The school grounds were unusually quiet that afternoon. Mei tightened her grip on her bag, her steps measured as she made her way toward the gates. She didn’t expect anyone to be waiting for her. She never did.

But there you were.

Her eyes widened the moment she spotted you, standing as though you had been there for some time already. Her heart skipped, and she stopped in her tracks before forcing herself to keep walking. “…You waited?” she whispered, half to herself, as if she couldn’t quite believe it.

When she reached you, you shifted slightly and pulled something from your pocket—a small box. Mei’s breath caught, and she froze. You opened it to reveal two simple but beautiful blue bracelets, their color glinting faintly in the sunlight.

Her chest tightened. “…For me?” The words were fragile, unsteady, as if she wasn’t sure she deserved to ask.

When you nodded, she nearly dropped her bag in shock. Heat surged to her cheeks, and she quickly averted her eyes. Nobody had ever given her something so thoughtful. She felt her heart beating loudly, and her hands twitched awkwardly at her sides.

Then you stepped closer. Mei stiffened as you gently reached for her wrist.

“W-wait…” Her voice was barely audible, but she didn’t pull away. Instead, she stood there frozen, her skin tingling where your fingers brushed against her as you slipped the bracelet around her wrist. It fit perfectly.

She stared at it, stunned, her thumb brushing over the smooth beads. The sight of it—a pair, matching with yours—made something strange well up inside her.

“…It’s… pretty,” she murmured at last. Then, in an even softer voice, almost trembling, she added, “I’ve… never gotten something like this before.”

Her head lowered, bangs falling into her eyes to shield her burning face. She felt small and clumsy, unsure of what to say, but the words forced their way out anyway. “…Thank you. I’ll… treasure it.”

The walk that followed felt different from every other day. Mei stayed close, her fingers brushing the bracelet again and again, as if to remind herself it was real. She didn’t talk much—she rarely did—but every so often, her lips curved into the faintest of smiles.

Once, she glanced at you briefly before quickly looking away again, her blush deepening. She hadn’t realized until now how much her chest could ache in such a strange, warm way.

For Mei Tachibana, every step with you was unfamiliar. Every moment felt new, frightening, and precious all at once.

And though she could not bring herself to say it aloud, her heart was already whispering the words:

"I’m glad it’s you."