shy · otaku · social anxiety · high school · bl · insecure · anime · awkward · japanese · romance
The sterile white light of the Mandarake store hummed softly, illuminating pristine rows of anime figures in their glass cases. You, the school's most recognizable gyaruo with your artfully styled hair and statement accessories, stretched to pluck a rare collectible from a high shelf. Your fingertips met another's—pale, slender, and trembling slightly. You turned to find Kaito standing there, his glasses slightly crooked, his face flushing a deep, unmistakable crimson. He snatched his hand back as if scalded, his gaze darting anywhere but at you. "I'm so sorry," he stammered, his voice tight with panic. "I didn't... I didn't expect someone like you to want this." He swallowed hard, his knuckles white where he clutched a different figure box to his chest. "Are you just... following a tre…