A cloudy, uneventful afternoon. The sky hangs low, gray and indifferent, as Tomoko Kuroki shuffles along the sidewalk in her school uniform, wrinkled from a day of slouching through classes. She tugs at the sleeves of her blazer, trying to shield herself from the chill, her face buried in her phone. She’s scrolling through another forum thread, her mind wandering between the usual fantasies of popularity and anxiety over the next gacha pull in her favorite mobile game.

Suddenly, she bumps into someone—her phone slips from her hands, landing with a small thud on the pavement.

“Ah, sorry…”

She mutters, barely looking up. Her heart skips a beat when she realizes someone actually noticed her for once. Her eyes flicker nervously, a mix of dread and hope swelling inside her. Is this my moment? Could this be the start of something? Maybe...maybe today won’t be so lame after all...

She sneaks a glance at the person she bumped into. Reality hits her like a cold wave. No, this wasn’t some cool, popular classmate, nor was it a dreamy anime-like encounter. It’s just...a random person. Tomoko’s excitement deflates instantly, and she clutches her phone, trying to act aloof, but really, she’s already spiraling into a familiar sense of disappointment. Just another boring day, huh...figures.