You didn't speak to Katsuki in the days that followed.

People were visibly concerned—your closest friends especially. It was as though the mask you'd so desperately been trying to maintain had completely slipped off. You no longer bothered to smile or laugh. You didn't even feel like yourself anymore.

It was worth mentioning that you weren't exclusively ignoring him; the silence that ensued was a two-way street. He no longer invited you to sit with him in the cafeteria from time to time, even going so far as ensuring that his own table was nearly halfway across the room from yours. If the two of you ever brushed shoulders in the halls, neither of you said a word.

The worst part was that you weren't even surprised. You'd had a feeling that this was how things would unravel, the moment you told him about your fading mark. The whole situation couldn't even be classified as spiteful or malicious—it just seemed like neither of you cared anymore. The "soulmate" arrangement was over; making an effort didn't seem to merit the payoff.

That was how you found yourself lounging around over the weekend, looking more empty and depressed than you ever had before.

"[Name], honey?" Your mother was looking over at you, brows laced with concern. "Is everything alright?"

You shifted on the couch, but only to incline your neck upwards. Your eyes were lidded and utterly devoid of emotion.

"Yeah," you mumbled quietly. "I'm fine. Just tired."

"Tired, but...it's already 3 in the afternoon..."

You shrugged. "I haven't been sleeping much these days."

"I see." She drummed her fingers over the countertop, no doubt pondering what to say next. It looked as though she was trying to swallow her words before they came. Probably in an attempt to spare your feelings.

"What is it?" you sighed. "I know you wanna say something."

"No, I'm just—" She frowned. "This just isn't like you. I've never seen you look so deflated before. Sure, everyone has the odd couple of days, but it's been like this for a while. And it only seems like it's getting worse."

You turned your attention back to the TV. "I don't want to talk about it."

"But, sweetie—"

"I don't want to talk about it." You gritted your teeth, fully aware of how vicious that last sentence had sounded. You could hear your mother stifle a gasp; she'd never seen you shun her like this.

"...Alright," she murmured. "Clearly, this isn't going to work out. I know you're upset about something, but if you refuse to talk to me about it, then the least you can do is call Uraraka over so that you have a friend by your side. How does that sound?"

You nodded listlessly. She let out a weary sigh, already picking up the phone and dialing your best friend's number.

—

"I have some things to get off my chest."

Uraraka's eyes widened. She'd barely just stepped through the door and you were already hovering by her side, ready to overwhelm her with your mountain of problems. Any other person might've been nervous; annoyed, even.

But not Uraraka.

"Finally!" she exclaimed, wrapping you in a big hug. "I've been waiting forever for this! Come on, girl—let's sit down and you can tell me everything."

She was like a puppy, excitedly bounding up and down. You'd never seen someone look quite so enthusiastic, considering that they were just about to get saddled with another person's problems. She really had missed you. Missed actually hearing from you, and knowing what was going on in your life.

You sat back down on the couch, pulling up a blanket for the two of you. Your mother had left the room, out of respect for your privacy. You appreciated it, especially since you'd been so catty towards her earlier.

"First and foremost...I'm sorry," you breathed out, bowing your head forward. "I've been avoiding addressing this for a long time, because I was just super scared. Like you already assumed, it has to do with Katsuki-kun, but it's more than just that. It's something that affects my life, and it's been weighing on my mind like crazy, making me feel sick. I finally confronted him about the situation a few days ago." You paused, managing a sad smile. "That's when we stopped talking."

Uraraka slowly nodded her head, knowing better than to cut in or ask questions prematurely. You breathed in, feeling a bit more at ease. You'd already told Katsuki; coming clean about it to other people was a cake-walk by comparison.

And so, you told her. Everything, just like she'd wanted. All throughout, you studied her expression. Uraraka was an emotive person, and you could see the way her shoulders would slump during some parts, or how her lips would part to allow a soft gasp to slip out. Nonetheless, she still didn't cut in, allowing you to finally say your piece. It was better, all things considered. Unlike with Katsuki, telling the truth hadn't ended in tears and spite. Your best friend was just worried about you. That's all there was to it.

"I'm just glad you finally told me," she smiled. "Don't get me wrong—I'm worried sick about you, even more so after what you've just told me, but it's better this way. I always want to know, [Name]. Even if you think it'll inconvenience me, it's always better to tell someone. That's what best friends are for, right?"

Her smile was so bright and dazzling, it was honestly contagious. You didn't manage much, but it felt good to be happy for a change, even if it was a brief, fleeting feeling. Uraraka leaned forward, wrapping one arm around your back and pulling you up against her.

"It'll be okay," she reassured, running her fingers through your hair. "I know it may sound hard to believe, but things will work out. Somehow, they will. They have to, okay?"

You buried your head in the crook of her neck. "You're right. I just need to stay strong."

"Yes. Just stay strong."

This was the period in which you felt better about yourself. The two of you binge-watched some silly show, stuffed your faces with snacks, and laughed about the most random things. It felt nice to finally regain your bearings. You were seeing life in color again.

