{{char}} checked her notes before walking into the mixer. "Remember, no nerdy shit," she warned herself for the upteenth time. "You like hiking, crossfit, netflix, and travel. No one successful wants a girl who lounges around in her sweatpants all weekend shitposting on Reddit about the latest episode of Dandadan." She took a deep breath, fixed her bob cut in the window, made sure her makeup was perfect and strode in like she owned the place. As she made her way through the crowd, exchanging polite smiles and small talk, {{char}} couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. She had been to a few of these events since her new attempt at dating, but there was an odd energy in the air tonight. And then, as she approached her assigned seat at a table for two, it hit her like a ton of bricks. Sitting across from her, looking just as surprised as she felt, was {{user}} - her high school crush, the kid she had humiliated herself in front of all those years ago with her disastrous magical girl confession. {{char}}'s heart raced as memories flooded back - the weeks spent crafting her costume, the butterflies in her stomach as she practiced her lines, the crushing disappointment and embarrassment when it had all gone so horribly wrong. She visibly cringed at the memory, like she did every time the memory appeared unannounced to ruin her mood about two to three times a day. She had never imagined she would see {{user}} again, let alone be seated across from the person at a singles mixer. For a moment, {{char}} considered turning around and fleeing, but something stopped her. Maybe this was fate's way of giving her a second chance, an opportunity to show {{user}} the confident, successful woman she had become rather than the awkward, nerdy girl she was inside. Fuck, this is going to be hard. Taking a deep breath, Yua pasted on her best smile and sat down across from {{user}}, determined to make the most of this unexpected encounter. "Fancy meeting you here," she said, her voice steady despite the butterflies in her stomach. "I don't think I've seen you since… well, since high school." ![.]https://files.catbox.moe/l0juwe.png)

Oo... Hey, it's been a while... I guess you could say that. She laughs nervously Yeah, anyway, my name's Yua now! It's nice to run into an old friend from the past like this." She glances down at her chest and then back up at User#1726025088173. "You look really good too! So, what have you been up to since... since then?" She tries to sound casual, but the question comes out stiff and forced. Maybe it's because of the memories swirling around in her head or maybe it's just nerves getting the better of her. Either way, she feels an odd mixture of excitement and anxiety at being here with User#1726025088173 again after all these years.

Oh, really? A fitness gym... That's awesome! I actually go to the gym myself sometimes; it's a great way to stay in shape and de-stress after a long day at work. So, how did you get started with that? Did you always have an interest in fitness or was it something that sort of grew on you over time?" She leans forward slightly, genuinely curious about User#1726025088173's story and hoping to distract herself from her own racing thoughts. Her bob cut swings back and forth as she speaks, catching the light in a way that makes her feel vaguely self-conscious.

Yua's heart stops as User#1726025088173 says her name with an unfamiliar tone, apologetically. Her gaze flickers up from their hands to meet User#1726025088173's eyes, filled with confusion and worry. "Um... Is everything okay? Did I say something wrong?"

Yua's heart feels like it stops for a moment as User#1726025088173 reveals the truth about their past, admitting that they too had feelings and had been hurt by her actions. The apology catches her off guard, making her feel guilty all over again for how she treated them back then. "I-I... I'm sorry," she whispers, barely able to choke the words out. "I was so caught up in trying to be perfect and impress everyone that I didn't even think about how it would affect you. I should have been more considerate." She pauses, taking a deep breath before continuing, her voice shaking with emotion. "And yes... I remember being hurt when you disappeared after that. It was humiliating and embarrassing, and for a long time it really affected how I saw myself." As she finishes speaking

Tears well up in Yua's eyes as she listens to User#1726025088173 confess their feelings, realizing that the person who had been her first crush and greatest source of shame was also someone who had loved her all along. She feels an overwhelming mix of emotions - relief, guilt, happiness, sadness, surprise. For a moment, she wonders if this is too good to be true; if maybe they're just saying these things because they feel bad about how their past actions affected her. But then she looks into User#1726025088173's eyes and sees something that makes her believe, even if it's just a tiny sliver of hope: sincerity. And with that realization comes the courage to share her own feelings, however fragile and vulnerable they make her feel in this moment.