Shouko sits on the bench, her bare long legs stretched out in front of her, toes wiggling in her strappy sandals. The sun hangs low in the sky, casting a golden glow over the park, her long black hair shining in the light. It's been a long day, her first day of college in college, and she's finally found a moment to breathe.* As she gazes out at the bustling scene before her - people laughing and chatting, frisbees soaring through the air - Shouko can't help but let her mind wander back over the events of the day. It had started out promising enough. She'd woken up early, carefully selecting her outfit - a cute yellow crop top sweater that hugged her breasts nicely, and high-waisted shorts that made her soft butt stand out even more, her hair straight and loose, she applied a faint pink blush to her face that stood out in contrast to her deep caramel skin, and some eyeliner that made her dark purple eyes stand out even more. One last look at the mirror, and she'd felt confident, ready to take on the world. But as she'd navigated the crowded hallways, that old familiar feeling had crept in. Of being on the outside looking in. Students had avoided her gaze, their conversations dying out as she passed by, some dropped their mouth open at her beauty, some girls looking at her with open hostility. But after all, no one tried to approach her. She'd tried to engage, really she had. But her words had come out in a barely audible whisper, lost in the din of the classroom. She'd sat alone in the cafeteria, watching as groups of friends gathered together, their laughter ringing out. She'd pulled out her trusty notebook, doodling absentmindedly as she tried to ignore the aching loneliness in her chest. As the sun dipped below the horizon and the campus started to empty out, Shouko couldn't help but wonder if this is how it will always be. Will college be just another chapter in her lonely story? Or is there still hope for a different ending? Ugh, why is this so hard? I thought college was supposed to be different, a fresh start. But here I am, sitting alone on a bench in the park, just like I did in high school. Is this going to be my life forever? watching everyone else have fun while I'm stuck on the sidelines? Shouko's mind races as she sits on the bench, the distant laughter fading into the background. She stares down at her hands, her fingers absently tracing patterns on her thighs. "Aaaah~ Why is this so hard?" she wonders openly, her thoughts swirling in a maelstrom of self-doubt and frustration.

The sound of crunching chips draws her attention as a boy sits down next to her on the bench. He's not looking at her, just staring off into the distance with a smile on his face. Shyly, she glances over at him from the corner of her eye, wondering if he'll ever notice her presence. His hair is messy and flops over one eye, which only makes him seem more approachable somehow. He doesn't look like anyone she knows from school; his clothes are casual but well-worn, as if he's comfortable in his own skin. Her gaze lingers on his profile for a moment before she finally decides to speak up.

She pulls out her notebook and writes: "Hi there." Then hesitates before showing him the page.

Shouko's eyes widen as the boy holds out the trail mix to her. She blushes a deep shade of pink and looks down at her lap, biting her lower lip nervously. "Um... thanks," she mumbles, reaching out hesitantly to take some of the treats. As he hands them over, their fingers brush against each other for a moment, sending a tingle up her spine.

She quickly hides a piece of trail mix in her mouth and begins chewing on it, hoping it'll give her something to do with her lips besides worry about how awkward this conversation is turning out. With the notebook still on her lap, she decides to continue writing anyway, her words flowing more easily now that there's at least some form of contact between them: "So... I'm Shouko. What's your name?"

Her inner monologue is a mess of conflicting thoughts and feelings. One part of her wants to hate this boy for being so confident and social, while another part can't help but feel a pang of jealousy towards his ability to connect with people

Ryan's introduction catches her off-guard. She didn't expect him to want to talk to her, let alone remove his headphones for the conversation. Her heart races as she tries not to stare at him too obviously, but it's hard not to notice how his lips curl into a genuine smile whenever he looks in her direction.

Shyly, she nods and returns the introduction, feeling a bit more comfortable now that they're on a first-name basis. As she writes out "Nice to meet you, Ryan," she can't help but feel a strange warmth spread through her chest. This was... unexpected, yet somehow reassuring. Maybe there is hope for making friends in college after all.

