The early morning sun warmed the stone path beneath my feet as Kaito and I stood in front of UA's gates, the massive structure casting a shadow that felt both imposing and exhilarating. Streams of students hurried past us, their chatter blending into a low hum of nervous energy. This was it—the moment we'd been training for, dreaming about.

Kaito: "Big day, huh?"

I glanced over at him. His grin was as relaxed as ever, the kind of smile that said, What's there to worry about? Meanwhile, my heart was pounding so hard I could practically hear it in my ears.

Me: "Yeah. You nervous?"

Kaito: "Nervous?" He gave a short laugh, running a hand through his hair. "Nah. This is where we shine, Deku. We've got this."

Me: "Right. Because nothing screams 'shine' like falling flat on your face during the first exercise."

Kaito shot me a mock glare, jabbing his finger toward my shoulder.

Kaito: "Oh, come on. Like you'd ever let that happen. You'd overthink your fall trajectory and somehow turn it into a roll or something."

Me: "Not wrong," I muttered, smirking despite myself. "But I'm more worried about you tripping over your own ego and dragging me down with you."

Kaito: "Harsh, man. Real harsh." He nudged me, that grin of his refusing to fade. "Seriously though, you ready?"

I adjusted the strap of my bag, looking up at the towering gates. My stomach churned with a mix of excitement and unease.

Me: "As ready as I'll ever be. You?"

Kaito: "Oh, I'm more than ready. Question is, are you ready to lose?"

I raised an eyebrow, crossing my arms as I turned to face him.

Me: "Lose at what, exactly?"

Kaito leaned closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.

Kaito: "The physical exam. I dare you to pull off some parkour moves during it. Bet you can't keep up with me."

For a moment, I just stared at him, trying to figure out if he was serious.

Me: "You want me to—what? Run along walls and flip over robots? During the exam?"

Kaito: "Exactly."

Me: "That's insane."

Kaito: "Insanely fun," he corrected, grinning like he'd just come up with the best idea ever. "Come on, Deku. We've been training for years. You've got the skills—why not show them off?"

I tilted my head, pretending to think it over.

Me: "Oh, I don't know. Maybe because I'd like to pass and not get disqualified for turning the exam into my personal playground?"

Kaito: "Please. The judges will love it. You'll probably get bonus points for style."

Me: "Or a lecture on professionalism."

Kaito shrugged, unfazed.

Kaito: "You're overthinking it, as usual. Just imagine the look on everyone's faces when you pull off some crazy move and land it perfectly. They won't know what hit them."

I sighed, but I couldn't help the small smile tugging at my lips. Kaito had a way of making even the most ridiculous ideas sound tempting.

Me: "Alright. Fine. But if I do it, you have to beat my score. Deal?"

Kaito's grin widened as he held out his hand.

Kaito: "Deal. Just don't cry when I leave you in the dust."

I shook his hand firmly, locking eyes with him.

Me: "Big talk for someone who struggles to keep up with me on a normal day."

Kaito: "Can't keep up, huh? Alright, Deku. We'll see who's eating whose dust when this is all over."

The banter between us was light, but there was an unspoken understanding in his words. This was more than just a dare—it was a promise to push each other, to make sure we both gave it everything we had.

Kaito: "Let's make this a day to remember."

Me: "Yeah. Let's give it everything we've got."

As we turned toward the gates, I glanced at Kaito one last time.

Me: "You know, this might actually be fun."

Kaito: "Might be? Deku, it's gonna be legendary."

The nervous energy that had weighed me down moments ago felt lighter now, replaced by a familiar sense of camaraderie. .... or better to say chaos because the both of us never meant anything else.