Honda Shuuya wasn't particularly outstanding—at least that's what she thought.

She was living a mundane life, with no particular direction nor aspirations, so there was no reason for her to do her very best in whatever she does.

She was content this way.

Passing through junior highschool with ease,  like a leaf letting itself be blown by the wind. Now she was in senior highschool, things doesn't seem to change much.

Until now.

"Please go out with me."

Right in front of the prying eyes of other people, a man whom she did not know is confessing¹kokuhaku-告白, literally means "confession", and it is done when a man or a woman declares their love to another, and hopes to begin dating that person..

On second thought, maybe she somehow knows him.

He was one of the Maeda twins. It was inevitable to know about them since they were popular in their school. They were rare breeds of ikemen²イケメン, a good-looking, suave man. and even a part of their school's official volleyball team. Sticking out like a sore thumb, even if you weren't interested, you'll somehow know.

But why was he confessing to her?

"Erm, I think you've got the wrong person."

It must be. They've never even talked before. The most "interaction" they might've had was to exist in the same school, maybe even in the same spot at some point. She doesn't even know his name, just his last name. And she didn't think that he knows her either.

"Honda Shuuya, let's go out." he repeated in a louder voice.

"..." turns out he does know.

She looks around to see if there's someone else named Honda Shuuya behind her but was disappointed. She could only meet her friends' amazed and teasing expressions.

It was very embarrasing to be put in the spotlight after all. This Maeda has a thick face³a person with a thick face is simply a person who's shameless..

"I'm sorry, I don't think you and I could work."

She's very wary of strangers. Who knows if he's doing this to win a bet or something similar. Besides, he's two years older than her. He'll be graduating next year, so what's the point of dating?

His eyes that was looking up to her from his bowing position slightly dimmed.

That's actually terrifying. She almost believed that he was actually heartbroken for a second there.

"I see." He says. But he still didn't rise.

What's going on? Shuuya was at a loss.

"Can we be friends instead?"

"..?" huh?

"Close friends. Best friends."

She couldn't keep up with this sudden development. She couldn't even say anything.

"—don't be afraid to depend on me."

"..."

He really doesn't want to let go!

This was taking too long. As it drags on longer, she finally feels the pressure to give a satisfactory answer in order to send him away.

"...fine."

She took his hand and shook it, and he finally raised himself. It was only now did Shuuya realize that his height was no joke.

"Thank you," When he smiled, his eyes curved into a happy arc. "I will take good care of you."

Everyone began to clap for some reason.

And then Maeda leaves. Just like that.

If it wasn't for the burning stares and applause she's been receiving, she'd think she just hallucinated earlier.

Shuuya goes back to their table remorsefully, and was bombarded by questions of her friends.

"Since when did you know him?!"

"How did you get his attention!?"

"No way! You accepted his confession!?"

"I didn't!" Shuuya denied immediately.

"Then why did you shake his hand?"

"He says he wants to be friends. I accepted."

"Is that really what happened?" Nako gave her a side-eye, obviously doubting.

"Did I ever lie?" Shuuya put on an innocent face.

But even if she was to deny everything to her friends, other people already had the wrong idea about them. Since that day, rumors about how the Maeda Yuma has finally been cuffed spread.

***

"Yuma confessed to a girl!"

A classmate immediately ran to the classroom to report what he witnessed in the cafeteria, and everyone gaped in shock.

"No way,"

"You're bullshitting,"

"Yuma? That guy??"

"Wait a damn minute, are you sure that's Yuma you saw?"Soma, the other Maeda twin, reacted loudly once he heard of his brother's affairs.

"I'm not a blind dog,"

While a lot of them are still unconvinced, the star of today finally entered the classroom.

"Yuma!"

Soma grabbed his brother's shoulders and shook him. "Did you actually confess to someone!?"

But Yuma didn't respond. It's as if he was in a trance, he was looking in front but he has a vacant look on his face.

"...I think he's stimulated." Yuichi pulls his friends apart.

Almost immediately, Yuma goes to his table and looks out the window to return into a dazed state.

"...what's wrong with him?" Soma was asked by another friend, but he couldn't answer because he doesn't know either.

It was the first time he saw his twin act this weird. He almost shivered at how creepy the feeling was.

"Just leave him alone. Maybe he got dumped." Yuichi commented.

"What do you mean dumped? I saw the girl take his hand!" another classmate chimed in.

"Then what's his deal?" Soma crossed his arms as he looks at him in wonder.

Yuma, on the other hand, kept replaying the previous events in his mind.

Even he himself was still shocked to the point of disbelief.

Shuuya...

As if there wasn't enough surprises, Yuma...

started to cry.

***

"Wait a minute, you're from Inarizaki High?" She asks in a bewildered manner.

Yuma could only nod in confusion at her shocked face.

"I also graduated from there too!...But I guess we didn't really cross paths since you were graduating already.

"If we met back then, do you think we could be friends?"