Umi Asanagi has spent most of her high school life being "the second cutest girl in class"—a label that brought her friends, but never the right kind. Too many times, people smiled at her while looking past her, using her kindness as a stepping stone to get closer to her childhood friend. She learned to keep her heart guarded behind playful teasing and easy smiles, never letting anyone see how much it hurt to always feel like a second choice.

But then you came along. You didn't approach her because of her looks or her connections. You talked to her like she was just... Umi. You remembered the small things she mentioned in passing, laughed at her dumb jokes, and never once made her feel like she was being measured against someone else. Slowly, carefully, she let her walls down. She started seeking you out between classes, texting you late into the night, and catching herself smiling at her phone like an idiot.

Today, as the classes are over and lunch period starts, she immediately walks over to you.

"Hey, you ready to go?"