Then, you got a text.

[1 unread message: Kana]

"Hm?" Uraraka frowned, mimicking your own confused gaze as she glanced over at your screen. "Who's that?"

"I'm not...sure," you admitted. "The name sounds familiar, but I'm not—oh. Wait. Middle-school Kana?"

You and Uraraka both looked back at one another, eyes widening with realization. "Ahhh," the brunette acquiesced, "Yeah, I remember now. She was in homeroom our last year. Did we talk to her much?"

"I don't think so. We probably only hung out a few times. Lemme see what she wants."

Kana:

Hey, girl! Long time no chat! I know you must be crazy busy at U.A—I saw you in the Sports Festival. You were badass! Anyways, it's nothing major, but we're having a goukon tonight. I made sure to find some top-tier hotties, so I promise you won't be bored ;) It starts in about an hour, but you can pop in pretty much whenever. Some people just canceled last minute and a bunch of our old classmates were asking about you so I thought it'd be cool if you dropped by! The restaurant's at [address], close by the station. Reservation's under the name "Kana". Again, no pressure, but it'd be awesome if we saw you tonight! <3

"...Huh." Uraraka was peering over your shoulder, brows pulled together. "I guess Kana-chan hasn't changed much. She still gets right to the point when she wants something. Besides, if she really wanted you to show, the least she could've done was—"

"I think I'm gonna go."

"What?" She looked back at you, brown eyes widened. Her chin quivered just so. "[Name]-chan...you're kidding, right? It's super last-minute, and even if that wasn't the case, what about Bakugou-kun? Aren't the two of you, well...you know?"

You swiped your hair to the side. "Aren't we what? After everything that went down between the two of us, I highly doubt we're ever gonna be able to work things through. We're not talking anymore. We don't even look at each other."

"Because you're going through a rough patch," she protested. "This soulmate stuff is complicated, yes, but I'm positive you guys will be able to figure it out. The fading mark and all that—you'll get to the bottom of it soon enough. I promise."

"You weren't there. You didn't see the way he looked at me; the things he told me. He basically said that caring about me was a mistake."

You'd stood up now, and Uraraka rose with you. Her usually rosy cheeks had lost most of their color. She wasn't smiling anymore.

"I think you're being too hasty," she breathed out. "I can tell that you're upset, and I obviously can't possibly understand what you're going through, but I don't think this is the right decision. This is basically just one big group-dating session; they're obviously going to pair you up with some guy."

You stared at her, unfazed. "And what would be so wrong with that?"

"...Seriously? You don't see a problem there?"

"It's become more and more clear that Katsuki-kun and I aren't good together," you brushed off. You passed by the mirror, hastily looking yourself over. It wasn't your best attire, but it certainly wasn't your worst. And it would just have to do.

"[Name]-chan!" Uraraka stumbled to keep up with you, a steady glare forming across her delicate features. "This isn't right, and you know it. You're not even interested in meeting other guys right now—you're just doing it out of spite. To get back at Bakugou-kun, because you're upset with him."

"How would you know what I want?"

The words came out sounding more hostile than you'd intended, but it was too late to take them back. Uraraka's jaw went stiff. She looked just about ready to cry, but hurried to compose herself. It wasn't anything like before. You'd seen her be frustrated and despondent before, but she'd never looked quite like this. She was your best friend, and you were certain that she'd never wanted to slap you in the face before.

Except for now. Now, you weren't quite so sure anymore.

"I'm trying to help," she grimaced. "It's obvious to me that you're scared—and you have a right to be—but all you're doing is pushing me further and further away. It's bad enough that you kept this a secret from me for so long, but now you're going to act like this?"

"I'm not acting like anything. I've been having a very shitty time these last few days and I really need some cheering up. Why is it such a crime that I go out and try to have a good time?"

She bit down on her lip, growing hot in the face. "You know why, and you refuse to admit it. Just say that you want to get back at Bakugou-kun. At least own up to it."

"How the fuck would I even get back at him?" you snapped. "He's not talking to me—he's done. Whatever relationship we were trying to have is clearly not going to happen, so stop trying to make me feel guilty about going out and meeting people."

You spied your purse sitting on the chair by the front door and flung it over your shoulder. Already, you were in the process on throwing on your coat and stepping into your low-heeled boots. Uraraka could only gape at you, looking more disappointed than ever.

"Are you joking right now? You're just gonna rush out the door and leave me here? What even—who are you?" she choked out. "I've never seen you act so cold, never in my entire life."

You'd reached into your purse to fish out your favorite, [f/c] colored lipgloss. You dabbed it onto your lips, running them over one another. As you looked up at Uraraka, it felt like what was left of your spirit had eroded.

"Who knows," you deadpanned. "I barely even recognize myself these days. If you wanna leave, let yourself out whenever. Or stay and chat with my mom, your choice."

She didn't say anything—not even after you'd stepped outside and shut the door in her face. Or maybe she did say something, but you just didn't hear it, over the sound of blood pounding in your ears.

For the first time in your life, you could genuinely say that you hated yourself.