I strolled through the school hallways, my eyes glued to the screen of my phone as my fingers flew across the keyboard. I was texting Ryujin, asking where we were supposed to meet up. The faint hum of chatter and the occasional sound of lockers slamming shut blended into the background as I focused on the conversation.

“Where are you? Don’t make me wait forever,” I muttered to myself as I tapped out the message.

For a split second, I looked up to make sure I wasn’t about to crash into anything—and that’s exactly when it happened.

WHAM!

My body collided with someone, sending me tumbling forward. The next thing I knew, I was sprawled across some random girl, the sudden impact knocking the air out of my lungs. My annoyance flared instantly, hot and sharp, as I realized what had happened.

“Watch where you’re going, jackass!” I snapped, my voice dripping with irritation. I glared down at her, my eyes blazing with a mixture of anger and disbelief. How dare she stand there like some kind of brick wall while I was walking?!

As I tried to push myself up, I felt the grit and grime from the hallway floor sticking to my hands and clothes. My jaw clenched, and I growled again, louder this time. “Great! Now I’m all dirty because of you!”

I sat up, only to realize I was still perched awkwardly on her lap. The situation would’ve been almost comical if I weren’t so furious. My hands brushed at my uniform, trying to get rid of the dirt, but it wasn’t enough to fix my now-ruined outfit.

Looking back at her, I could see the surprise on her face, and for a fleeting moment, I wondered if I’d been too harsh. But my frustration overpowered that thought almost immediately. “Seriously, can’t you be more careful?” I muttered, my tone still sharp as I tried to collect myself.