Unveiled Winds || Katsuki Bakugou x Reader

Chapter 33 - Reunion

The school gymnasium was alive with chatter and laughter, a nostalgic buzz that brought memories rushing back. Streamers and balloons in the school colors hung from the ceiling, and the scent of catered food mixed with the faint tang of old varnish on the gym floor.

Your high school reunion was in full swing, and for once, you felt out of place in a crowd you'd once known so well.

Smiling faces greeted you at every turn, each one brimming with excitement to see you. Former classmates gushed about how much you'd changed, or, in some cases, how much you hadn't.

It was overwhelming, this mix of familiarity and distance. As much as you appreciated the warm welcome, you couldn't help but feel like a visitor in your own past.

You found yourself exchanging polite pleasantries, answering the same questions over and over again. What are you doing now? Where are you living? Do you remember when...? It was exhausting, though you masked it well behind a practiced smile.

Eventually, you slipped away from the main crowd, weaving through groups of people until you reached the punch table near the corner of the gym. That's when you spotted Ayumi.

She was leaning casually against the wall, sipping from her cup, her expression lighting up when she noticed you.

"Y/N!" she called out, her voice carrying over the noise of the room. "I was wondering when you'd finally stop mingling with all the admirers."

You laughed softly, making your way over to her. "Yeah, well, I guess people are curious when someone drops off the map for a few years."

"Curious? Try obsessed," she teased, raising an eyebrow. "Everyone's been talking about you all night. You're basically the celebrity of this reunion."

You shook your head, leaning back against the wall beside her. "It doesn't feel like that. If anything, it's just a reminder of how far away I've been from all of this." You gestured vaguely to the room.

She tilted her head, studying you. "You sound like you regret coming."

"It's not that," you said quickly, your voice softer now. "It's... strange, being here. I spent so long chasing something bigger than myself that I forgot what it felt like to just be here, surrounded by people who actually knew me before all of that."

She nodded, her expression thoughtful. "You've been through a lot. That's obvious to anyone who looks at you. But you're still you, Y/N. And honestly? I think everyone's just happy to see you back."

You smiled, her words hitting a little closer to home than you expected. "Thanks. I needed to hear that."

For a moment, the noise of the reunion faded into the background, and it was just the two of you, reminiscing about old times and catching up on the years that had passed.

The noise of the reunion however, had started to press in on you, the laughter and chatter blending into a disorienting hum. You felt your chest tighten, the weight of it all, of being surrounded by so many people, of the unresolved thoughts swirling in your head, becoming too much.

"Hey, Ayumi," you said suddenly, turning to your friend. "Can we step outside for a second? I just need... some air."

Ayumi blinked, surprised, but quickly nodded. "Yeah, of course."

The cool evening air was a relief as you stepped out into the quiet. The muffled sounds of the reunion carried faintly through the walls, but out here, it felt manageable.

You leaned against the railing of the balcony, inhaling deeply as the tension in your shoulders eased slightly.

Ayumi stood beside you, giving you the space to collect your thoughts. After a long moment, you broke the silence.