Tensions and Unlikely Comforts

The courtyard was still reeling from the sudden confrontation between Bakugo and me. Mina, always the caring one, immediately turned to me with concern etched on her face. "A-are you okay?" she asked, her voice soft and gentle. I nodded, trying to brush off the sting of Bakugo's words. "Y-yeah, I'm fine," I replied, attempting to sound calmer than I felt. "He's like this all the time, he's just never called me 'shadow bitch' before," I added, my voice tinged with a hint of hurt. Mina's eyes widened in surprise, and she shot a disapproving glance at Bakugo, who was still visibly seething. Kaminari, however, stepped forward with a wide grin on his face. "Don't listen to him, you're beautiful anyways," he said, his words dripping with sincerity. My face began to heat up, and I could feel a blush rising to my cheeks. I looked down, trying to hide my embarrassment, but Kaminari's words had already struck a chord. I smiled weakly and said, "Thanks, Kaminari." Kaminari's grin only grew wider, and he chuckled, seemingly pleased with himself. Kirishima and Deku exchanged a look, both of them trying to stifle their smiles. The tension in the courtyard began to dissipate, replaced by a sense of uneasy calm. Bakugo, however, was still fuming, his eyes fixed on me with a scowl. "Shut up, Kaminari," he muttered, his voice low and menacing. Kaminari, still grinning, shot him a playful glance. "Oh, come on, Kacchan, don't be like that," he said, his tone light and teasing. The group around us began to disperse, some of them chatting quietly among themselves. Mina stayed by my side, her eyes still fixed on me with concern. "Hey, are you really okay?" she asked again, her voice barely above a whisper. I nodded, smiling weakly. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for checking on me, Mina." She smiled back, her eyes crinkling at the corners, and the two of us stood there, surrounded by the aftermath of Bakugo's outburst.