The neon glow of the city shimmered through the glass walls of Yaoyorozu's private bar, casting soft reflections against the polished marble counter. Laughter and idle chatter filled the cozy space, but beneath it all, an undeniable tension lingered.
Mina Ashido swirled the golden liquid in her glass before slamming it down on the table with an exasperated sigh.
"I still can't believe it!" she groaned, throwing her hands in the air. "We're all famous pro heroes now! Super successful! And yet, somehow, we're all still single!"
The other women at the table Momo Yaoyorozu, Kyoka Jiro, Toru Hagakure, Tsuyu Asui and Ochako Uraraka exchanged amused glances.
"It's not like we didn't try,"Jiro muttered, tapping her fingers against the rim of her glass.
"Yeah," Toru said with a small, humorless laugh. "Who would've thought we'd survive a war, but not our relationships?"
The mood shifted. What had started as lighthearted frustration now carried the weight of old wounds.
Mina leaned back, crossing her arms. "It all seemed so perfect back then. The war was over. The League of Villains was finally gone. The world felt… peaceful, you know? It made sense to start dating. I thought Kiri and I were solid."
Jiro nodded, her gaze distant. "Same here. Kaminari and I got together right after everything settled. It just felt right at the time."
Momo, who had been silent until now, exhaled slowly. "We thought we had won," she said softly. "We thought we had all the time in the world."
Toru bit her lip before speaking up. "I really thought Ojiro and I would make it. But after a while, it felt like I was just… invisible to him." She forced a smile, but it didn't reach her voice. "Guess that's kind of ironic, huh?"
Jiro scoffed. "At least yours just drifted apart. Kaminari was cheating on me with multiple girls."
Mina and Toru's heads snapped toward Jiro, eyes wide.
"Wait, what?!" Mina nearly choked on her drink. "That idiot was two-timing you?!"
Jiro laughed bitterly. "More like five-timing. At first, I thought I was being paranoid. But then I found messages on his phone. He wasn't even trying to hide it."
Momo shook her head, disappointment flashing across her usually composed features. "I can't believe he did that to you."
Mina sighed. "Well, at least you found out before things got too serious. Kiri wasn't a cheater, but… after a while, I realized we were just forcing things. We were so different. He wanted a quiet, steady life. I wanted excitement. And we just… ended."
Momo, who had been staring at her untouched drink, finally spoke again. "My relationship was doomed from the start. It was more about convenience than love. I thought… maybe I could grow to love him. But it wasn't fair to either of us."
The table fell silent for a moment.
Then, Mina turned toward Uraraka, eyes sharp. "Speaking of failed relationships, you've been awfully quiet, Ochako. Any news on Midoriya?"
Uraraka stiffened, her fingers tightening around her glass.
"No."
Mina frowned. "Seriously? It's been years! No one knows where he is?"
Uraraka shook her head. "Not a clue. He just… disappeared."
The weight of her words settled over the group.
"But… why?" Toru asked hesitantly.
Uraraka swallowed, the memory surfacing in her mind like a wound that never fully healed.
"After the war, he asked me out," she admitted. "I told him I needed to focus on my career. That he should wait."
Mina's expression softened. "Oh, Ochako…"
Uraraka forced a small, sad smile. "He just smiled at me. Said he was trying his luck because 'you never know what the future holds.' And then he said he'd miss me."
She let out a breath, shaking her head.
"I thought he just meant he'd miss me while I was gone for work studies. I promised him we'd hang out when I got back."
Her voice wavered.
"But when I came back, he was gone. Transferred overseas. No one knew where. No one stopped him."
The room went deathly quiet.
Then, Jiro muttered, "Damn… That must've been rough."
Uraraka nodded. "Bakugo was furious. Said we should've stopped him. That we should've seen it coming."
Momo's voice was barely above a whisper. "We tried. We really did. But Izuku was… adamant. He said he needed to leave to fulfill his dream."
Mina frowned. "But his dream was always to be a hero. If he's quirkless now, then…"
Momo inhaled sharply. "That's exactly why we couldn't stop him. He gave up everything for us his Quirk, his future as a hero. What kind of friends would we be if we tried to keep him from finding something new?"
Bakugo had fallen into stunned silence that day. For the first time, he had nothing to say.
And Uraraka… she had realized, far too late, that Midoriya wasn't just saying he'd miss her.
He had been saying goodbye.