Clicking my tongue and pursing my lips, I stand in front of my mirror in my bedroom while I assess my outfit. My eyes raking over my casual form as I grab my scrunchie from my nightstand and tie half my hair back into a topknot and letting the rest of my hair tumble down before slotting a rose flower hair clip into my hair to keep my bangs out of my face. Not really wanting to wear anything too formal. Not when I was just going to go shopping for the day, I needed to be as comfortable as possible. So, after some deliberation and wearing about seven different outfits. I finally managed to settle with something.

A simple jeans, t shirt and sneaker combo.

Once happy with my appearance, I flash myself a small smile before turning on my heel and walking out of my shared room with Sakino to find the blue skinned girl sitting on the couch ready to go. Her deep blue hair scraped back into a messy bun, cute wispy bits sticking out of her hair. The girl clad in a cream white jumper with golden buttons sewn on top of the shoulders tucked into a cherry red skirt. A pair of pink tinted glasses perch on her head.

Every couple of months, considering that we're practically broke college students that focus on spending money on groceries and essentials, Sakino and I decide to have a girls day out. We to go to the mall and shop for things that we don't necessarily need but we want (but, for your information and if anyone asks, I do need hoodies!). It was an excuse for us to just splurge our cash and actually have fun instead of worrying about where our next cheque is going to come from.

After grabbing my purse, I send Sakino a smile as she bounces off the couch and darts to the door excitedly. Her eyes shimmering with excitement as I lock the door behind us and head to my car. The girl zooming toward the drivers seat, blatantly ignoring my sound of protest as she nestles herself in front of the steering wheel and making grabby hands toward my car keys with a little pout.

Guess I'm not driving.

Sending her a warning look, not wanting her to total my car or crash it anywhere or kill someone with it, I drop the keys into her awaiting hand. After placing my purse in the footwell of the passenger seat, I sink into the passenger chair and secure myself in with the seat belt before grabbing my phone as Sakino starts the car.

As I scroll through my newsfeed on my phone, I purse my lips at the amount of headlines focusing in on Dynamight. The media refusing to release their hold on the tiny thread of hope that the Number Two Hero may have a girlfriend or a working relationship. So many theories are being bounced about recently that Sakino and I actually joke about them between us. The pair of us finding it extremely hilarious that people come up with these bizarre theories about the hero and his secret 'girlfriend' that doesn't actually exist.

Even now, the news stories occupying my feed were laughable. Headlines reading 'Has Dynamight Achieved the One Thing He Can't Reach?!' and 'Dynamight's Dynamite Girl' (which was so cringe and cheesy that Sakino and I pissed ourselves laughing over it!). However, the one thing we steered clear of was the comment. The amount of hate that the comment section radiates and attracts is immeasurable.

So we make sure we avoid the comments section. Don't want to make myself feel more uncomfortable than I already am about this twisted situation that only I could be trapped in for no apparent reason. Plus, the last thing I want to do is get involved in some keyboard war about me not being a 'gold digger'.

People are so nosy!

As Sakino steers out of a junction, a certain tabloid catches my attention. Thankfully, it wasn't about me. Just about Dynamight working at our college for the next couple of weeks. A picture of him standing with Kana of all people as he conducts, what appears to be, a simulation for the hero students to undergo.

Biting my lip, I zoom in on Dynamight, my eyes raking over the blondes unmistakable muscular figure. His abs shining through his hero costume making me drool. How is he so gorgeous?!

"Has Shoto done anything about that bitch, yet?" Sakino asks, snapping me back to reality making me clear my throat and click off my newsfeed with a nervous smile, hoping she didn't just catch me checking out the picture, "Is he going to do anything?"

"He said he was going to talk to Dynamight about the situation, see if he can do anything for me," I explain, pocketing my phone in my pocket and tucking a wispy strand of hair behind my ear as I keep my eyes on the road, trying to ignore the red flush creeping up my necks to my cheeks, "I'm hoping Dynamight could kick her off the hero course or something along those lines. I'd love to see her face if her idol takes her dream away from her,"

"Are you like... secretly a sadist or a masochist darling?" Sakino teases, laughing as I roll my eyes and flip her off before shaking my head, "There's no shame if you are, own it babes,"

"There's still a buttload of stories," I hum, shaking my head in disbelief at the fact that people are still worrying over Dynamight's relationship status, "I bet Kana's fuming,"

"She's just jealous that you get to spend time with him and she isn't, she's just being a bitch," Sakino says with a shrug, completely disregarding all respect for Kana and the other girls (other than Akari), "Dynamight spent time with you by choice after all, he wasn't paid to do it nor was he forced to, people just love eating up whatever shit story they can,"

