Yoshida Saki

Upon hearing the inquiry, Yoshida Saki subconsciously wanted to refuse, but

Before she could shake her head or wave her hand, she suddenly realized that someone had called her by name.

As a virtually invisible member of her class, apart from the occasional moments when teachers called on her during lessons, hardly anyone had ever used her name or greeted her since she had entered this high school.

When she was a freshman in high school and before various cliques were formed, it was not like she had never received any invitations to socialize.

However, due to her fear that her timid and somewhat stammering manner of speaking would be despised and mocked by others, she had declined those overtures.

Over time, the reputation of her being lonely, weird, and unsociable spread among the girls.

And it wasn't like she did not have a chance to come back.

After all, the school reshuffled classes annually.

Yet, she once again missed these opportunities to change her situation because she had become "accustomed to being alone'.

She originally thought she would enjoy this kind of solitary life.

But every day after class, when participating in club activities, after school, etc., others would gather in groups, chatting and laughing, looking happy.

But she was the only one walking alone among the sea of ​​people...

Although the surroundings around her were so noisy and full of laughter and joy, she felt that they were so quiet that it was chilling... because none of the many noises and laughter belonged to her...

But today, she heard a greeting after a long absence.

Faced with this sudden question, she wanted to respond with the most natural and fluid "It's okay" accompanied by a smile.

That was what she intended in her heart.

But when she opened her mouth, the words she was supposed to say stuck in her throat like a fishbone, producing only an unintelligible "ah-ah" sound.

Although the sound was not loud, it seemed particularly harsh to her ears.

Now more than ever, she hated herself for being so incompetent.

Embarrassed by her extremely poor performance, Yoshida Saki's nose tingled as she bit her pale lips and hung her head, standing still, waiting for the man before her to leave

After all, ordinary people would feel disgusted when faced with such an rude person...

But...but, if she given another chance...

Thinking about the illusory expectations that even she herself thought were delusions, the sourness at the tip of her nose spread to the corners of her eyes, blurring her already myopic vision further.

'You didn't really get hurt somewhere, right?'

Picking up the books scattered on the floor, Sasaki looked at Yoshida Saki, who was still hanging her head in front of him, with some concern.

He knew that his body was very strong, and a punch to an ordinary person would feel about the same as hitting a wall.

So even though he hadn't tensed up due to the distraction, the sudden impact might not have been pleasant for a girl.

But it didn't seem like she was hurt by the collision.

Afterall, she was not even reaching to rub the spot?

No one using their brain would think she was just upset with herself for her incompetence.

Glancing around the sparsely populated corridor and the quiet classroom, Sasaki crouched down in front of her.

Due to his height, standing upright like a javelin compared to the downcast Yoshida Saki, he towered over her considerably.

So if he wanted to understand what exactly was wrong, he had to crouch down.

As for reaching out and forcefully lifting her head...

This was the hallway. Although there were few students at this time, if someone meddlesome saw them, it would be troublesome.

As for dragging her to a place with few people... that would be even more of a suicide attempt...

With her cowardly temperament like that of idiot Chifuyu, if she screamed, Sasaki might as well not bother coming to school anymore.

With no choice but to do so, he squatted down and seeing as her glasses nearly slipped off her nose without her adjusting them,

He subconsciously reached out and pushed her wide black-rimmed glasses back onto the bridge of her nose.

Watching her remain unresponsive, Sasaki hesitated for a moment before reaching out to gently push back her thick, long bangs from her forehead.

It was only then that Yoshida Saki reacted to someone touching her.

As he moved her hair, she instinctively lifted her head.

Perhaps it was because she always kept her head down, shielding her face from the light, that Sasaki's first impression upon seeing her face clearly was how pale she was.

Her skin was delicately fair, creamy and soft, almost like porcelain.

The next thing he noticed was her eyes—dark as storm clouds about to pour rain, veiled slightly by tears,

Looking at those misty eyes and her slightly pale lips bitten in distress, Sasaki, who felt that her expression was particularly pitiful and tender, looked at her forehead that was neither red nor swollen, and the worried words he was about to say suddenly turned into a soft smile.

"Aren't you very beautiful? Why do you have to cover it up?"

"Come on, no more crying, it'll ruin your beautiful face."

Pushing the strands of her hair to both sides, Sasaki stood up and gently wiped away the tears that had spilled over her eyelids with the pad of his thumb.

"Really?"

It was the first time Yoshida Saki had been recognized, acknowledged, and complimented.

At first, she was stunned by his words, then quickly raised her hand to dab at her reddening eyes and misty gaze with her sleeve while softly voicing her disbelief.

"Of course it's true." Passing the schoolbag in front of her, Sasaki added with a smile: "I wouldn't lie about this. Besides, such a poor lie would be easily seen through."

Taking her backpack and hugging it to her chest, Yoshida Saki's cheeks flushed a tender pink and her gaze fluttered as she whispered a small "Thank ..Thank you..."

Glancing at her fair her forehead gradually being obscured again by her dark, dense bangs, Sasagi, reassured that she was alright but still wanting to make sure, added:

"If your forehead still hurts, I can go with you to the infirmary, while there's still time."

"No, no, no need... I'm fine,"

Yoshida Saki, who felt even more nervous in front of him, quickly shook her lowered head.

Before her muddled mind could think of what to say, the sound of footsteps and conversation in the hallway behind her prompted her to quickly say to Sasaki, "I'm going back to the classroom." And then darted past him like a frightened mouse scurrying into the classroom.

.