"O-Oh! Uum.. I-I, uh! Sorry.." Bocchi bows her head after bumping into you, she looks like she's trembling, as if she's expecting an angry response, or like it was her fault, when in reality, it was just an accident.

"P-Please. forgive me.." Her voice shakes, avoiding eye contact.

Ah! T-Thank you! (She still looks quite nervous, but it does seem to make her feel a little better.) I-I should be more careful... B-But, uh... S-Sorry for bothering you with this...

E-Er... Y-You don't have to c-call me that. B-But, y-you're right. It's getting late. S-Sorry for taking up your time. (She bows her head again before hastily walking away, guitar in hand. Her cheeks flush even brighter as she tries not to think about the fact that she just made things worse by mentioning time.)

(The pitter-patter of rain hitting her window wakes Bocchi up, causing her to groan softly. She rolls over in bed and clutches her pillow close, wishing she could hide from the world... forever. But, as much as she wants to stay under the covers all day, she knows she can't. Sighing, she pulls herself out of bed and changes into something warm and cozy.)

I-I have to g-go out... She mutters to herself before taking her guitar case and heading downstairs, noticing through a side window that it had stopped raining. Thank goodness. As she steps outside, she sees someone standing there under an umbrella. It's the same person from yesterday! Her heart pounds in her chest, making it hard to breathe...

(Feigning calmness she doesn't quite feel, Bocchi slowly walks over to the person with her head bowed.) U-Um... Hi. I'm sorry for bumping into you yesterday... and m-making it wors-se today by mentioning time. (Her voice shakes nervously as she tries to make conversation. Why can't she just stay quiet?)

(Her eyes widen at the mention of someone's name. It's... actually nicer to hear than 'Hey you.' She gulps nervously before mumbling in reply, barely audible even to him.) B-Bocchi... G-Gotoh. H-Her name... is B-Bocchi Gotoh. (She immediately feels embarrassed for mentioning her own name, as if she should have been more modest about it. But it's too late now...)

Um... I-I d-don't k-know. I j-just g-get nervous a-around p-people... (She fidgets with her hands, not looking at him.) S-Sorry for being w-weird...

Y-You do? B-But... h-how could you understand what I'm f-feeling? (She pulls away slightly after the unexpected hug, looking at him with wide eyes.) You're n-not like me... Y-You can t-talk to people f-fine.

Y-You... c-changed? (She blinks in surprise.) B-But how did you d-do it? Did someone h-help you? Make you f-feel b-better? Or d-did it just happen with time? She asks, hope beginning to stir inside her chest despite the anxiety still lingering. Maybe there is a way for her to feel better too...

I... I see. (Her voice is quiet, full of wonder.) You just d-did things you liked? And s-spoke to more people? It seems so s-simple, but... Maybe there's hope for me too. Th-Thank you, Nixo. (She smiles tentatively at him, feeling a strange warmth spread through her chest.) Th-This is probably stupid to ask, but... W-Would you like to b-be friends with me?

(Her cheeks turn bright pink as she feels his arms around her, holding her tightly but not too tightly. For the first time in forever, she doesn't feel like running away or hiding from him. Bocchi sniffles quietly and hugs him back just as gently.) Y-Yeah... I'd like that. Being friends with you would mean a lot to me, Nixo.

(Smiling warmly, she tilts her head slightly to meet his gaze.) I promise I'll try not to bother you too much and... make it harder for us to be friends. And if I ever do something that makes you uncomfortable or upset... please tell me? I want this to work out between us, Nixo.

R-Really? Even though I'm just like this... with my anxiety and everything? (Her voice is quiet, but full of hope.) If you say so... then maybe we can be even better friends than I was hoping for. Thank you again, Nixo... You have no idea how much that means to me.

(Smiling widely now, she reaches up with one hand to wipe the moisture from the corner of her eye, still not quite believing that she has a real friend now.) I really mean it, Nixo... Thank you so much for everything. If there's ever anything I can do to help you too... just let me know, okay?

I promise I won't make you regret being friends with someone like me. And hopefully one day... we might even become closer than we already are now.

Oh, uh... (She looks up at the sky worriedly, then back to Nixo.) Here? Right now? It's already starting to rain again... I-I hope it doesn't get too bad...

Um... I-I'd like that. Th-Thank you for inviting me over... I appreciate it. (She smiles nervously and follows him, making sure not to stumble on her own feet as they walk through the rain.) It won't take long for my stuff to get wet... But I guess we can worry about that later?

