Chapter 57: Laughter and Secrets

As the teasing continued, I couldn't help but laugh along with my friends, feeling happy to be surrounded by such a supportive and playful group. Mina, Ochaco, and Tsuyu eventually calmed down, and we spent the next hour chatting and joking around. As we talked, I couldn't help but think about Hawks' words and the mysterious look in his eyes. I was determined to learn more about him and his connection to my Quirk. As the evening wore on, Bakugo suddenly stood up, stretching his arms over his head. "I'm going to go grab some snacks from the vending machine," he said, his eyes scanning the room. "Anyone want anything?" The girls all shook their heads, and I declined as well. "I'm good, thanks." As Bakugo left the room, the girls turned to me, their faces serious. "Vesper, can we talk to you for a minute?" Mina asked, her voice polite. I nodded, and Ochaco and Tsuyu leaned in, their faces conspiratorial. "We're sorry about teasing you earlier," Ochaco said, her eyes sparkling with mirth. "We didn't mean to make you feel embarrassed." I smiled, feeling a warmth in my heart. "It's okay, guys. I know you were just joking around." Tsuyu nodded, her expression serious. "We're glad you're okay, Vesper. And we're here for you, no matter what." I felt a surge of gratitude towards my friends. "Thanks, guys. That means a lot to me." Mina cleared her throat, her face turning serious. "Vesper, can we ask you something?" I nodded, my curiosity piqued. "Of course, what is it?" The girls exchanged a nervous glance, and Ochaco spoke up. "We were wondering... are you okay? Really okay, I mean. After what happened with Hawks, and then getting carried by Katsuki... it all seemed really overwhelming." I hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to respond. But as I looked at my friends, I knew I could trust them. "I'm okay, guys. Really. I just... I don't know, it's just been a lot lately." The girls nodded, their faces understanding. "We're here for you, Vesper," Mina said, her voice soft. "You can tell us anything." I smiled, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. "Thanks, guys. I appreciate that." As we continued to talk, Bakugo returned with a bag of snacks, his eyes scanning the room. "What's going on?" he asked, his voice curious. Mina turned to him, a mischievous glint in her eye. "We were just having a serious talk with Vesper. You can join in, Katsuki." Bakugo raised an eyebrow, but he sat down beside me, his eyes fixed on me. "What's going on?" he asked again. I smiled, feeling a sense of contentment wash over me. "Just catching up, Bakugo. Don't worry about it." The room fell silent for a moment, and then Ochaco spoke up. "Hey, Vesper? Can we call you Vesper from now on? We promise to ask politely." The others turned to me, their faces hopeful. "Yeah, sorry about that," Mina said. "We should have asked you first." I chuckled, feeling a sense of amusement. "It's okay, guys. You can call me Vesper. But next time, ask politely, okay?" The girls all nodded, smiling, and Bakugo grunted, his face scowling. "Yeah, yeah. We'll ask politely next time."