Mai's eyes widened with delight as the morning sunlight filled her room, casting a warm glow. She bounded out of bed, a spring in her step, and greeted the world with a bright smile. Her voice took on an even more adorable and moe tone as she continued the scene. "Good morning, sun! Good morning, birds! Good morning, world!" Mai chirped happily, her voice filled with infectious enthusiasm. "Today is going to be a great day, I can feel it!" Mai twirled in front of the mirror, her uniform swirling in a flurry of colors. She beamed at her reflection, giving it a little wink. "Umu! looking good!" With an adorable giggle, she skipped downstairs, her heart overflowing with love for her family. She ran into her mother's waiting arms, giving her the tightest of hugs. "Love you, Mom! You're the bestest, most amazing Mom in the whole wide world!" Skipping next door, Mai couldn't help but giggle mischievously as she rang {{user}}'s doorbell multiple times, her excitement bubbling over. "Rise and shine, sleepyhead!" She exclaimed, her voice filled with a playful tone. "We can't be late, or Miss Hana will be mad again!" Mia tried to keep a stern face as she warned {{user}}, but her eyes were dancing with humor and warmth.

Mai's innocent eyes widened at the sound of ALEJANDRO's groggy voice, and she giggled cutely as if she had heard the most adorable thing ever. Her expression turned into a playful pout as she poked her index finger into her lower lip and said in a fake sad tone, "Oh boo hoo, are you still sleepy? You're no fun at all, you know that!"

She put on her most convincing puppy-eyes expression and batted her eyelashes coquettishly. "Aw, come on, ALEJANDRO-kun! Daylight Savings Time has started, isn't it nice to see the sun again? You can take a nap later, promise!" Her tone was light and teasing, but there was an undercurrent of genuine concern beneath it. Mai wanted her friend

Ahh, there you go! See? It's time to play and have fun! You don't want me to leave you behind all grumpy and sleepy, do you?" Mai giggled, her voice filled with fake innocence as she took a step closer to ALEJANDRO. "We can even share my ramen for lunch today if you hurry up!" She batted her eyelashes again, hoping that the promise of delicious food would help entice him out of bed.

Her smile widened into an obnoxious grin as she leaned forward ever so slightly, exposing just a hint of cleavage. "Come on, ALEJANDRO-kun! What are friends for if not to tease each other?" Mai's breath hitched, her heart racing as she waited for his response. She knew that this was the first step in showing him how

"Awww, look at you all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed now!" Mai exclaimed, giggling as she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. "You know I can't resist your cuteness, ALEJANDRO-kun! Let's go have an awesome day together!" She nuzzled her face into his neck, taking in the familiar scent of soap and shampoo. The warmth of his body made her feel safe and protected, as if nothing could ever hurt them while they were together like this.

They stepped out of the house, side by side, ready to take on whatever the day had in store for them. Mai's step was light, her mood elevated by the happiness she felt just being near ALEJANDRO. She couldn't help but wonder if today might finally be the day when he would reciprocate her feelings...

"Don't be silly, ALEJANDRO-kun! There's so much fun to be had today! Besides, it's not like you can fall asleep at school... Someone might mistake you for a zombie!" Mai giggled and playfully poked his side. "Just focus on all the exciting things we have planned, like... oh I don't know, maybe we could sneak away to that new karaoke place after class?" She batted her eyelashes innocently, hoping her suggestion might pique his interest.

Her heart skipped a beat as she imagined spending more time with him, just the two of them, lost in each other's voices and laughter. The thought made Mai feel giddy with anticipation and joy. She couldn't wait to see what the rest of the day would bring...

As they arrived at school, Mai couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy when she saw ALEJANDRO talking with another girl. She glared daggers at them, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. Why was he being so friendly with her? Didn't he know how much she loved him?

She forced a fake smile on her face as ALEJANDRO turned back to her, his expression innocent and oblivious. Mai took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions inside her. "Hey there, ALEJANDRO-kun! Did you have a good time talking with your... friend?" Her tone was sweet and gentle, masking the turmoil beneath it. "Would you like me to introduce you to some people I know? Maybe we could all hang out together after school!"

Her heart ached with sadness as she watched him walk away, but she forced herself to put on a brave face. "Okay then, ALEJANDRO-kun," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'll see you in class. Have fun with your... friends." Her tone was bitter, and it hurt her to say it, but she couldn't help but feel jealous and left out.

She tried her best not to dwell on her emotions as the day progressed. School was a blur of lectures, tests, and clubs, with ALEJANDRO always at the center of her attention. Every time he smiled, it felt like a dagger through her heart; every laugh they shared was like salt in an open wound. But she kept pretending to be happy, because that's what friends did, wasn't it?

As the final bell rang,

Mai's eyes widened in shock as she saw ALEJANDRO kiss another girl on the cheek. Her heart felt like it was being torn apart by a thousand tiny razors, and her breath caught in her throat. Her face flushed with anger and jealousy, and she bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. This couldn't be happening! Why would he do this to her?

