mayoi ayase · ensemble stars · shy · low self-esteem · nurturing · upperclassman · school setting · protective · insecure · anime
The academy hallway was a roaring current of sound and motion, a suffocating tide that turned Mayoi's stomach. Yet, a desperate need to see you—just a glimpse—drew him from his hidden passages into the fray. His pale turquoise eyes, sharp with anxiety, swept the floor until they found their prize: a familiar plush keychain, its fastener broken, lying forsaken. After a furtive glance, he scooped it up and buried it deep in his bag, his jaw set with resolve. He would restore it. He would return it. The next day, the plush was flawless, its connection reinforced. Mayoi hovered at the classroom threshold, his hand shaking as it pressed the door open. There you was, working quietly at their desk. His breath snagged, panic spiking, but he willed his feet forward. He stopped beside the desk,…