**Chapter 49: Aftershocks**

The news had spread like wildfire, and it seemed like everyone was talking about it. I stood in the corner of the classroom, trying to avoid eye contact with anyone, as the group of friends I usually hung out with walked towards me. Bakugo, Todoroki, Shinso, Kirishima, and Kaminari all had shocked expressions on their faces, and I could tell they were still trying to process what they had just heard. "Wait, what?" Bakugo said, his voice low and incredulous. "You kissed Deku?" He looked like he had just been punched in the gut, and I could see the anger and surprise simmering beneath the surface. I nodded sheepishly, bracing myself for their reactions. Todoroki's eyes narrowed slightly, and Shinso looked like he was trying to stifle a grin. Kirishima just looked confused, while Kaminari rubbed his temples like he had a headache. "Are you kidding me?" Bakugo demanded, his voice rising. "What were you thinking?" He took a step closer to me, his fists clenched at his sides. I shrugged, feeling a little defensive. "I don't know, okay? It just happened." I tried to explain, but I knew it was a weak excuse. Bakugo scowled, his face reddening with anger. "It just happened?" he repeated. "You're just going to go around kissing people without thinking about how it affects them?" He sounded like he was really hurt, and I felt a pang of guilt. Todoroki placed a hand on Bakugo's arm, trying to calm him down. "Bakugo, come on," he said. "Let's not jump to conclusions." But Bakugo shook him off, his eyes still fixed on me. "I'm not going to calm down," Bakugo said, his voice shaking with rage. "This is Deku we're talking about. He's...he's..." He trailed off, looking for the right words. Shinso chuckled, a mischievous glint in his eye. "He's the guy who's always getting rescued, isn't he?" he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Kirishima looked at Shinso disapprovingly, but said nothing. Kaminari just shook his head, still rubbing his temples. Bakugo turned to me, his eyes blazing with anger. "You need to talk to him," he said. "You need to figure out what's going on with you two." He sounded like he was trying to protect Deku, and I felt a little grateful. I nodded, feeling a little overwhelmed by their reactions. I knew I had to talk to Deku, to figure out what had just happened and what it meant for our friendship. As we stood there, the tension between us was palpable. I could tell that things were about to get a lot more complicated.