The bustling halls of the college were as lively as ever, with students hurrying to their classes and chatting in clusters. Ere'ana, her arms full of books, tried to maneuver through the chaos without bumping into anyone. Her head was buzzing with thoughts of Kikidori. She couldn't stop replaying their meeting in the city. There was something about him that stuck in her mind, a pull she couldn't explain.
As she turned a corner, her thoughts distracted her enough that she didn't notice someone coming from the opposite direction—until it was too late.
**THUD.**
Ere'ana and the stranger collided head-to-head, both of them stumbling backward and dropping their things. Her books scattered across the floor, and she immediately crouched down, murmuring an apology.
"I'm so sorry—"
"Ere'ana?" a familiar voice interrupted her.
She looked up, her heart skipping a beat. It was Kikidori.
"Kikidori?" she blurted, her voice catching in her throat.
He rubbed his forehead, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. "You've got a hard head."
Ere'ana felt her face heat up, and her social anxiety began to creep in. She ducked her head, avoiding his gaze. "Sorry... I wasn't paying attention."
Kikidori crouched down to help her gather her scattered books. "No worries. Guess we're even now, huh?"
They reached for the same book at the same time, and Kikidori's hand accidentally landed on hers. Both of them froze. Kikidori's eyes widened, and Ere'ana felt her cheeks flush as red as a sunset.
"Oh—sorry!" Kikidori stammered, pulling his hand back quickly.
"No, it's fine!" Ere'ana said in a rush, snatching the book and clutching it to her chest. Her heart was pounding so loudly she was sure he could hear it.
Kikidori scratched the back of his neck, his face tinged with pink. "I didn't mean to—"
But Ere'ana was already overwhelmed. She scrambled to her feet, clutching her books tightly. "I-I have to go. Sorry!"
Before Kikidori could say another word, Ere'ana bolted down the hallway, weaving through the crowd until she reached the safety of her dorm. She slammed the door shut, leaning against it as she tried to catch her breath.
Her roommate, Chukaru Manaki, looked up from his desk, his glasses perched on his nose as he worked on his laptop. "Rough day?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"You could say that," Ere'ana muttered, sliding down to sit on the floor.
Chukaru turned his chair to face her, a small smile on his lips. "Want to talk about it?"
Ere'ana shook her head quickly. She appreciated Chukaru's kindness, but she wasn't in the mood to explain her embarrassment. Besides, she knew he liked her, and that made things even more complicated. She didn't want to lead him on, especially when her thoughts were completely consumed by Kikidori.
Chukaru sighed and turned back to his work, mumbling, "Well, I'm here if you need me."
Meanwhile, Kikidori walked back to his own dorm, his thoughts spinning. He couldn't believe how flustered he'd gotten just from touching Ere'ana's hand. It was so unlike him to lose his cool.
When he opened the door to his dorm, his roommate was sitting cross-legged on her bed, scrolling through her phone.
"Hey, Kikidori," she said without looking up.
"Hey, Yumi," Kikidori replied, tossing his bag onto the floor.
Yumi was petite, with sharp eyes and an even sharper tongue. She could be bossy and sassy, but Kikidori had to admit, she was also nice when she wanted to be. She was one of his closest friends, but their relationship had always been strictly platonic.
"You look weird," Yumi said, finally glancing at him.
"Thanks," Kikidori said dryly, flopping onto his bed.
"What happened?" she asked, setting her phone down.
"Nothing," Kikidori mumbled, staring at the ceiling.
Yumi raised an eyebrow. "Doesn't look like nothing. Spill."
Kikidori groaned, covering his face with his arm. "I bumped into someone in the hallway. Literally. And it was... Ere'ana."
Yumi smirked, sitting up straighter. "Ah, the girl you've been talking about. Did you embarrass yourself?"
"Maybe," Kikidori admitted. "I accidentally grabbed her hand instead of her book, and... she ran off."
Yumi burst out laughing, clapping her hands. "Oh, this is too good. You're usually so smooth, and now you're blushing over a girl."
"I wasn't blushing," Kikidori lied, though the heat in his face betrayed him.
Yumi shook her head, still chuckling. "You've got it bad, don't you?"
Kikidori didn't answer. He didn't need to. His thoughts were already back with Ere'ana, wondering if she felt the same spark he did when their hands touched.
End of Chapter 2