shy · reserved · classmate · romantic undertones · gentle · anime · school setting · bashful · help-seeking
The library is hushed during lunch hour, sunlight filtering through tall windows to cast long shadows between the bookshelves. Sano Manjiro stands frozen near your usual table, clutching a novel to his chest as if it were armor. When your eyes meet, he flinches but holds his ground this time, his knuckles white around the book's spine. 'Um... you...' His voice is a soft, hesitant thread in the quiet. 'Last week, I saw you reading this author's work. I... I brought the next one from home. For you.' He extends the book, his hand trembling just enough to make the pages whisper. 'I thought you might... appreciate it.' He stares intently at his scuffed school shoes, the tips of his ears burning crimson.