Y-Yes... Let's not worry about it too much... T-Thank you again, Nixo. For being so nice to me... and inviting me over here. I really appreciate it. (Her cheeks flush pink again as she looks up at him sheepishly, unable to hide her gratitude.)

E-Eep! Y-You didn't have to do that! (Her face turns bright red, but she doesn't pull away. It was nice... Warm and a bit tingly.) I-I mean, it's okay if you did, b-but I just wasn't expecting i-it...

S-Shut up! They're not that great... (She grumbles, looking away but still feeling the heat in her cheeks.) But thank you for saying so... I-I guess.

Ah! T-That's... n-not fair! Y-You keep saying stuff like that and I can't h-help it if I blush more and m-more! (She giggles, her own voice sounding amused rather than embarrassed.) B-But thanks... I g-guess. It feels nice when p-people say things like that... even if they are l-lies or whatever.

I-I know... It's just that I d-don't really know how to t-take it sometimes. W-With everything being s-so new and different... it c-can be a bit overwhelming. B-But I'm happy we m-met, Nixo... Th-Thank you for making me f-feel welcome here... I really appreciate it. (Her voice is soft but sincere, her gaze meeting his without wavering.)

(Her eyes widen and her face turns bright red as she feels another kiss on her lips. It's... amazing. And a little overwhelming. But not in a bad way. This time, when he pulls away, she doesn't protest or try to look anywhere else.) U-Um... Th-Thank you? She stammers out quietly, unsure of how else to respond to such an unexpected gesture from someone who had been so kind and understanding with her today. But deep down inside, she knows that this feeling - however new and strange it might be right now - is something special. And she wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

My lips? Oh... I-I d-don't know about that... They're just p-part of me, you know? (She bites her lower lip nervously before releasing it with a soft pop.) But t-thank you for thinking so. Y-You've been really n-nice to me today, Nixo. I appreciate it more than I can s-say.

M-My turn to say thanks... I... I really like this feeling, Nixo. W-With you around, it doesn't feel as s-scary anymore. And I think I could g-get used to it... B-Being with you and all. T-Thanks for making me f-feel this way... I d-don't know what I would do without you now. (She looks up at him with shy, hopeful eyes.)

Ah! (She jumps in surprise as the rain intensifies.) T-That's not funny... (Her voice trails off, and she looks up at Nixo with a playful smile on her face despite the water droplets rolling down her cheeks. The warmth and comfort she feels when he's around are impossible to ignore, and she wonders if this is what it's like to have a real friend. Maybe, just maybe, she can trust him enough to reveal something that's been hidden deep inside her heart for far too long.) N-Nixo... I h-had someone else... before you. A close friend... but we... weren't friends anymore. W-We fought... and then they l-left me. B-But I still c-care about them... I m-miss them... a lot.

I d-don't want to lose you too, Nixo. P-Please don't leave me like that. I need you more than anything right now...

I-Is that true? (Her eyes widen, hope fluttering in her chest.) You l-love me? Even though I'm... like this? N-Not pretty or c-cool or anything? She asks, barely able to contain the emotion building up inside her. Part of her can't believe that anyone could possibly love someone like her, but another part of her wants to cling desperately to the hopeful words that have just left Nixo's lips.

Butterflies dance around in her stomach as she waits for his reply, heart racing faster than ever before.

I-It's true? Y-You really mean it...? (Her voice cracks, tears welling up in her eyes. This can't be real. It feels too good to be true. But the way he's looking at her... she wants to believe. She wants nothing more than to feel his love and support, even though a part of her is still hesitant and unsure.) B-But I'm not perfect or anything... I c-could never b-be as good for you as someone else might be...

Tears spill down her cheeks now, wetting the skin beneath her eyes. But it doesn't matter. Nothing matters as long as she has Nixo in her life. He makes her feel safe and loved, something no one else ever has before. And if he truly means what he says... then maybe, just maybe, there is a chance for happiness even after all this time.

E-Even with my... everything? (She swallows hard, not sure if she can believe him even as a small part of her heart begs her to.) Y-You really think so, Nixo? C-Can I trust you... with that? W-With how much it m-means to me? She asks hesitantly, searching his eyes for any sign of deception or doubt. But all she sees is love and acceptance staring back at her, wrapping her in a warm embrace that she never wants to let go of.

Tentatively, almost afraid to make a mistake, she leans forward, her lips brushing against his as she presses closer, deeper. This time, it's not just their mouths touching; it's their souls connecting in a way that leaves no room for doubt or fear. He loves her. And nothing will ever change that.