"Yeah I know... but it doesn't mean anything," I insist with a groan, rubbing my temple as I lean my elbow on the window, "Dynamite just helped me with my groceries and suddenly the world thinks we're dating?... I just hope no one recognises me when we're shopping,"

"Hey, people take things to the extreme all the time without facts half the time," Sakino explains, sending me a reassuring smile as she reverses into a parking bay in the parking lot. The girl sticking her tongue out in concentration, "I wouldn't take it personally, you know the truth and so does Dynamite. It'll be forgotten about soon, okay? Don't dwell on it too much or you'll stress yourself out and your quirk is enough as it is,"

"Yeah I know..." I hum, sending her a weak smile before taking a deep breath and grabbing my purse as she switches the ignition off, "Shall we get lunch too while we're out?"

"Ooh yeah, I could go for a juicy burger right now," Sakino hums in thought, a laugh erupting between us as her stomach gurgles loudly as we leave the car and sort ourselves out, "Definitely going to a fast food joint,"

After grabbing our purses and reapplying our lip gloss, we head away from the car and down the street toward the big mall full of shops galore. Knowing Sakino, she'll want to go straight for the shoe stores to get a thousand pairs of heels or stilettos that she can't walk in but likes the look of and then go to the hero store to grab a bunch of Deku merch to add to her ever growing collection. So, I knew today would be a very long day of shopping and trying on things that we can't afford.

Giggling between ourselves, we strut into the mall with big excited smiles plastered across our faces as we admire the amount of shops scattered across the complex. In an instant, Sakino grabs my hand and drags me toward the shoe store making me grin as she heads toward a huge buttload of heels on display on a lit up white wall. The blue skinned girl's eyes glimmering with excitement as she picks up a rather high heeled stiletto covered in jewels.

"Isn't this cute?!" Sakino asks looking toward me, shoving the shoe into my face making me bite back a laugh and slowly push the shoe away from my nose with a smile, "What do you think? Would they look good on me?"

"They're a bit... tacky," I explain, rubbing the back of my neck as I look toward the bejewelled shoe with an arched brow, "Plus those jewels look like they're going to come off any second,"

"You're right," Sakino hums, placing the shoe back and pursing her lips in thought as she assesses each and every shoe on display, internally debating what to try on and wear, "What do you think?"

"How about that one?" I ask, pointing toward a cute pale white high heel with an open toed end with a strap over the bridge of the foot, "That would go really well with all your dresses too, plus, they're not too high that they'll break your ankle when you walk in them,"

"Yeah you have a point," Sakino hums, picking up the cute shoe and judging it with a small hum, biting her lip before nodding to herself and sitting down on the plush seat behind her to try on the shoes, "Ooh! They're so cute! I'm gonna buy them!"

Five pairs of shoes and a card transaction later, Sakino and I leave the shoe store with three bags already! My roommate's eyes sparkling in glee as she skips down the mall area with me in tow as she darts for the hero store without a moment of hesitation making me giggle and tuck a strand of hair behind my ear.

The hero store was often full to the brim of all sort of memorabilia from all sorts of heroes. Of course, Deku, Dynamight and Shoto had sections dedicated just to their merchandise with promotion pictures due to being the top three heroes. Without a second thought, Sakino darts to the Deku section with a bright smile to admire the little figures and pillows that she hasn't got to add to her collection while I saunter toward the Dynamight section to get Ryoku some more things to add to his collection.

Biting my lip in thought, I try to remember what Ryoku told me he was missing. The boy had almost everything to do with Dynamight. It was adorable to see the twins being fanboys for Deku and Dynamight, the way their eyes sparkled when they spoke about them was so adorable!

With a small hum, my eyes land on an action figure that Ryoku doesn't have yet. Not bothering to check the price, I pick it up and hold it to my chest with a small smile as I click my tongue and look around at the merchandise. Maybe I could get a Dynamight letting? It would go great with my Red Riot one... maybe I could get a Dynamight body p-

"There she is!"

Confused, I look around and pale at the sight of a news reporter pointing toward me with a cameraman beside her. The pair of them locking onto me as I slowly grab a stuffed Dynamite pillow (that I'm totally not buying for myself) and hold it to my chest nervously. God! Why can't I use my quirk on myself?! This would be the perfect opportunity to calm myself down!

But no! I have to be anxious and skittish about every damn thing!

Gulping anxiously, I turn my back to the camera and head down the aisle to the Deku section to get Sakino and get Kōri something too. My heart pounding nervously in my chest, my palms growing sweaty and my head feeling light. My mouth suddenly going dry as I try to swallow down my fear, trying not to let it show that I'm freaking out! God what do I do?! There isn't a secret exit! I can't exactly avoid them...

