It was a typical Tuesday. I had my head buried in a manga, one of the few guilty pleasures I kept secret. No one knew how much I loved anime and manga. It was my escape from reality, where I could be someone else—someone brave, confident, and strong.
That day, I was so engrossed in my book that I didn't even realize I had wandered into the wrong classroom after lunch. When I finally looked up, my heart nearly stopped.
There he was—Sato Tomo, sitting on the teacher's desk, swinging his legs and talking animatedly with Ito and a few other classmates.
I panicked.
"Oh! I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to…" I stammered, clutching my book to my chest, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks.
Sato turned his head and gave me one of his easy, lazy smiles. "No worries! Happens to the best of us." His voice was soft, almost melodic.
For some reason, that simple response made my heart flutter. What was wrong with me?
Just then, Ino noticed me standing awkwardly by the door. She grinned and called out, "Emma! What are you doing here? Class is about to start next door!"
I felt even more embarrassed now. "I… I got distracted," I mumbled.
Sato's blue eyes twinkled as he looked between me and Ino. "You know her?" he asked, sounding genuinely curious.
Ino smirked and gave me a playful nudge. "Yeah, that's Emma. She's quiet but super smart. And she's a friend of my sister, so you must've seen her around, right?"
Sato tilted his head, looking thoughtful. "Oh! Sorry, Emma. I guess I didn't realize."
I felt myself blush even harder. "It's fine… no problem at all," I muttered, trying to avoid eye contact.
Sato smiled again, but this time, it was softer. "Well, nice to officially meet you then, Emma. Feel free to come hang out anytime."
I nodded quickly, not trusting myself to speak without stumbling over my words again. With a small wave, I hurried out of the classroom, my heart racing.