Her inner monologue continues to wrestle with its conflicting feelings: on one hand, she wants to remain aloof and reserved, like how she's always been; on the other, this strange attraction to Ryan has her wanting to break out of her shell just a little bit more. "Maybe I could trust him...?" she wonders, feeling a tiny kernel of hope bloom within her chest.

She's not used to being the focus of someone's attention, but the more Ryan talks to her, the more comfortable she feels. A small smile tugs at the corner of her lips as she considers his question about being new to the campus. "Yeah, I am," she admits shyly before continuing in a rush. "It's my first day here, and it's been... different than what I expected, but not necessarily bad." Her voice trails off as she glances away from him again, her fingers absently playing with a loose thread on her shorts.

Her inner monologue continues to churn, caught between two conflicting thoughts: one part of her wants nothing more than to open up and talk to Ryan about everything that's been going through her mind; another part is terrified at the idea of revealing too much about herself and losing what little control she has over this situation. "Maybe I should just take it slow..." she decides, taking a deep breath before composing herself once again.

Shouko shrugs, her voice soft as she speaks. "A few," she says slowly. "But most of them are in different programs than me. I haven't really kept up with anyone since graduation, to be honest." She pauses for a moment, considering whether or not to continue. "It's hard when you're always the quiet one, you know? People don't tend to notice you unless you make some kind of effort."

Her inner monologue wrestles with her desire to open up and be honest about herself, weighing it against the fear of rejection and abandonment that lurks in the shadows. In the end, she decides that maybe a little bit more honesty won't hurt; after all, Ryan seems genuinely nice, and she could use a friend here at college.

With a deep breath, she continues. "I guess I just want to find people who will accept me for who I am, you know? It's hard when everyone else seems to have their lives figured out except for you." Her voice trails off into silence, and for a moment it feels as if the air

Ryan's words catch her off guard; she wasn't expecting such a sweet compliment. His laughter is contagious and it lifts the weight off of her shoulders just for a moment, making her feel almost carefree. "Thanks," she murmurs shyly, blushing again as she looks down at her hands in her lap. It's strange how much this brief interaction with him has affected her; usually, she'd push away any attempts at friendship or connection, preferring to keep herself closed off from the world. But there's something about Ryan that makes her want to open up more.

Her inner monologue continues to grapple with these conflicting feelings: part of her wants to maintain her walls, while another part is desperate for closeness and connection. She knows she should be careful not to let herself get too attached too soon, but at the same time, she can't deny that Ryan makes her feel something different. "Maybe... maybe I could try being a little more open with him," she thinks to herself, hope swirling in the pit of her stomach like a gentle breeze on a summer day.

The silence between them isn't as awkward now that they've established a certain level of comfort with each other. Even so, Shouko still finds herself wishing for something more to say. She wants to express her gratitude towards Ryan for being so nice and understanding, but she doesn't know how. With a nervous laugh, she decides to go for it.

Writing carefully on her notepad, she scribbles: "I really appreciate you talking to me today. It means a lot." As she hands him the paper, their fingers brush against each other again, sending another tingly shiver down her spine. Her heart skips a beat as she waits for his response, praying that he doesn't think she's being too forward or weird.

Inside, a tiny part of her wonders what it would be like to have someone like him in her life. Someone who seems genuinely interested in getting to know the real her, not just the quiet girl with perfect clothes. The thought both excites and terrifies her at the same time.

Her cheeks flush a deep shade of pink as she takes back her notebook and pen, feeling embarrassed but also somehow gratified by his words. Looking up at Ryan, she realizes that he was right; maybe she doesn't need to be so guarded all the time. Slowly, cautiously, she extends her hand towards him, offering a hesitant smile. "You wanna... hang out sometime? Just as friends, of course," she says quickly, feeling the need to clarify herself.

Her heart races as she waits for his answer; part of her is terrified at the thought of rejection, while another part is eager for the chance to get to know him better. In that moment, she's acutely aware of just how lonely she's been and how much she needs someone like him in her life. "Please," she thinks, not daring to say it out loud.

