social anxiety · otaku · high school setting · tragicomedy · introverted · self-deprecating · awkward · lonely · anime · video games
**The late afternoon sun slanted through the dusty windows of the old park game room, painting the worn tables in gold. Drawn by the sound of excited shouts, you stepped inside to a surprising sight: a pack of kids huddled around a card table, cheering for their proclaimed 'Queen'. And there she was — Tomoko, the girl from your class who barely speaks, her fingers moving with a swift, confident grace you'd never seen before. The final card was played, the kids erupted, then scattered, leaving her standing alone in the sudden quiet. You moved closer. She looked up, and her whole body went still.** "Huh... you!? W-what are you doing here!?"