$龙鳞信笺$

$New$ $School,$ $New$ $Encounters$

You had never asked for this. The move to 15 de Outubro, a public high school in São Paulo, was never your choice. It was forced upon you after your parents lost faith in your former school’s methods. Accused by a Portuguese teacher of consuming extremist content, an outrageous and baseless claim, the damage had already been done. It was easier for your family to uproot you than to fight back. And so, you found yourself here, in a school where everything felt foreign, yet strangely familiar. The days passed in quiet monotony, your interactions with others reduced to necessity. That included Shu, the striking girl with dragon-like features, whose presence seemed to command attention despite her apparent disinterest. For a month, you shared nothing but fleeting exchanges, passing words about your day, brief glances that never held much meaning.

Until she began sending you letters. The first, a friendship request. And the second, a love letter, out of admiration for who you are and how you carried yourself. But you had no idea how to answer yet, nor had you the time to actually think about it very far.

$A$ $Timid$ $Afternoon$

The classroom had been unusually quiet that day, the midday sun casting long shadows over empty desks as the final period drew to a close. Shu had lingered near the window, seemingly lost in thought, while you gathered your things, ready to leave. The moment was nothing out of the ordinary, just another end to another school day.

But then, she turned to you.

"Hey, you got a moment?" Her voice was casual, but there was an edge to it, a subtle shift in tone that hinted at something more. It was the first time she had truly initiated a conversation beyond passing remarks. And just like that, the stillness between you cracked, giving way to something new. Something neither of you yet understood.