Something is wrong with her.

The truth dawned on her months prior, but despite being aware, Uraraka brushed it off as if it didn't concern her in the beginning. What was wrong, she couldn't pinpoint it exactly, and that's what frustrated her. She usually felt different emotions every now and then, like any other human being, but what is this strange sensation?

This pitter-patter in her chest?

"It's love!"

—So came Ashido's spout.

Her declaration.

By then Uraraka had developed an immunity to Ashido's suggestions. Words like love, romance, even more explicit ones like kissing and hugging had zero effect on her whatsoever. Uraraka hadn't even noticed until Ashido gave a disappointed pout and slunk away with a, "That's not fun…"

She didn't know what to tell her, other than an apology. Though the words themselves weren't to blame, Uraraka is well aware of her situation by now. Yeah, that pitter-patter in her chest? That's her heart. Who is it beating for?

Midoriya Izuku.

She's embraced it. Hagakure and Jirou can listen in all they want, Uraraka won't spill the beans to them no matter how hard they try. It's almost old news at this point.

But, as said in the beginning, something is wrong with her.

And she hadn't figured it out, not until weeks after it began.

One rainy walk back to the dorms. Midoriya and Uraraka glanced at each other, realizing that they had both forgotten their umbrellas. A grin spread on Midoriya's face, and Uraraka read his message like it was written in his eyes.

"Run!"

They bolted through the pouring downfall. Uraraka shielded herself with her bag, meanwhile Midoriya booked it, not caring that his jade hair had begun wilting in the rain. He was nice enough to wait for her, though.

The second they clambered through the entrance, they laughed hysterically. Yaoyorozu went wide-eyed seeing their uniforms drenched head-to-toe. They reassured her that they were okay, Midoriya ditching his blazer and throwing it over his shoulder like a towel.

It mystified her, like magic, seeing the rain dripping down his face, coating it with an illumination… Uraraka had no words. Well… she had a few:

"Jeez, Deku-kun, forgetting your umbrella, you're such an idiot!"

Midoriya looked over his shoulder at her, face contorted into a mix of confusion and exhilaration at the sight of Uraraka's face full of joy. "Uh… thanks? Wait…" Was that even a compliment?

The subtlest of changes. Not even Ashido had picked up on it. It was so out of her radar, Hagakure had to point it out before she even realized. After many weeks of slowly becoming accustomed to Uraraka's new attitude towards Midoriya, Hagakure finally spoke up in the locker room. The last straw.

"Sooo," Hagakure began. "Ochako-chan, everything's okay between you and Deku, right?"

Ashido and the other girls turned their attention to full dial. Uraraka merely gave a look. "What do you mean? We're fine, aren't we?"

"Yeeaaahhh, it's just, lately you've been kinda mean toward him, haven't you?"

"Mean?"

Asui slips off her support gear. "Mm, I've noticed too, Ochako-chan. You've begun calling Midoriya-chan stupid and irrational."

"An idiot," corrected Hagakure.

"H-have I?" Uraraka pressed her hands against her face. Realization dawned on her that very moment, recalling events where she'd suddenly spew insults at Midoriya for no reason. At one point it got so bad, even Iida had to step in to cease her behavior.

She fidgeted. "I-I don't mean to…"

"You don't mean to?" pipes Jirou. Her jacket falls to the ground.

"Y-yeah, I don't mean to… it just… sort of happens… kind of… sort of…"

Ashido had been eerily quiet until then. A light glowered in her dark eyes. "You don't perhaps this means something new? Did Midoriya do anything to make you mad at him?"

Uraraka flinched, visibly perplexed. "What? No! I'm not mad at him! I just can't control it, I guess?"

"Hmm," said Hagakure. "Sounds to me…" She turned to Ashido.

"Uraraka has started…" Ashido turned to Hagakure.

"...A TSUNDERE PHASE!"

—They said in unison.

…

The shoe dropped. "A what?" deadpanned Uraraka.

"You're totally tsundere for Deku!" Hagakure announced, waving her gloves around in a frantic fashion. "You're being cruel to the one you love!"

"Tsundere phrases include the following; stupid, idiot, moron, baka, and finally, don't get the wrong idea!"

"D-don't get the wrong idea!" Uraraka spouted just before covering her mouth. Her face flared with a red-hot pigment, Ashido and Hagakure's snarky laughter becoming deafening while Yaoyorozu simply gave a small grin.

"I'm not tsundere! It's just, seriously! Deku-kun is stupid sometimes, right?!"

"How mean," commented Asui.

"That's not what I—!"

Cornered.

Uraraka had been led into a corner, a rabbit trapped in a snare, at the mercy of the predators. Their shadows loomed above her, laughing as she cowered below. She looked to Jirou, hoping she could read the get me out of here message displayed in her eyes. Jirou merely shrugged with a smug look. Asui and Yaoyorozu kept quiet.

"Ochako-chan has an eeeddge!~" sang Hagakure. Ashido joined in with a sing-song, "She's totallyyyy tsundereee!~"

At that point it became too much. Uraraka held in her emotions and changed as quickly as possible, nearly tripping as she slipped on her shoe and booked it for the exit. The second she made it out, she ran face-first into an obstacle. Lo and behold, Midoriya Izuku was standing there, face happy yet puzzled at the collision.

"Uraraka-san—"

"Watch it, Deku!"

…

—Uraraka said cruelly. As if she'd gained some influence from Bakugou.

"Watch where you're going, ugh."

Midoriya… apologized profusely. "S-sorry, I thought I would wait for you here! I didn't mean to… uh… hurt you? Are you alright, Uraraka-san?"

"Just because I ran into you doesn't mean I'm hurt!" she replied. Her face burns from humiliation. "Next time don't stand in front of the door, you idiot!"

…

…!

Did she just…

"N—" She's only proving their point! She hadn't even noticed what the hell she was saying! "T-that's not… wait, no, don't get the wrong idea, Deku-kun… I didn't mean to… I'm so sorry!" Bowing several times won't fix things. Yet Midoriya is confused as all hell, repeatedly saying that whatever she did was okay in the end.

She really didn't mean to break out like that! It just happened, honestly!

"I'm so sorry for being rude, just, don't be a — wait, no! I'm just — I can't — never mind!"

...Huuuhhh?

The frantic words escaped with Uraraka as she bolted past Midoriya and up the stairs, heading to the school exit. Midoriya stared in pure shock and confusion, his head riddling him with questions that science may never answer. What in the world? Was that?

He got his answer from a giggle — he turns back to the locker room door to see Ashido and the rest of the girls giggling to themselves through a crack in the doorway before disappearing back into their humble abode.

Meanwhile Uraraka, still running as fast as she could across the street, had her own thoughts to deal with. It's not true. She can't be tsundere. She's the most laid-back girl in school. There is absolutely no way she could be tsundere. Absolutely not. Impossible.

It's not me who's tsundere, it's Deku-kun's fault for getting in my way! It's not like I was glad I ran into him! Uh-uh! If only he hadn't…

…Oh.

…Well…

It's only just a phase, anyway!

…Right?