After spending hours on end preparing for today, the practical exam came quicker than expected. You gave a quick glance at the rest of your class, most of whom had already paired up, except for Midoriya and Bakugo. While you felt bad for Midoriya, you decided not to interfere. Your team was the first one that needed to go up, after all.

"Sweet." Kirishima stretched his arm. "Even if it's against our teachers instead of the robots from the entrance exam, it's gonna be so manly when we smash it!"

Kirishima flashed you a boyish smile, revealing his sharp white teeth. He offered his fist to which you gladly responded with a fistbump. "Yeah, let's work hard together to bring Cementoss down!"

"That's the spirit!" Kirishima said, motivated by your words until he saw Todoroki approach the two of you. Both of you carried on stretching out, and you stopped chatting away when you realised that the red-haired boy had gone quiet, and you asked what the matter was. Kirishima pointed behind you, so you turned around to meet eyes with Todoroki.

Todoroki extended his arm, reaching out to the side of your neck on your hero costume.

You gulped, your hairs standing on end. "Hi...?"

"I couldn't help but notice that you still have the label on your hero costume. I am helping you with it, so it doesn't get in the way of the exam," he said.

You hesitantly nodded, putting your head to one side as Todoroki ignited a tiny fire to cut through the plastic wire. "I guess I was too excited when I put it on to notice. Thank you."

"No problem." Todoroki handed you the label. "I'm not going to lose to you today. I want to make sure we are on an even playing field."

Your eyes brightened. "Yeah, for sure. I'm gonna win."

As you waved Todoroki goodbye, Kirishima understood where some of Bakugo's rants came from, seeing how your caring eyes followed Todoroki until he joined Yaoyorozu. Kirishima gave you a knowing grin. "Should we continue with our stretches before it's our turn to go?"

You snapped out of it, bringing your arms in front of you before reaching to the ground, ignoring your heart rattling in your chest. "Y-yeah, we should probably work through a plan as well. I'm not sure how my quirk's gonna work with Cementoss because I can only borrow the life energy of living beings."

"Did you just say Cementoss isn't a living being?"

"Oh, oops. I didn't mean it that way." You rubbed the back of your neck while you laughed.

Kirishima tested his quirk a few times, by hardening his fists and throwing a few punches to the air. Though this would be a tough exam, he had decided that he was past the stage in his life where self-doubt would stop him. He had worked so hard to be there and respected you for doing the same, as he had taken into account the massive improvement you had made since the start of school. "I agree. They did choose the teachers we'd find hardest to fight. But as you said, let's work hard together to bring Cementoss down. We've got this!"

You went through the whole plan again, leading you both to decide that capturing your teacher as opposed to running away would give you a higher score. At least, it sounded like a good idea then.

---

Todoroki observed you through the monitor, appreciating your team working skills as you shouted something to Kirishima, who was trapped on the other side of the concrete wall. The half-and-half boy studied how you shut your eyes tightly, as you went into defensive mode in the middle of the rubble.

Leaning in to get a better look, he noticed the speed at which you dashed away from Cementoss as if you could pinpoint where he was coming from. Todoroki then looked down to his left hand before lighting a small flame, which he had accepted for what it was and what it could do.

He fixed his gaze on the screen again before tightening his hand into a fist before him, filled with determination, which did not burn out when you and Kirishima struggled against your grey teacher.

---

The dissection of the exam's events occurred the following day, while you chatted with other students who had most likely failed.

"This practical exam can suck my socks," Kaminari said, tears at the corners of his eyes. "Now, we don't get to go to the training camp!"

Mina, instead of jumping up and down in excitement, as usual, frowned. "Yeah, like, I mean we tried so hard. I was looking forward to it, too."

You leaned against a table as you crossed your arms. "Yeah, same here. I hate it when I pass out. It makes me so useless in battle. I'm so sorry, Kirishima."

"Hey, you can't put all the blame on yourself, (y/n). Being sad isn't too manly, but I wasn't of much help either." He looked down at the ground, disappointed in his performance. "Both our quirks have their time limits, but it's too late to change that plan we made."

