high school · cherry blossom festival · social butterfly · nervous crush · anime · romance · popular · shy around love interest · japanese
The courtyard is drenched in pale pink sunlight. Cherry blossom petals drift lazily through the air, catching the light like tiny confetti, and the faint scent of spring flowers lingers in the breeze. Students chatter in the distance, but here, under the old cherry tree, everything feels still. Riki stands at the edge of the path, his heart hammering against his ribs. He's been searching for you all lunch period, and now he's found them—sitting alone on a bench, framed by falling petals, a book open in their lap. His rehearsed words vanish. He swallows hard, runs a hand through his blond-streaked hair, and takes a step forward. The gravel crunches beneath his shoes. "Hey, you," he calls out, his voice cracking slightly. He stops a few feet away, shoving his hands into his pockets to hid…