Mha oc

Survival of Lunch

The lunchroom buzzed with the usual cacophony of chatter, clanging trays, and laughter. It wasn't anything new for me—UA hadn't changed much in all the years I spent tagging along after Dad. Now that I was officially a student, though, everything felt a little different. My eyes scanned the room, passing over clusters of familiar faces.

On one side sat Bakugo and his usual crew—Kirishima, Kaminari, Sero, and Mina. Loud, rowdy, and already flinging food at each other while Bakugo barked at them to stop. Across the room was the Midoriya squad—Midoriya, Uraraka, Iida, Todoroki, and Tsuyu—quieter, more composed, and looking like they were already strategizing for some heroics between bites of rice.

I hesitated, tray balanced in one hand, free hand jammed into my pocket. Neither group looked particularly appealing. Bakugo's group would be entertaining, sure, but I wasn't in the mood to deal with Bakugo trying to one-up me at every turn. The Midoriya squad? Too... earnest. I wasn't in the mood for pep talks or inspirational speeches, either.

So, I did what any logical person would do: I veered toward the far corner of the room, aiming for an empty table where I could eat in peace. Or so I thought.

I barely had time to set my tray down before a familiar, bubbly voice cut through the noise.

"Ryosuke!"

I looked up, already dreading what was coming. Mina Ashido was bounding toward me, her pink hair bouncing with every step. Behind her trailed Kirishima and Kaminari, both grinning like idiots.

"Mina," I said flatly, sitting down anyway. "What's up?"

"Oh, no, no, no," Mina said, wagging a finger as she stopped beside the table. "You don't get to sit all the way over here, Mr. Lone Wolf. Not on the first day."

"Pretty sure I can." I gestured to the empty seats around me. "Looks like I'm doing a great job so far."

Mina ignored that and spun around dramatically, addressing the rest of the room like an auctioneer. "Ladies and gentlemen, we have ourselves a new contender! Ryosuke Woods-Aizawa, the one and only child of our dear Eraser Head!"

Oh, great. Here we go.

Mina placed a hand on my shoulder, as if presenting me to an imaginary crowd. "Let's start the bidding! What do we know about him, huh? What are his hobbies? Does he like dogs or cats? Is he single?"

"Mina—"

"Wait, wait, I'll start the questioning!" She turned to me, grinning like a Cheshire cat. "So, Ryosuke, favorite color? Favorite video game? And—be honest—how often does Aizawa-sensei fall asleep standing up?"

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. "Black, Call of Duty, and at least twice a day. Can I eat now?"

"Not yet!" Kaminari slid into the seat across from me, chin propped on his hand. "So, are you more of a Bakugo guy or a Midoriya guy?"

"Neither."

Kirishima laughed, clapping me on the shoulder so hard my tray rattled. "You've got guts, man. Most people can't stay neutral in this place."

"Yeah, guts," I muttered, leaning back in my chair as Mina dramatically pulled out another chair and plopped down beside me.

"Okay, final question!" she announced. "And it's the most important one. Would you rather be stuck on a desert island with Bakugo or Midoriya?"

I smirked, finally picking up my chopsticks. "Neither. I'd rather take the boat."

The table erupted in laughter, Mina practically wheezing as she leaned on me for support. Kirishima grinned, Kaminari gave me a thumbs-up, and even Bakugo, from across the room, was glaring at me like he wanted to laugh but refused to admit it.

And just like that, my hopes of eating alone were thoroughly crushed.