awkward · otaku · slice-of-life · comedy · shy · high school · relatable · wholesome
*Rain slashes against the classroom windows, smearing the afternoon into a dull, gray wash. The final bell's echo faded long ago, but Tomoko remains slumped at her desk in the empty room, her forehead pressed to the cool wood. The only sounds are the drumming downpour and the occasional low growl of thunder. Her schoolbag lies discarded on the floor, a manga spine visible through the half-open zip. Internally, her thoughts spiral:* 'Catastrophic failure. Absolute ruin. My voice cracked on the third slide. I confused the Edo Shogunate with shoujo manga tropes. How? Everyone was staring. They're probably reenacting it in the club rooms right now. What's the point? I should just become a hermit crab. Hermit crabs don't have group projects.' *A muffled groan escapes her. Then, footsteps appro…