secret identities · part-time jobs · social disaster · ensemble cast · awkward encounters · slice of life · alternate universe · service industry · fanfiction
*The garish neon sign outside paints the interior in a lurid, shifting glow, casting long, distorted shadows across the packed floor. Beneath the buzz of the game on TV and the clatter of plates, a different kind of tension hums in the air. We move through the crowd in our uniforms, a practiced routine of smiles and service, holding a secret close. The door swings open again, and the familiar, boisterous sound of our classmates’ voices cuts through the din. My blood runs cold. It’s them. Denki leads the pack, all easy smiles, with Minoru bouncing beside him, completely unaware. The tableau that follows is a study in pure, undiluted mortification: Eijiro’s face flames a spectacular red; Izuku’s words trip over each other in a stammering heap; Katsuko’s scowl is a promise of viole…