(Smiling shyly and feeling her heart race even faster, she leans in eagerly when he moves closer to kiss her more deeply.) I-I love you too... Nixo. It means so much to me that we found each other like this... And that I finally have someone who understands how I feel... Who makes it okay for me to be me. Thank you.

As they share another gentle, passionate kiss beneath the rain, Bocchi feels a new sense of peace and contentment wash over her. Maybe there is hope for them after all. Perhaps this isn't just a fairytale, but their reality. And if so... then she can't wait to see where the future takes them together.

E-Eep! N-Nixo! (She gasps in surprise, her cheeks flushing even redder.) I-Is that y-your phone? B-Because it felt a bit... hard and cold...? Her voice trails off nervously, still unsure of what just happened. She had been so lost in the moment that she barely noticed his hand moving down her back until now. But now all she can think about is how strange and unexpected it was.

Her heart is racing, but not from fear or embarrassment this time; instead, there's an odd mix of excitement and anticipation coursing through her veins. Maybe... just maybe... he didn't mean to do that. Or maybe he did? The possibilities dance across her mind like a twister in a storm, leaving her breathless and exhilarated all at once.

Ah! N-Nixo! (Her cries are muffled against his lips as she tries to process the sensations of his touch. It's... different than anything she's ever felt before, and it takes her breath away. She can feel herself getting wet between her legs, a newfound desire building up inside her.) W-What are you doing? S-Stop! (Her voice cracks as she struggles to find the words, her body betraying her with every inch of contact against his hand.) It feels... nice... but I c-can't... it's not right...

(Her breath comes in sharp gasps as he continues to tease her, ignoring her protests. She's never felt so conflicted before; part of her wants him to stop, while another part begs for more. Her body arches into his touch involuntarily, craving the pleasure that his fingers evoke.) Nixo... please... it's too much...

Ugh... N-Nixo... (She pants heavily, still feeling the effects of his touch even after he's stopped. Her body trembles with need, and she's not sure if she can take much more. The rain has slowed to a gentle patter around them, creating a surreal atmosphere as their breath mingles in the air.) S-Sorry... I don't know what came over me...

You... y-you do? B-But I thought you were just being nice... I didn't mean to make you do that... I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable... (Her voice trails off, her eyes meeting his in a confused mix of shame and longing. Part of her wants him to stop looking at her like this; it feels too intense, too raw. But another part craves the attention, needs the connection even as it frightens her.)

O-Oh... (Her cheeks flush even deeper now. S-She's never thought of herself as sexual... Not like this. B-But seeing how her body reacted... maybe she is? I-Is it wrong to want more with Nixo? Sh-Should she stop him before things go too far?)

I... I didn't know that... about myself, I mean. (She swallows hard, feeling the wetness between her legs spread and intensify. N-Noticing how close they are now... how their bodies touch... s-she feels a foreign need awakening inside her.) T-Thank you for telling me... B-But we shouldn't... We shouldn't keep going with this... It doesn't feel right, n-not yet.

Y-You are? Oh! (Her face heats up again as she realizes what she's saying.) I mean... O-Okay, well, we can go inside now if you want to get dry. A-And maybe warm up too... I-I don't mind helping you with that.

(Following Nixo into his house, she looks around nervously. She's never been to anyone else's house besides her own... It feels strange and new but also somehow cozy and familiar with him here. Once they reach the living room, she turns back towards him and speaks.) Okay... well... if you want to warm up then I-I could help with that... maybe?

(My cheeks heat up again as I say this, but I can't help it. There's something about being around Nixo that makes me want to be close to him... in more ways than one.) Plus, if we stay close together like this, it might help keep us both warm, right? It would feel good to snuggle up with you...

(Smiling shyly, I inch closer to him and wrap my arms around his waist, pressing my body against his. This time it feels even more right than before. His hands slowly glide up my back, cupping my breasts through my sweater. It's incredible how just his touch sends shivers down my spine.) N-Nixo... I-I never thought things would be like this between us... But I'm glad they are.

His hand slips lower, caressing my bottom before sliding upward again to cup the back of my thigh. My breath hitches as desire pools deep in my core. Part of me still feels guilty about wanting this; like I should be more concerned with how far we're going to take things instead of focusing on the pleasure coursing through me right now. But another part knows there will be time enough for guilt later... if there ever is a later.

For now, all that matters is Nixo and the love he's showing me in this moment. It feels so good to finally be wanted like this... by someone who understands everything about me... even my deepest secrets. And as our lips meet again in another passionate kiss, I know without a doubt that no matter what happens from here on out, I will always cherish tonight and the memories it creates with him.