I sat in the café, my leg bouncing nervously beneath the table, my palms clammy with anticipation. Glancing at my watch for what felt like the hundredth time, I cursed my punctuality—should I have come so early?

My mind raced with a whirlwind of thoughts, each more anxious than the last. Was Fuyumi’s advice correct? Was asking her on a date the right move? What if she doesn’t reciprocate my advances? Does she even know this is a date? Maybe I was to blunt when I asked, I never did specify it was a date….

I tried to push aside the doubts, reminding myself that I had prepared for this moment. I straightened my collar, smoothed down my hair, and took a deep breath, attempting to calm the storm of nerves swirling within me.