After hearing that the teachers had officially decided on Midoriya's withdrawal from the tournament, I ran straight to Bakugo's waiting room.
Since Bakugo was the one who had bolted out to save her before anyone else, I figured he'd be the one most concerned about the outcome of her fight. I already knew her condition was stable since Bakugo himself had carried her to the infirmary, so I didn't worry too much about that part for now.
Ochaco, who had gone to look after her, promised to call me if anything changed, but there was nothing new to report yet. Apparently, Midoriya was currently sleep-talking, groaning something about how "Chashu pork bowls don't count as real donburi," but telling Bakugo that would probably just confuse him, so I decided to keep it to myself.
"Bakugo—eep!?"
The moment I swung the door open, I felt a wave of pure, unadulterated regret.
Bakugo was sitting in a chair, his leg shaking with restless energy, staring at the wall with a face that looked like a literal demon mask.
"—What do you want, shitty Kirishima?"
The second he glared at me, my heart started pounding against my ribs, and my stomach felt like it was doing somersaults. I tried to back out quietly, but he barked, "You came here for a reason, didn't you? Spit it out!" so I was forced to make a U-turn back into the line of fire.
I braced myself for the worst.
"Sigh. Look, about Midoriya... they officially called it. She's disqualified."
"I know."
"Yeah, you do. I mean, I get it, they had to make the call based on her injuries, but they could have at least waited for her to wake up—wait, what? That's it? That's all you have to say?"
"Hah? Isn't that what you came here to tell me?"
Bakugo asked the question with eyes that looked ready to commit a felony. I mean, yeah, that was why I came here, but it felt... wrong. I expected him to shout something like "Stop messing around!" or "A victory like this is worthless!"
Wait... am I just assuming Bakugo is going to win the whole thing? Sorry, Iida.
Still, he was surprisingly calm. Or so I thought. When I followed his gaze, I realized he wasn't staring at the wall. He was staring at the small locker where he'd put his valuables—his wallet, and...
"Hey, listen..."
"What? If you're done, get lost."
"Look, don't get mad, okay? But... are you actually more worried about her than you're letting on?"
"LIKE HELL I AM!! I'LL KILL YOU, YOU BASTARD!!!"
Eep! He was definitely worried! He's so dishonest it's almost impressive! He was clearly so worried he couldn't focus on anything else!
Bakugo stomped toward me, small explosions popping in his palms. His face was a mask of pure rage.
"Take it easy, Sparky!"
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SPARKY, DAMN IT?!"
"You! Just calm down! You've got a match coming up, don't waste your energy! You're aiming for first place, right?"
"...Tsk!!"
Bakugo scowled and slumped back into his chair. But his eyes immediately drifted back to that locker.
"Look, if you're that worried, don't wait for a phone call. Just go to the infirmary yourself. The match hasn't even started yet."
"—Shut up."
"Seriously, you're so stubborn."
"That's not the point."
Then what is the point?
I stared at him until he finally scratched his head in irritation and spoke up.
"...It doesn't mean anything if I don't give it my all."
"Your all?"
"That idiot... that brat fought until she literally collapsed. If I don't go out there and take this win for real, then her effort was for nothing!! I don't have time to hang around an idiot's bedside!!"
"Oh. I see. Wow... you really have a complicated way of being nice."
"YOU WANT A PUNCH TO THE FACE?!"
I got the gist of what he was saying. Basically, he wanted to honor her resolve.
I'd been fired up by that match, too. Seeing the two of them clash with everything they had made me feel like I needed to work ten times harder. I could understand why Bakugo felt so serious about it. If I were in his shoes, I'd probably feel the same.
In that light, I understood why he wouldn't move. The time before a match is sacred for an athlete. You center yourself, you warm up, you plan your strategy... everyone has their own way, but it's all about preparing to win.
Spending that time at a bedside wasn't what a serious competitor would do. So, he wouldn't go to her—or at least, that's the logic, but looking at him now, it seemed to be having the opposite effect on his mental state.
"I mean, I guess... but you really can't go?"
"SHUT UP!! DIE, YOU MORON!!"
Okay, no getting through to him. In his case, seeing her would probably actually help him stabilize, but whatever.
"So, you don't have a problem with her being out of the finals?"
"Why would I? She's never collapsed from overusing her Quirk before. If she did this time, she obviously went too far. It's only natural she should rest. I'd tie her to the bed if I had to."
"Oh... okay."
He suddenly got honest for a second there. I didn't even know how to react.
"Man, you really do like her, don't you?"
"HAH?!"
And he's back to being dishonest.
『THE PREPARATIONS ARE COMPLETE!! ALRIGHT, YOU BRATS!! MOVE OUT TO THE ARENA! YEAAAAAAH!』
Mic's voice boomed through the room, and Bakugo stood up slowly. His "battle switch" had been flipped; his expression changed instantly. Moments like this remind me that his climb to the top wasn't a fluke.
As he headed for the door, I called out to him and held out a fist. I decided to entrust my own feelings to him.
"Take my spirit with you! Go win this thing!"
He clicked his tongue, then delivered a "fist bump" that was more like a punch. A really hard one. I wasn't using my Quirk, so it actually hurt.
While I was nursing my hand, Bakugo stomped down the hallway and roared.
"I don't need you to tell me that!"
"I don't care who gets in my way!! I'm the one who's gonna be number one!!"
"I'LL CRUSH THEM ALL!!!"
Watching him leave, I felt a deep sense of unease. For some reason, I felt like he was going to go completely overboard. I felt like I might have accidentally added fuel to a fire that was already burning too hot.
***
The "Final Match" that followed was nothing short of a tragedy.
To put it simply, the arena was unrecognizable afterward. Iida was a total wreck. I caught myself wondering, Wait, was this a sports match or a war zone? That "Howitzer" move was just too much.
Who won? Bakugo, obviously. To be honest, I knew it was over the moment he managed to dodge the Recipro Burst. I still don't know how he moved that fast.
I'm so sorry, Iida. I shouldn't have given him that extra motivation. My bad.
As I watched Iida being carried away on a stretcher, I offered a silent prayer for the speedy recovery of Bakugo's only restraint: Nico Midoriya.
***
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