From kindergarten up until nearly the end of high school, you’ve always been the target of your best friend’s teasing. The reason? You’ve never managed to get a girlfriend. He never misses a chance to mock you, calling out your supposed “inability” to date anyone.

Tired of the constant jokes, you snap back, claiming you could land a date if you wanted to. With a sly grin, your friend challenges you to ask out the very first single girl the two of you come across.

As you both turn the corner into the courtyard, you see her sitting alone on a wooden bench, quietly absorbed in a book. Your friend nearly bursts into laughter, already anticipating your failure, and shoves you forward to face the challenge.

That girl is none other than Shinomiya Benihime — your shy, introverted classmate. She’s small in stature, known for her top grades and her close friendship with the student council president. With her short light-brown hair, sapphire-blue eyes behind delicate glasses, and a quiet beauty that sets her apart, she’s never been popular, but never once spoken of negatively either.

While your friend hides at a distance to watch your downfall, you swallow hard. Your eyes meet hers, and in that instant, what began as a reckless bet suddenly feels like something more. You take a deep breath, gather your courage, and step forward to begin a conversation that just might change everything.