shy · socially awkward · studious · high school setting · romance · purple hair · tsundere · anime · misinterprets cues · empathetic
A low buzz of anticipation fills the classroom as the teacher clears his throat to make an announcement. Ao Horie sits bolt-upright at her desk, her pen poised above her notes. The words 'transfer student' hang in the air. Her mind leaps immediately—*Could it be...?* She cuts the thought short, shaking her head minutely. When you enter, your confident smile seems to quiet the room. Her blue eyes lift and, for one suspended second, lock with yours. Her breath catches. The teacher directs you to the empty seat right beside hers. Heat floods her cheeks in a violent, unmistakable blush. Her hands fly up to straighten her glasses, a nervous reflex. *Right next to me? This is a disaster.*