, Arthur has a gorgeous girlfriend and he's still messing around."
"I'm so jealous! Jerk!"
Unlike Izuku's fear, Kaminari and Mineta were practically crying, wishing they could switch places.
Along the way, Melissa kept showing Momo and the others around. They also ran into Eijiro Kirishima, Shoto Todoroki, Katsuki Bakugo, and more.
Everyone came because Class A got invitation tickets.
None of them knew the real reason Arthur and All Might were there.
Finally, night came.
To get ready for the party happening at I-Island's Central Tech Tower,
the guys and girls of Class A changed into suits and evening gowns and gathered in the Central Tower lobby.
But they were pretty late because Izuku was running behind.
As Tenya Iida loudly scolded Izuku, a lot of people were also staring at Momo Yaoyorozu and Melissa, who were wearing greenish-blue and white-blue evening gowns.
"Melissa-san, why haven't I seen Arthur-kun?"
Momo Yaoyorozu, in her green evening gown, said with a forced smile.
After parting ways with Melissa that morning, she didn't know how many times she'd called Arthur.
Turns out his phone was off.
"Arthur-kun?"
Melissa had her long hair tied up and wore a blue and white dress. She looked innocent and youthful. "Uncle Might went up, so let's go too."
"I'd like to see how you explain this to me."
Momo gritted her teeth.
"I don't know why, but his phone seems off. Maybe he's already with…"
Pushing down her feelings, she followed behind Melissa.
"What happened?"
Shoto Todoroki noticed something was off with the atmosphere and, unusually, asked Kaminari.
"Uh, uh, better if someone else tells you."
Kaminari looked awkward, thinking, "This is terrifying... a girl fight"
Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong!
Just a second before Melissa pressed the elevator's up button,
the iron gates of the central tower behind everyone automatically closed, sealing off all exits and windows.
...
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Jo!n d!sc0rd I!nk in synops!s.
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