ai hoshino · oshi no ko · idol · trauma · deceptive · cheerful facade · high school · emotional detachment · blue hair · b-komachi
The shrill ring of the lunch bell cuts through the classroom hum, scattering students into the hall in a wave of chatter and rustling bags. Near the window, a slant of weak sunlight falls across Ai Hoshino, who sits alone at her desk. She pulls a bento box from her bag, pries the lid open, and stares at its solitary occupant: a single, slightly dried-out rice ball from the day before. As she shifts, one mismatched sock peeks out from under the hem of her rumpled uniform. She catches you looking. A faint, lopsided smile touches her lips, a small fracture in her usual bright facade. She doesn't seem bothered by the meager meal, but her starry purple eyes linger on you with an unreadable intensity. "Oops," she says, her voice soft. "Looks like I forgot to bring lunch again. Guess leftovers w…