"What's going on?" Sakino whispers gently, noticing my skittish behaviour as I look toward the entrance of the store and back toward the shelves, "(Y/n), what's wrong?"

"There's a news reporter with a cameraman outside the store," I explain nervously, squeezing my eyes shut to try and calm myself down before I straight up break down in front of a camera for the whole world to see, "They're pointing at me and I know as soon as we leave, they're going to prod for questions that I don't feel comfortable answering,"

"Hey, deep breaths, I won't let them do shit," Sakino reassures me, rubbing my back as she guides me through deep breaths. Telling me to breathe in for five and out for four. In through my nose and out through my mouth, "Let me handle this, you buy the merch,"

Nodding anxiously, I peek back toward the reporter who's pointing toward me to try and get the cameraman to get me into the frame. I sigh to myself and teeter to the cash register where a kind old lady is standing, the woman sending me a reassuring smile as she scans everything through.

"They're vultures aren't they?" The old woman asks with a soft tone, bagging everything up for me making me smile weakly and take the bag while paying for it, "Don't take no notice of them, dear,"

Nodding to her statement, I thank her kindly for scanning them through and issuing them out to me before turning to head toward the door. My stomach coiling in fear as I notice the news reporter trying to hide herself behind the door so she can catch me off guard. The cameraman behind her waiting for the right shot. Oh god! Oh god! Oh god!

"No way! What's Chargebolt doing here?!" I hear Sakino shriek outside the store, pointing toward a rather oblivious electric blonde hero in his casual clothes with his girlfriend under his wing, "And is that Earphone Jack?!"

Like a moth to a flame, the news reporter scurries in the direction Sakino points them to before ushering me out of the store and in the opposite direction of the cameraman making me squeal with laughter as we finally get out of sight of them. Ignoring the pointed looks of strangers, I pull Sakino into a big giant hug and squeeze her tight. Thank god for Sakino and her quick thinking! God knows what I would have done if I actually got caught up with the reporter!

"Thank you," I praise, sending her a big smile making her giggle and playfully punch my arm sticking her tongue out goofily, "God... thank god you got them to go away... I don't know what I'd do if they didn't,"

"Hey, I'm here for you, anything you need I'm there," Sakino reassures me with a bright grin, smiling as I hand her a bag full of the Deku merch she wanted to get, "Now you owe me one dinner for that,"

Biting back a smile, I shake my head and run my fingers through my hair with a deep breath, trying to calm my erratic heart down. My brain pulsing in my ears as I take deep breaths, wanting to try and quell the anxiety refusing to get away. What if they followed? What if they add another news story about me?

"How did you know Chargebolt was there?" I ask as we make our way toward a clothing store, sending a smile toward the clerk as she hovers to make sure we're happy with everything, "What would you have done if there wasn't anyone there?"

"The dude is so stupid to think that no one will not recognise him in his civilian clothes," Sakino breezily guffaws as I pull out a thick black hoodie from the display shouting the words 'Shut Up, I'm Tired', I place it in my basket with a smile, "You can see the lightning bolt in his hair from a mile away, he's not very inconspicuous,"

"I still can't believe you managed to get them to go away," I hum incredulously as I grab a couple of jeans from another display before heading to the tops and t shirts section to grab myself a couple, "I spoke to Shoto about paparazzi just in case and he always told me how rude they were and how intruding. Apparently when the twins were born, a fan broke into their old house to take a picture of them,"

Both Shoto and Momo had told me so many stories about paparazzi and fans that just crossed the line. Fans that would send them creepy fan mail. Fans that would break into their house which forced them to move into a highly secure home to keep the twins safe. Reporters that would corner Momo after she had left the ladies bathroom at events. It was horrible how they were treated sometimes.

And asked the most uncomfortable questions ever!

But they're not the only ones enduring this...

Countless heroes, even Deku, have been harassed by so many reporters and fans and paparazzi over the years. Some heroes would just answer the questions to get them off their back. Some would lash out (like Dynamite) and try to escape them as quick as possible. Most heroes resorted to trying to stay incognito when going out in public by wearing disguises to not get caught... Some have even filed restraining orders and lawsuits against certain firms and people for things like this.

"Oh my god... why can't people just let heroes and celebrities get on with their life?" Sakino groans, squealing as she picks up a cute crop top and places it in her shopping basket, "They're people like you and me, why can't anyone understand that sometimes they need privacy?"

"Beats me," I reply, pulling a top from the display and holding it to my top half to see if it would suit me before nodding and placing it in the cart with a smile, "Wanna head for food after this?"

"You don't need to ask me twice babe,"...