Dragon's Heart, Hero's Will

Chapter 29: Remedial Course

The day of the remedial course starts off normally, but for Bakugou, something feels off. Kirishima isn’t even here, yet thoughts of him linger in Bakugou’s mind, much to his frustration. Things get worse when Bakugou encounters Seiji Shishikura—the guy who “meatballed” Kirishima during the provisional license exam. Without hesitation, Bakugou storms over to him, scowl on his face.

“Oi! You still think you can turn people into meatballs, huh?!” Bakugou barks, loud enough to make the others around him pause. His temper is already on a hair-trigger, and seeing Seiji stirs something deeper—something tied to the memory of Kirishima, someone he needs to protect.

Todoroki glances at Bakugou, his brow raised at the sudden outburst, but he lets it slide. Shishikura doesn’t react to Bakugou’s rage, which only pisses him off more. Before it can escalate, the instructors call them over to start the day’s activities.

The remedial course group is assigned to work with children, testing Bakugou’s patience. But what really throws him off is one particular kid. The child has dark blonde hair, sharp teeth, and a cocky, loud demeanor that feels way too familiar. It’s as if this kid is a mix of him and Kirishima.

“Oi… why does this brat remind me of—?” Bakugou mutters, stopping himself when a ridiculous thought crosses his mind. Is this kid… a combination of him and Kirishima? The idea hits Bakugou like a truck, his face heating up. That’s not possible! I’m not thinking about having a kid with— He shakes his head, trying to force the thought out of his mind, but it’s too late. The image of a mini version of him and Kirishima together is now stuck in his brain.

Todoroki, always observant, notices Bakugou zoning out. “Bakugou, are you alright?”

That’s all it takes to send Bakugou into a flustered mess. “Shut up, I’m fine!” he snaps, his face red, trying to hide how rattled he is. Todoroki blinks, clearly unconvinced, but decides not to press further. Bakugou clenches his fists, determined to refocus and ignore whatever nonsense his brain conjured up.

---

Later, after the remedial course, Bakugou returns to U.A. with the rest of his classmates. Kirishima is practicing for the “Ultimate Move” exercise, calling on Bakugou, Midoriya, and Rikidou to “beat him to their heart’s content.” Midoriya and Rikidou hesitate for their own reasons, but Bakugou—still flustered from the day—doesn’t hold back.

“Kirishima!” Bakugou calls out, his voice full of fire. “Let me shoot you with my Howitzer!”

Kirishima grins, his eyes glowing with excitement. “Sounds good! Hit me with everything you’ve got, Bakugou!”

Bakugou’s heart races, but he pushes aside the warmth that rises inside him at Kirishima’s enthusiasm. They line up for the attack, and as Bakugou’s Howitzer blast flies toward him, Kirishima activates his Hardening, standing firm.

Bakugou isn’t holding back, and the collision between his explosion and Kirishima’s Hardening sends shockwaves through the training ground. Kirishima holds on, gritting his teeth through the impact. Each time Bakugou attacks, Kirishima stands tall, pushing himself to grow stronger.

When the smoke clears, Kirishima is still standing, panting but smiling. “That was awesome, Bakugou… I needed that.”

Bakugou stares at him, his heart pounding for reasons he refuses to acknowledge. Instead, he scoffs, crossing his arms. “Don’t get soft on me, idiot. If you wanna keep up, you better toughen up.”

But behind his harsh words, something unspoken lingers—an understanding, a connection neither of them can ignore. And with each step, it gets harder to deny.