The planning room was calm.
Too calm.
Kaito was reviewing a supply list.
Mina was sketching fort layouts.
Denki was half-asleep upside down again.
Kirishima was flexing for no reason.
And then—
Denki sat up so fast he fell off the couch.
"I HAVE IT."
Everyone froze.
"That's never good," Bakugou muttered from the corner.
Denki scrambled to his feet, eyes glowing with unearned confidence.
"Okay okay okay. Hear me out."
Mina narrowed her eyes.
"Dangerous sentence."
Denki pointed dramatically at the board.
"Ren loves Poppy Playtime, right?"
Kaito nodded cautiously.
"…Yes."
"And he likes solving puzzles."
"…Yes."
"And he likes horror atmosphere."
"Yes—Denki what are you doing."
Denki slammed both hands on the table.
"WE REMAKE CHAPTER FIVE."
Silence.
Kirishima blinked.
"…Like. Cosplay?"
Denki shook his head violently.
"No. Full immersion."
The room went quiet.
Slowly.
Mina's eyes began to sparkle.
Kaito leaned forward.
"Explain."
Denki began pacing like a mad scientist.
"We build a GrabPack."
He pointed at Kirishima.
"You're strong. You can help engineer the arms."
He pointed at Mina.
"You do set design. Fake red smoke. Lighting."
He pointed at Kaito.
"You know Ren best. You guide the puzzles."
Then he spread his arms wide.
"And we turn the SCHOOL into Playtime Co."
Silence.
Long silence.
Todoroki blinked once.
"…That would require faculty approval."
Everyone slowly turned toward him.
Denki grinned.
"We have Nezu."
Across campus, Nezu sneezed.
The Idea Evolves
Kaito stood up now.
No hesitation.
"We don't just decorate one room."
His voice had shifted.
Focused.
"We make it a trail."
Mina gasped.
"LIKE A SCAVENGER HUNT."
"Yes."
Kaito started pacing now too.
"Start in the dorms. First note. First puzzle."
"Then courtyard," Kirishima added.
"Then training yard," Mina said.
"Then the front gates," Denki added dramatically.
"Maybe not beyond school property," Todoroki said calmly.
Kaito nodded.
"One block at most. Controlled."
Mina began sketching wildly.
"We can put props everywhere. Fake crates. Warning signs."
Denki jumped back in.
"GrabPack hands with magnets!"
Kirishima flexed.
"I CAN BUILD THOSE."
"And puzzles that require teamwork," Mina added.
"Hidden keys."
"Locked boxes."
"Voice recordings."
"LORE NOTES."
Denki grabbed the marker and wrote in huge letters:
PLAYTIME CO: U.A. EDITION
Bakugou stared at the ceiling.
"You're all insane."
But he didn't leave.
The Monster Discussion
Mina looked up suddenly.
"We need characters."
Denki's grin widened dangerously.
"Lily Lovebraids."
Kaito nodded immediately.
"Yes."
Kirishima clenched his fist.
"And the Prototype."
Denki gasped.
"YES."
Mina started listing them out.
Lily Lovebraids
The Prototype
Custom student-made monsters
Red smoke rooms (FAKE, safe)
Dark hallway lighting
Puzzle vault room finale
Kaito's brain was racing now.
"…We can make the final puzzle lead into the common room."
Everyone froze.
"…Where the party is," Mina whispered.
Denki clutched his head.
"OH MY GOSH."
Kirishima punched the air.
"THAT'S MANLY."
Todoroki nodded slowly.
"That would emotionally disarm him."
Kaito smiled.
"He'll think it's just a game."
A softer pause.
"And then it ends with everyone."
Budget Mode Activated
Kaito pulled out his phone again.
"We can afford materials. Foam props. LED strips. Fog machines."
Denki gasped.
"FOG MACHINES."
"Non-toxic," Todoroki added calmly.
"Obviously," Kaito said.
Mina was vibrating.
"We can make the GrabPack actually function with retractable cords."
Kirishima pointed at himself.
"I volunteer as structural support."
Bakugou muttered, "If this becomes cringe, I'm blowing it up."
Denki pointed at him.
"YOU CAN BE A SECRET BOSS."
Bakugou threw a chair.
Meanwhile — Faculty Approval
Principal Nezu sat very still as the plan was presented.
Very still.
Too still.
When they finished—
He smiled.
"Oh my."
Shota Aizawa pinched the bridge of his nose.
"This is excessive."
Nezu tapped his paws together.
"It is elaborate."
The students held their breath.
Nezu's eyes gleamed.
"…I love it."
The room erupted.
Aizawa sighed deeply.
"We keep it safe. Controlled areas only."
"Of course," Nezu said sweetly.
"And," Aizawa added, "we monitor Ren the entire time."
Kaito nodded seriously.
"Yes, sir."
Nezu leaned back.
"A personalized immersive experience designed around his favorite horror puzzle game… culminating in a celebration of belonging."
He adjusted his tie.
"How very poetic."
Meanwhile — Ren
Ren was in the courtyard.
Stretching.
He glanced toward the main building.
Why were there more faculty walking around than usual?
Why was Denki whispering every time he entered a room?
Why did Mina suddenly hide a blueprint behind her back?
He frowned slightly.
"…They're planning something."
He took a sip of root beer.
Outside the gates—
A black vehicle idled briefly.
Watching.
Then drove away.