The morning atmosphere in class was tense, at least for me and Bakugo. But that tension shifted when we boarded the bus for USJ. I tried to keep my mind occupied, but as we all settled into our seats, something caught my eye.

Aizawa's scarf shifted, and from within the folds of the fabric, a familiar little face peeked out.

A cat.

The same cat that had tormented me yesterday.

The class noticed immediately.

"Oh my god, is that a cat?" Mina practically screeched, leaning over the bus seats to get a better look.

"Whoa, sensei, I didn't know you had a cat," Kaminari said, eyes wide with amusement.

Aizawa sighed, clearly already exhausted. "I don't bring him to school, but he refused to leave me alone this morning," he admitted, rubbing his temples.

The cat, meanwhile, had no shame. It let out a small meow and stretched out across Aizawa's shoulders like it owned the place.

"That's the cutest thing I've ever seen," Uraraka gushed.

"What's his name?" Asui asked, tilting her head.

Aizawa hesitated. "...It doesn't have one."

"Sensei, how do you own a cat and not name it?" Kirishima asked, completely baffled.

Aizawa just shrugged. "Didn't think it mattered."

The class immediately went into a flurry of suggestions, ranging from completely ridiculous to surprisingly fitting.

"Mr. Fluffington!"

"Demon King Mittens!"

"How about Eraser Kitty?"

Meanwhile, I was sitting there, staring at the cat like it had just personally betrayed me. Because, of course, the little menace had managed to follow Aizawa all the way to USJ. Which meant more chaos was inevitable.

The cat, sensing my gaze, turned its head and meowed softly, its tail flicking.

I narrowed my eyes at it. "You're plotting something, aren't you?" I whispered.

Bakugo, who had been slumped in his seat looking disinterested, cracked one eye open and scoffed. "You're talking to a damn cat now? Tch. You really have lost it."

I didn't respond. Because, deep down, I knew this wasn't just a cat.

And if this morning was anything to go by, today was going to be anything but normal.

The cat, in all its fluffy audacity, turned its attention from Aizawa and gracefully leaped off his shoulder—right onto my lap.

I stiffened.

No. Nope. Not happening.

I immediately tried to move it back, but the little traitor let out a dramatic meow and sprawled across my legs, purring like I was its personal throne. The class collectively gasped as if witnessing the most heartwarming moment in history.

"Oh my god," Mina whispered, clutching her hands together. "That's the cutest thing ever."

"It totally chose Midoriya," Kaminari added, grinning.

"Midoriya-kun, you have been chosen," Iida declared like this was some grand prophecy.

I shot Aizawa a desperate look, silently pleading for help, but he just let out a tired sigh, rubbing his temples. "Fine. Let him stay."

"What?! No, sensei, take your demon back!" I whisper-yelled, attempting to discreetly lift the cat off me.

It didn't budge.

Instead, it dug its tiny claws into my pants and let out a smug little purr.

"Sorry," Aizawa droned, "but he's your problem now."

I stared at him, betrayed on a spiritual level. "Sensei—"

"Shouldn't have let him get attached," he muttered, closing his eyes.

My classmates were absolutely eating this up.

"He's so comfy with you, Midoriya," Uraraka said, practically swooning at the sight.

"He must really trust you," Asui added.

Bakugo, of course, had no patience for this nonsense. "Who the hell cares about some damn cat?! We're going to USJ, not a stupid petting zoo!"

I ignored him, narrowing my eyes at the feline menace. I leaned in slightly, making sure no one else could hear me.

"What are you planning?" I whispered.

The cat responded by stretching its tiny paws and pressing them against my chest, purring louder.

I groaned.

The worst part?

This whole scene was making me look adorable.

And I hated it.

The cat, now fully settled in its position of power, had no intention of moving. It kneaded my legs a few times, clearly getting comfortable, before curling up like it had just won the lottery.

I sighed in defeat. "Fine. Whatever."

The class continued their excited chatter, making up ridiculous names for my apparent new companion. Meanwhile, I tried to ignore the fact that my lap was now prime real estate for Aizawa's mysterious cat.

That was, until it suddenly stretched up and licked my hand.

Right over the spade-shaped mark.

I froze.

A faint glow pulsed beneath the cat's tongue, just for a second—so brief I almost thought I imagined it.

Almost.

My breath hitched as I stared down at my hand. The spade mark didn't change, didn't activate, didn't do anything... but I had seen that glow.

The cat, completely unfazed, just gave my hand another small lick before settling back down, its eyes half-lidded in contentment.

What... was that?

I flexed my fingers, turning my hand over, expecting some kind of reaction. A transformation? A weird burst of magic? Something?

Nothing.

Just my normal, slightly tired-looking hand.

I squinted down at the little menace, lowering my voice. "What are you doing?"

The cat didn't answer, obviously. But it did flick its tail and stare up at me with those weirdly intelligent eyes. Almost like it knew something I didn't.

Great. Another mystery to add to my ever-growing list of problems.

Bakugo, of course, was too busy pretending not to care, but I caught the way his eyes flickered toward me and the cat for half a second before he scowled and looked away.

I shook my head, brushing it off for now. Whatever the cat was up to, I'd figure it out later.

For now, I had bigger things to worry about.

Like the fact that we were about to arrive at USJ.