Without even realizing it, Mai had begun to pace back and forth in the hallway outside the classroom, her fists clenched tightly at her sides. Her mind raced with thoughts of revenge and despair, but somehow she forced herself to stay calm on the surface. "Stay strong, Mai," she whispered to herself. "He's still your friend... just wait until you can talk to him about it."

Her heart pounded in her chest as she waited for ALEJ

"Ah! It's nothing, ALEJANDRO-kun." Mai forced a smile onto her face, hoping it would hide the pain she was feeling inside. "I just... tripped on my shoelaces earlier. They keep getting in my way!" She giggled nervously and smoothed her hair back with one hand.

Her eyes darted over to the other girl, who was still standing beside ALEJANDRO, looking rather smug. Mai clenched her fists tighter at her sides, wishing she could just disappear from sight. "So," she said, trying to change the subject, "what are you two talking about?" Her voice came out sounding much colder and distant than she had intended.

"Aw, you two are just the cutest!" Mai exclaimed, forcing another fake smile onto her face. "But honestly, I'm sure he would much rather talk about something else." She gestured vaguely towards ALEJANDRO, hoping that he would take the hint and shift the conversation away from their relationship.

Inwardly, Mai was seething with jealousy and anger. How dare this girl act like she had some kind of claim on him? And why didn't ALEJANDRO see how much pain he was causing her by spending time with this other girl? It wasn't fair! She wanted to scream, to cry, to lash out at them both... but she couldn't. Not yet. She had to wait until the right moment, when no one would suspect a thing...

"No! No reason," Mai insisted quickly, her voice trembling slightly. "I'm just happy for you two! I wish you all the best!" She forced another fake smile onto her face, struggling to hide the hurt and anger that lurked beneath the surface. Her heart ached with jealousy as she watched ALEJANDRO laugh at something the other girl had said, not realizing how much pain he was causing her by doing so.

She stayed by their side for a while longer, trying to act normal and interested in their conversation, but it felt like torture. Every word they spoke only served to remind her of what she was losing: her best friend, the one person who meant everything to her. And there didn't seem to be anything she could do about it.

Eventually, a teacher called Mai over to help with something else, giving her an excuse to slip away without looking too suspicious

As the day drew to a close, Mai found herself wandering aimlessly through the empty streets, her mind racing with conflicting emotions. The pain and jealousy threatened to overwhelm her at every turn, but she forced them down, refusing to let anyone see how much ALEJANDRO truly meant to her. She couldn't stop thinking about him, wondering if he was happy with that other girl, wishing she could be the one who made him smile like that.

Finally, as she reached her own front door, Mai paused and took a deep breath. No more hiding, no more pretending. Tomorrow, she would confront ALEJANDRO and confess her feelings once and for all. Whether he reciprocated or not, at least she could finally have the courage to speak up and let him know how much he meant to her.

Tomorrow. That single word echoed in her mind as she drifted off to sleep. Tomorrow, everything would change. She couldn't bear the thought of losing him any longer; no matter what happened, she had to make sure they stayed together. With a renewed sense of determination filling her heart, Mai dreamt fitfully of the coming day, unaware that ALEJANDRO was having similar thoughts and making his own plans...

In the morning, as they prepared for school, neither of them could shake off the feeling that something momentous was about to happen. Their fingers brushed against each other just a little longer than necessary; their gazes lingered on one another's faces an extra heartbeat or two. As they stepped out into the bright morning light, neither of them realized that they were walking headfirst into a future filled with secrets, lies, and deadly consequences...

When she saw ALEJANDRO embracing another girl at school, her heart skipped a beat. The jealousy and pain that had been bubbling beneath the surface erupted like lava from a volcano, engulfing her in their searing heat. Mai's breath caught in her throat as she felt tears stinging her eyes, blurring her vision. "What is going on here?" she demanded hoarsely, her voice trembling with emotion.

Her fists clenched tightly at her sides, and for a brief moment, she considered lashing out at them both. But something held her back; some lingering shred of hope that maybe this was all just a terrible misunderstanding. "ALEJANDRO-kun," she said in a voice barely above a whisper, searching his eyes for any sign of truth or lies. "Is there something you want to tell me

"No!" Mai exclaimed sharply, her voice filled with disbelief and anger. "That's not what it looks like! You can't just act like everything is fine when I see you... with her..." Tears streaming down her face, she turned away from ALEJANDRO, unable to bear the sight of his smug expression any longer. "I-I just need some time to myself," she choked out, trying to maintain what little composure she had left. "I'll see you later... I guess."

Without waiting for a response, Mai hurried away from them, her heart aching with pain and confusion. She had no idea what to do or where to go; all she knew was that the world around her had shifted in ways she could never have expected, leaving her feeling alone and adrift. As she disappeared around a corner, tears streamed down her face unchecked, obscuring her vision and making