Beginning of a New Spring (MHA/PJO crossover)

Chapter 17

School wasn't something Ophelia looked forward to again. Not after the summer break she had that ended on a good note, which she didn't expect. She liked Bakugou, and it was probably one of the things that lifted a smidgen of weight off her chest. She never stopped visiting the park to see if Eri would randomly show or listen to the plants whenever she was out. Any connection or sighting she had of Nico never appeared again, leaving her with nothing but dead ends, empty options, and a heartful of fret.

The tutoring and studying she had done with Bakugou during school and periodically through summer break made school easier to handle when they went back. She only needed clarifications on certain words when Mr. Wakino wrote close together– most likely to spite her. She didn't need tutoring as a reason to go to Bakugou's house after school, albeit she was sure Shouta talked with Mitsuki. Whenever she went over, there would always be a glint in the older woman's eyes that dreaded the talk between the two had.

She was glad to see Midoriya, but the poor boy seemed to have worked more than she did over break. He looked worse each day he came into school, only returning to his usual self when quirks were mentioned or how she had to explain why her hair became darker as the weather became colder.

Midoriya was surprised by Ophelia's answer when he questioned why Bakugou and her seemed closer. Yet her question of what happened between the two was a nervous chuckle, and was told that was just Bakugou. Ophelia knew there was more to it but didn't press further no matter how much she saw that Midoriya always closely watched Bakugou. Even the friends that hung around Bakugou at school didn't notice how close the two became over break, let alone see him hang out with those friends over break.

The surprise came to Midoriya and her when Bakugou slightly changed how he treated Midoriya. He didn't stop calling Midoriya Deku, but he seemed to have taken a chill pill on the insults he threw at him, and that was more than Ophelia thought he would do. She knew there was no way to make up for everything he put Midoriya through, and Bakugou probably knew it too.

"So, what did you do?" Midoriya asked as he sat across from her during lunch.

"Do what?"

Midoriya glanced around the cafeteria, leaning in closer before whispering, "Kaachan. Why's he acting that way?"

Ophelia scrunched her face up in question. "I didn't do anything, though."

Ophelia began choking on her food at the dubious, horror look on Midoriya's face. She shouldn't have laughed, but it was as if someone had told Midoriya his favorite All Might figurine wasn't signed by the actual Hero.

She didn't– nor wouldn't change, how Bakugou acted. His outspoken attitude is what she liked. He would straight up tell someone off with no regard to consequences,

She had even grown closer to Hizashi with his frequent visits, and much to Shouta's dismay, they loved to sing karaoke. Even if Hizashi was horrible at it, Ophelia didn't mind. She didn't want to miss out on the smallest moments, including the small arguments over board games they got into or how to make dinner while Shouta silently watched. The one thing Ophelia and Hizashi agreed on was the decorations for Christmas that seemed to approach vastly.

Ophelia stared at the gifts she had wrapped the night prior. Shouta told her he had everything he wanted when she asked earlier that month. She couldn't just not get him anything. It took a while for her to figure out what to get him, but she felt confident in what she bought.

Hizashi was another obstacle to getting something. She had more difficulty finding him something than she did with Shouta or Bakugo. She wound up buying something she thought he would like and hoped it was enough.