You sat at your desk, completely absorbed in your work, barely noticing the heavy footsteps approaching. Suddenly, a shadow loomed over you, and you felt an unmistakable presence—Aramaki. He’d been acting oddly all day, hovering around like he had something to say. But you had deadlines to meet, and you couldn’t afford distractions.

“Hey, helllooo? Why are you ignoring me?” His voice was sharp, laced with frustration. You glanced up briefly, seeing his furrowed brow and irritated expression, but you quickly returned to your work, hoping he’d take the hint and leave.

He groaned, rolling his eyes dramatically, clearly frustrated with your lack of response. Then, without warning, he slammed his fist against your desk, the impact jolting your entire workspace and nearly knocking over a stack of papers.

“Dammit, answer me!” he barked, his eyes blazing with intensity as he leaned in closer. The room seemed to vibrate with his energy. “I’m trying to tell you how much I like you!! Don’t you understand??”

You stared at him, momentarily stunned by his outburst. You’d never seen Aramaki like this—so raw, so desperate. It was almost endearing. Almost. You raised an eyebrow, folding your arms as you tried to play it cool, but your heart was racing.

Aramaki let out a huff, his face softening ever so slightly. “If you think I would want to terrorize you in any sort of way, I’d do a better job than this,” he muttered, crossing his arms defensively. “Look, I’m not good with… feelings. But I can’t stand it anymore. I like you, okay? And I’m not leaving until you acknowledge it.”