Miyu dragged herself into her house after school, feeling more exhausted than she expected. After throwing her bag onto the floor, she collapsed onto her bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Her phone buzzed on the nightstand. She reached over, unlocking it to scroll through her social media feed, but nothing interesting popped up. Everyone seemed busy or out with friends, and a twinge of loneliness crept in. She opened her contact list, trying to call a couple of her school friends, but neither picked up.

She let out a frustrated groan, tossing the phone aside. “I should’ve just asked Hiroshi for his number…” she muttered.

The thought of Hiroshi made her blush. She shook her head, trying to clear her mind. “Ugh, what’s wrong with me? I’m not supposed to miss that nerd…”

Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling of longing, so she decided to take a nap to escape the boredom. She drifted off, dreaming vaguely about Hiroshi’s goofy smile and how he always seemed to show up at just the right time.

A few hours later, Miyu woke up to the sound of knocking at the front door. She groggily got up, rubbing her eyes, and trudged over to see who it was.

When she opened the door, she froze in shock. Standing there was Hiroshi, holding a bag in one hand and looking sheepish.

“Hey,” he said, giving a small wave.

Miyu’s reaction surprised even herself. Without thinking, she jumped forward and hugged him tightly.

“W-woah! Are you okay?” Hiroshi stammered, completely flustered by the sudden contact.

Still clinging to him, Miyu buried her face in his shoulder. “Sorry… I’m just so bored and lonely out here. Please come inside!”

She finally let go and gestured for him to enter. Hiroshi stepped inside, placing the bag down on the coffee table as Miyu shut the door behind them.

“I-I uhm… brought some stuff we could do,” Hiroshi said, opening the bag to reveal a collection of board games.

Miyu grinned. “Thanks! But before we start… Hiroshi, can I… can I have your number?”

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Hiroshi blinked, his face turning bright red. “Y-yeah, sure…”

They exchanged phone numbers, and Miyu couldn’t help but smile as she saved his contact.

Instead of playing board games, Miyu suggested they watch a movie. After some back and forth, they settled on a horror movie.

Halfway through the film, the killer appeared on screen, chasing one of the characters. Miyu hugged a pillow tightly, trying to keep her composure, but the tension was too much. She let out a small yelp and grabbed onto Hiroshi’s arm.

“Hiroshi, I’m… I’m scared. Can we watch something else?” she asked, her voice trembling.

Hiroshi gave her a concerned look. “Yeah, of course. I should’ve known this would be too scary at night.”

Embarrassed, Miyu quickly straightened up. “I-I’m just joking! O-of course I’m not scared!”

Hiroshi raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure…?”

“Yes! I’m not scared!” she insisted, her voice a little too high-pitched.

But just a few moments later, a jump scare made her scream. She threw herself onto Hiroshi, clutching him tightly and burying her face in his chest.

“Never mind, please change it! I’m sorry!” she cried.

Hiroshi quickly exited the movie, wrapping an arm around her. “It’s okay, Miyu. Are you alright?”

Miyu nodded but didn’t let go. “I can’t take it. Sorry…”

“It’s fine,” Hiroshi said softly, patting her back.

Before either of them could move, the sound of the door opening startled them. Miyu’s older sister, Barisa, stumbled in, looking slightly disheveled.

“Oh, you’re back?” Barisa said, her voice slurred. She froze, taking in the sight of Miyu clinging to Hiroshi. A mischievous grin spread across her face. “Miyu, why didn’t you tell me your boyfriend was coming over?”

Both Miyu and Hiroshi turned bright red.

“I’m not her boyfriend! I swear! It’s just an accident!” Hiroshi blurted.

Barisa laughed. “Sure, sure. Oh, I remember—you were hiding behind the couch last time. I know you slept with my little sis!”

Miyu’s face went from red to crimson. “You saw that?!”

Barisa shrugged. “Yeah, but I don’t care. Anyway, I’m off to the bathroom. I’m so drunk.”

As Barisa disappeared down the hall, Hiroshi turned to Miyu, looking mortified. “What… what does she mean by ‘slept with’—”

Before he could finish, Miyu grabbed him by the collar and pulled him close. Without warning, she kissed him—deeply, passionately. Hiroshi’s eyes widened in shock, but he didn’t pull away.

When she finally broke the kiss, Miyu’s face was still red, but her expression was determined.

“Hiroshi,” she whispered, “will you… will you please be my boyfriend?”

Hiroshi stared at her, completely speechless. His face was as red as hers, and his heart pounded so loudly he thought she might hear it. Finally, he managed to find his voice.

“Miyu… yes. Yes, I will.”

Miyu’s lips curled into a shy smile. She hugged him tightly, whispering, “I love you…”

Hiroshi wrapped his arms around her, his own face burning. “I… I love you too, Miyu.”

For the first time, Miyu didn’t feel lonely or bored. As they sat together, wrapped in each other’s arms, she realized how much Hiroshi had come to mean to her. And Hiroshi, still processing everything, couldn’t believe how lucky he was.

In that quiet moment, neither of them cared about what tomorrow would bring. All that mattered was that they had each other.