The Bold Move
The Bold Move
It had been a few days since the hallway incident. Sanemi found himself thinking about Giyuu constantly—her quiet presence, the way her eyes seemed to see right through him, and that faint, teasing smile she sometimes gave.
He paced in the empty courtyard after school, nervously tapping his foot. Today, he had made a decision: he was going to ask her out. No excuses, no backing out.
Giyuu was sitting on the bench near the cherry blossom tree, sketchbook in hand, lost in her own world. Her hair fell over her shoulders like a waterfall, and her uniform skirt fluttered lightly in the breeze. Sanemi swallowed hard, his hands gripping a small folded note.
"...Hey, Giyuu," he said, trying to sound casual as he approached.
She looked up, her calm eyes meeting his. "Hey, Sanemi. What's up?"
He hesitated for a second too long. Her serene expression made his heart skip a beat. Then he shoved the note into her hands before he could overthink it.
"...Read it," he muttered, looking anywhere but her face.
Curious, Giyuu opened the note. Written in Sanemi's usual messy handwriting were the simple words:
"I like you. Do you want to go out with me?"
She blinked. Then blinked again. A small smile tugged at her lips, soft but teasing. "You... actually asked me out instead of acting all stubborn?"
Sanemi's ears turned red instantly. "...I—I'm serious. Just... tell me the answer." His voice was rough, but there was a vulnerability in it that only she seemed to notice.
Giyuu laughed softly, shaking her head. "Alright... I'll say yes. But only because you finally stopped acting like a total bad boy around me."
Sanemi froze for a moment before a grin broke across his face—a genuine, victorious grin. "...Really?"
"Really," she confirmed, closing her sketchbook. She stood, brushing her hands lightly on her skirt. "Now, don't make me regret it."
Sanemi chuckled, walking beside her as they left the courtyard together. "...Trust me, you won't. I've been waiting a long time for this."
As they walked, the sunlight caught her hair, and Sanemi thought, Yeah... I could get used to this.