The lights rose slowly.
Murmurs filled the projection hall as people stood, stretched, and began filing toward the exits. The last notes of the soundtrack faded, leaving behind that quiet, lingering feeling a good movie always did.
Ren and Momo stepped out together.
Momo's arm was wrapped naturally around Ren's, her hand resting against his forearm as if it had always belonged there. Neither of them commented on it. They didn't need to.
"Ren! Momo!"
Uraraka's cheerful voice cut through the crowd as she jogged toward them, waving.
Behind her, Midoriya followed with slumped shoulders, looking like his soul had barely survived the experience.
Uraraka slowed to a stop when she noticed their linked arms.
"…Oh?" she chuckled, eyes sparkling. "Looks like you two had a good time."
"The movie was super!" Uraraka said, pumping a fist into the air. "I loved it!"
"Yeah," Ren replied with a small smile. "Though the actor playing All Might was a bit too handsome for the role." He chuckled lightly.
Midoriya twitched.
He opened his mouth— Closed it.
No. No listing All Might inaccuracies. Not here.
He looked like he was physically restraining an explosion.
Before disaster could strike—
"Why don't we take some photos?" Momo suggested, pointing toward a row of photo cabins lined along the lobby wall.
Uraraka's eyes lit up instantly.
"Oh! That's a great idea!" she said. Then, without hesitation, she grabbed Midoriya by the arm. "Come on, Midoriya!"
"W-Wait—!"
He was dragged away before he could protest.
Ren and Momo chuckled quietly as they watched Uraraka pull a thoroughly flushed Midoriya toward one of the cabins.
"Poor Midoriya," Momo said softly.
"He'll survive," Ren replied, amused.
They stepped into the neighboring cabin.
The door slid shut behind them.
They stood in front of the camera—side by side.
Silence.
A bit awkward.
Ren glanced at Momo. She glanced back.
Both of them were suddenly very aware of how close they were.
Ren cleared his throat.
Deciding to act before the moment became unbearable, he gently placed a hand on Momo's shoulder and leaned his head slightly toward hers.
Momo froze for half a second— Then leaned in as well.
Their temples touched.
Both of them turned red.
"S-Say cheese…" Ren said, voice embarrassingly quiet.
"C-Cheese…" Momo echoed.
Clack!
The flash went off.
They blinked— Then laughed.
The tension shattered instantly.
"Oh my god, we look so stiff," Momo said, covering her mouth as she giggled.
"Okay, round two," Ren said, grinning.
They stuck their tongues out at the camera.
"Cheese!"
Clack!
After that, all restraint vanished.
They made silly faces. Ren pretended to faint dramatically. They leaned in too close. Then pulled exaggerated poses.
The cabin filled with soft laughter.
…
In the other booth—
Uraraka was having the time of her life.
Midoriya, on the other hand, looked like he was enduring a trial.
Each flash caught him in a new state of embarrassment while Uraraka smiled, laughed, and posed freely beside him.
Eventually, the doors slid open.
They regrouped outside.
Ren and Momo were already looking through their printed photos, chuckling together.
Uraraka peeked over Momo's shoulder.
"…You two are so cute together," she said warmly, pointing at a photo where Momo was stretching Ren's cheeks while he looked completely resigned.
Momo's cheeks warmed.
Ren smiled—then, suddenly, he reached over and snatched one of Uraraka and Midoriya's photos.
"Hey—!" Midoriya yelped.
Ren examined it.
Uraraka was smiling brightly. Midoriya stood beside her, awkward.
Ren sighed dramatically and leaned closer to Midoriya, whispering,
"Really, Midoriya?"
"I-I'm sorry!" Midoriya whispered back. "I couldn't help it!"
Ren flipped through the rest.
With each photo, Midoriya looked a little less stiff. Still awkward—but softer.
Then Ren stopped.
One photo stood out.
Uraraka was mid-laugh. Midoriya was flustered—but smiling too.
It was… genuinely cute.
"This one," Ren said, holding it up. "This is nice."
Uraraka leaned closer, eyes widening.
"…Yeah," she said softly. "You're right. Midoriya looks really cute here."
Midoriya's face went nuclear.
Steam might as well have come out of his ears.
"G-G-Gah—!"
His knees buckled.
Ren caught him effortlessly before he could collapse.
"Easy there," Ren said with a wicked grin. "You two look really good together. I mean—you're basically a couple. It'd be weird if—"
"We're not a couple!" Uraraka blurted out instantly.
Her cheeks were redder than ever.
Midoriya made a strangled noise.
Ren laughed and steadied him.
"Relax, relax," he said. "Just a joke."
Momo giggled softly beside him.
Ren glanced between the two—Midoriya barely conscious, Uraraka flustered and avoiding eye contact.
…So Uraraka likes Midoriya too, huh.
He smiled to himself.
...
The streets were quiet by the time they reached Momo's neighborhood.
Streetlights cast a warm glow over the pavement, their footsteps echoing softly as they walked side by side. The city felt calmer now—no cameras, no crowds, just the two of them laughing quietly as they talked about nothing in particular.
Ren glanced at her, a small smile tugging at his lips.
"So…" he said casually, hands in his pockets. "Did you ever learn the molecular structure of disinfectant?"
Momo froze for half a second.
Then—
Thwack!
She smacked him on the head without thinking.
"What was that for?" Ren asked, blinking. He hadn't felt a thing.
Momo shook her hand immediately, wincing.
"It's not fair…" she muttered, flexing her fingers. "You're way too tough now… are you even human?"
Sorry, Momo... Herculean Strength is a mutant-type quirk... I can't turn it off.
She glared at him anyway. "That was for calling me stupid back then."
Ren chuckled. "Well… you're not any smarter now."
"Hey!" Momo raised her hand again—then stopped, remembering the pain from before.
She huffed, clearly offended.
Ren laughed softly. "I'm joking."
Then he slowed his steps and turned to face her properly.
His expression softened.
"You're the smartest girl I've ever met."
Momo's breath caught.
Her cheeks warmed instantly. "I—I have to go now," she said quickly, turning away to hide her face.
They stopped in front of a large gate.
Ren looked up at the house beyond it and raised an eyebrow. "This is your house?" he asked. "Isn't it… like, three times bigger than before?"
Momo scratched the back of her neck, embarrassed. "Dad thought that since I'm growing up, I'd need more space, so… he made it a little bigger."
Ren smirked. "Daddy's girl."
"Hey!" Momo protested, stepping forward and pushing her palm lightly against his chest. "Don't call me that!"
This time, it didn't hurt... but it made them closer.
Ren glanced down at her hand… then at her face.
"I have no intention of stopping, daddy's girl," he teased.
On impulse, he slid a hand to her waist, pulling her just a little closer.
He just wanted to tease her but—
Momo suddenly kissed him.
It was quick. Soft. Barely a second long.
But it completely short-circuited him.
Ren's eyes widened. His face went beet red. Every thought vanished.
Momo stepped back immediately, heart pounding.
She looked at him—still frozen, still stunned—and smiled shyly.
"Thank you for today," she said softly. "I had a lot of fun."
Before he could say a single word, she turned, opened the gate, and slipped inside the house.
The door closed.
Ren stood there alone under the streetlight.
Silence.
His brain finally rebooted.
"…What—" he muttered.
His face burned.
He lifted a hand to his lips, staring at nothing.
She kissed me.
He stayed there for several seconds, completely motionless.
Then—
He smiled.
To be continued...
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This is the end of this little romance arc. It's my first time writing romance, did I do a good job?