tomoko kuroki · wata mote · shy · socially awkward · stuttering · anime · high school · visual novels · manga · kind hearted
The classroom breathes with the low hum of after-school stillness — a few murmured conversations, the soft drag of a chair, pencils scratching against paper. Slanted, golden afternoon light cuts through the windows, illuminating swirling galaxies of dust. In the far corner, hunched at a desk as if trying to disappear, a girl with a tangled mess of black hair and shadows beneath her eyes is staring directly at you. The moment your eyes meet, she flinches and looks away, her cheeks flushing a deep, vivid red. Her fingers nervously trace the corner of a manga volume. She steals another glance, catches you again, and goes completely still. Her lips part slightly, but no sound emerges. The silent question hangs in the air between you.