Kaminari's golden eyes widened. "Wait, you guys had a plan?"

You, Kirishima, and Sero sweatdropped, acknowledging the fact that all of you needed more training, which you now wouldn't get as you would not be allowed to go camping with the rest of your class. Kirishima patted Sero on the back. "Cheer up, man. I'm sure you passed."

"I'm worried about that... Mineta kind of did all the work and--" Sero stopped himself from talking as he saw your homeroom tutor walk into the classroom.

After all of the class sat on their seats, Aizawa announced what you were expecting: you, Sero, Kaminari, Mina, and Kirishima had failed the practical exam. Before the mood turned too gloomy, Aizawa announced that the five of you would be attending the training camp. Your cheers were interrupted by Aizawa's statement, "Sero and the two teams who failed need the training camp the most, so nobody is getting left out. The students who failed must still face extra lessons that are more difficult than summer school. We will ensure to work you to the ground."

You gave out a bittersweet sigh, earning you a glare from Bakugo by your side.

Before going off to lunch with Ochaco and Midoriya, you caught up with Todoroki in the hallway. Todoroki finished organising his notes and textbooks in his locker and looked down at you. "Hey, (y/n)."

"So... Shoto, what prize should I get you? I know they haven't released the class rankings, but having failed the practical exam, I think it's fair to say you won."

"Are you free this weekend?"

You remembered that you were meant to go home this weekend. "I don't think so. How come?"

Todoroki looked to the side, averting his heterochromatic eyes from your curious gaze. Further down the corridor, he saw Kaminari winking at him, which made him rub his temples. This wasn't what Todoroki had planned. "No reason."

"Yeah, I know it sucks because I was really looking forward to going to the mall with the rest of our class."

"Would anything happen if you stayed in Musutafu? The summer holidays are coming soon anyway."

You tilted your head to the side, not sure why Todoroki seemed so keen on making you stay in the city this weekend. It's not like he's going to ask me out on a date, right? You turned around from him as you felt your cheeks heat up.

Todoroki shut his locker. "Let's go and get some lunch first."

"Yeah, sure." You caught up to him as you squeezed past other students in the busy corridor.

---

The next day, Todoroki sat at the rooftop, drinking his strawberry milk while he watched you playing with some dandelions Koji had given you, as you strolled from side to side. This had become one of your cherished rituals: spending the second half of lunch chatting and looking at the sky if the weather allowed it.

"Does he do that often?"

"Sorry, I didn't hear you." You approached him before plopping down next to him.

"Does Koji give you flowers often?" Todoroki repeated.

You nodded. "From time to time."

Todoroki still couldn't spit it out. He had booked a table for the both of you at a fancy restaurant without asking you, but he wasn't even sure if that was something you would like. He had also arranged to have a car pick you up. Though his solid plan lacked the most important thing: for you to be there with him. He shook his head. "It's okay."

"Shoto, can I take it that you want to ask me for your prize? You seemed keen about it not too long ago."

"You're going to make me go there, aren't you?"

You brought your legs closer to your chest, making yourself as small as possible. You couldn't bring yourself to ask him if he wanted to go on a date with you, just in case you were wrong. "Well... it's only fair if you think about it."

Todoroki ran a hand through his dual-coloured hair. "I'd like a flower from you."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Come on, Shoto. You're telling me that we went through all this fuss for only a flower? Like, not even a bucket of flowers?"

A small smile parted Todoroki's lips, the rest of his features going soft. The prize didn't matter as long as he had the chance to spend time with you.

---

Late on Friday night, you sent Todoroki a text, informing him that you would be staying in Musutafu during the weekend. Todoroki did not hesitate this time: he picked up his phone and called you. "(y/n), I changed my mind about my prize. I want you to take you out to dinner. After going to the mall with our classmates, of course. Would you be happy with that?"

Through a smile, you replied, "Um, more than happy. It's more like a prize for me, to be honest."

After a bit more chatting, you hung up the phone, glancing at your packed bags. Your dad had said it; you should come home less often, but no one could have foreseen the result of you cancelling your journey home over that fateful weekend. Especially not you.