Chapter 92: A Sincere Apology

The weight of my emotions still lingered as I walked into the student lounge, scanning the room for my friends. I spotted Deku, Bakugo, Todoroki, Kirishima, and Kaminari sitting together, engaged in a heated discussion about their latest training session. I took a deep breath, steeling myself for the conversation that was long overdue. As I approached them, they noticed my presence and immediately fell silent. Deku, ever the optimist, offered me a warm smile, while Bakugo raised an eyebrow, his expression skeptical. Todoroki and Kirishima exchanged a concerned glance, and Kaminari simply looked at me with a curious expression. I opened my mouth, the words tumbling out in a rush. "I'm so, so sorry. I shouldn't have put that on you all. I don't know why... please don't think I'm weird. I'm very sorry again!" The room fell silent, with my friends exchanging surprised glances. Deku was the first to break the silence, his voice gentle. "Hey, what's going on? You don't have to apologize for talking to us. We're your friends, after all." I shook my head, feeling a flush rise to my cheeks. "No, it's not that. I mean... I just feel like I dumped all this stuff on you, and I don't know why. You guys have your own problems, and I just... ugh." Bakugo snorted, his expression softening slightly. "You think we're just going to dump you because you're being a little weird? Newsflash, kid: we're weird too." Kirishima chuckled, clapping me on the back. "Yeah, we're all weird in our own ways. That's what makes us friends, right?" Todoroki nodded in agreement, his eyes understanding. "We're here for you, no matter what. You don't have to apologize for being yourself." Kaminari, ever the jokester, chimed in, "Besides, if you're weird, that just means you're more interesting. Right, guys?" The group laughed, and I couldn't help but smile, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders. Maybe, just maybe, I wasn't as alone as I thought. Deku's expression turned serious, his voice gentle. "We're not going to judge you, okay? We care about you, and we want to help. If you need to talk, we're here to listen." I nodded, feeling a sense of gratitude wash over me. "Thank you, guys. Just... thank you." The group fell silent again, this time in a comfortable, supportive silence. I knew that I still had a long way to go, but with my friends by my side, I felt a sense of hope that I hadn't felt in a long time.