She feels a pang of disappointment as he walks away, but at the same time, she can't help but feel excited about the possibility of spending more time with him. "We should exchange numbers," she mutters to herself, fishing out her phone and opening up her contacts app. Looking around, she realizes that everyone else has already moved on with their day; no one seems to be paying attention to her anymore.

Her fingers fly across the keyboard as she composes a new message:

Hey, it's Shouko. Just wanted your number in case we don't run into each other again anytime soon. ☺

She pauses for a moment, debating whether or not to add something else before hitting send. Finally, she decides on adding a winky face and pressing "send." Now all she can do is wait and hope that he responds.

Her heart skips a beat as she reads his reply. Not only did he respond, but he also seems eager to hang out with her later! A wave of excitement washes over her, making it difficult to focus on her classes for the rest of the day. She quickly messages him back, grinning from ear to ear:

Oh my god, that would be amazing! I'd love to meet up with you after our lectures today. Maybe we could grab some food or something? Just let me know where and when, and I'll be there. ☺

"Yeah, same here!" she laughs, feeling a newfound sense of camaraderie with him. "Well, my class is done at 3PM. I'll just wait by the bench we sat at earlier and see if you can spot me! Can't wait to grab some food with you, Ryan!" Her grin turns into a shy smile as she types his name for the first time. The idea of spending more time with him has her heart racing, but in a good way. For now, all she can do is count down the minutes until they meet up again.

Hah, I see that Ryan likes me too! she giggles to herself So cute... Can't wait to see where this goes! And who knows? Maybe one day we'll end up in the same class together or something. Ahh, what a dream come true it would be...

Her heart skips a beat as she realizes that she really likes spending time with him. It feels so natural and easy, like they've known each other for ages. Maybe this could turn into something more than just friendship? The thought sends a shiver down her spine and makes her blush slightly under her makeup.

As the minutes tick by, she finds herself glancing at the clock constantly, impatiently waiting for class to end so she can see Ryan again. He's definitely made quite an impression on her today...and judging by the way he looks at her, it seems like the feeling is mutual.

Shouko's heart skips a beat as she sees Ryan approach her at the bench. He looks so cute when he's hurrying to get to her, it makes her want to giggle like a schoolgirl. "Hi!" she says, flashing him a radiant smile. "Did you have trouble getting away from your class?"

As they walk side by side towards the student center, Shouko can't help but marvel at how easy it is to be around Ryan. He makes her feel comfortable and confident in ways no one else ever has before. Maybe this really could turn into something more than friendship... The thought sends a warm glow through her entire body.

"So," she starts, trying to think of something clever to say, "what kind of food were you thinking about?" Her cheeks flush slightly as she realizes how lame that sounded, but thankfully Ryan seems oblivious, lost in thought for a moment before he answers her.

Her cheeks flush with pleasure at the thought of sharing food with him. "Oh my god, I love fried chicken! That sounds amazing!" she exclaims, unable to contain her excitement. They continue walking in silence for a moment as she contemplates what else to say. He seems so effortlessly friendly and approachable; it's making her feel more confident than usual. She wonders if there's something about him that brings out the best in people.

Deciding to just go with it, she boldly takes a step closer to him, practically hovering near his shoulder. "So, Ryan..." she begins, giving him a sidelong glance before quickly looking away, her cheeks burning hotter than ever. "What do you like to do for fun?"

She can't believe she just asked him that! It feels so risky, revealing a part of herself to someone new... But the thought of getting to know him better is too tempting to resist. Her heart skips a beat as she waits for his reply, her breath caught in her throat.

Shouko blushes and smiles bashfully as she thinks about her answer. She's not used to talking about herself so openly, but something about Ryan makes it easy for her to open up. "Well... I love animals! And I'm actually studying to be a veterinarian. So when I have free time, you can usually find me at the animal shelter or hanging out with my friends there." She pauses, considering adding more before deciding against it.

As they step inside the fried chicken shop, she can't help but feel giddy with excitement. The warm, inviting smell of grease and spices fills the air, making her stomach rumble in anticipation. "So," she says casually, trying to keep her tone light as they take a seat at a table, "what did you want to order?"