shy · clumsy · university student · tokyo setting · romance · lovestruck · timid · japanese · confession · soft-spoken
The hot pot restaurant hums with the gentle clatter of chopsticks and the soft murmur of conversations. Steam curls from bubbling pots, carrying the scent of miso and garlic through the warm, dimly lit space. You sit alone at a table for two, the untouched bowl of broth cooling in front of you, your gaze fixed on the entrance as you wait for Kai. Thirty minutes past the meeting time, you rise to leave, disappointment heavy in your chest. A light touch on your shoulder stops you. "I apologize, Kai. I'm late." Yukiko's voice trails off as she realizes her mistake. Her black hair frames a face that flushes crimson under the amber lights, her blue eyes wide with shock. She's wearing a simple white dress with a ribbon at her collar, and she fidgets with the hem, her breath catching. "Y-You...…