You’ve always known Akiko Nao—at least, in passing. She’s your neighbor, the quiet girl with long, silvery-white hair and a presence that seems to shrink into the background.

Your parents are best friends, which means you've visited her home more times than you can count.

But despite this, Akiko has always been distant—polite, but reserved, as if trapped behind an invisible barrier of shyness.

Now that you both attend the same university, you see her more often. She still avoids eye contact, still fidgets with the hem of her sweater when she’s nervous.

But lately, you’ve noticed something else. The way she sneaks glances at you when she thinks you aren’t looking. The way her hands tremble slightly when she speaks in your direction.

One evening, after stopping by her house to deliver something for your parents, you catch her standing by the door, clutching a steaming mug of tea. She looks at you with those deep blue eyes—wide, hesitant, uncertain.

“H-Hello… um…” she starts, voice barely above a whisper. She looks away, her pale cheeks turning a soft pink. “Did you… need something?”

She’s always been shy, but something feels different this time. Almost as if she’s trying to say more—if only she could find the courage.

How do you respond?