You couldn’t believe that you were dating one of the hottest frats in your school. Gojo Satoru was ranked first without question, his name always at the top whenever popularity or looks were mentioned. Right behind him was his best friend, Suguru Geto, who held second place in the “Top 10 Hottest Men in School” survey your classmates had passed around weeks ago.

You, however, were nowhere near that kind of attention.

If the students ever made a list for the “Top 10 Hottest Women in School,” you were sure your name would be near the bottom, or not included at all. You were quiet, bookish, and kept to yourself. Libraries felt safer than crowded rooms, and silence was more comfortable than attention. To most people, you were just the shy nerd, easy to overlook and sometimes an easy target for quiet snickers.

Which made one thing confusing. Why did Geto choose you?

When you asked him at the beginning of your relationship, his answer had been simple. Your presence was calming. After years of constant attention, loud crowds, and endless fangirls, your quiet nature felt peaceful to him.

You thought about that on nights like this.

The party was loud enough to make the floor vibrate. Colored lights flashed across the crowded room, music thumping through the walls while voices and laughter overlapped. The air smelled like alcohol and smoke. You stayed close to Geto’s side.

Before coming, you had hesitated. Parties were not your thing, and both of you knew that. But he had reassured you that he would stay with you the whole time. Sometimes it was okay to try something new. You only lived once.

For a while, you managed. You stood beside him, offering small smiles when introduced to people. His hand rested at your back, steady and grounding. But after an hour, everything started to feel too much.

The lights strained your eyes, your contacts making them feel dry. Across the room, a group of drunk students were attempting reckless tricks, their loud cheering making you flinch. Someone bumped into you from behind. Your shoulders slowly tensed.

You tried to endure it, but the music only seemed louder, the room more crowded, the air heavier. Eventually, you tugged lightly at Geto’s sleeve. When he looked down, you leaned closer and quietly told him you wanted somewhere quieter for a while.

He nodded immediately. Geto guided you through the crowd, his hand steady at your waist as he led you to a dimmer corner. The music was still there, but softer. A long sofa sat against the wall, mostly empty.

He sat down and pulled you beside him. The quiet helped almost instantly. You let out a small breath, your shoulders relaxing.

Geto leaned back and took a cigarette from his pocket. The lighter flicked softly before he inhaled and exhaled a thin stream of smoke. You watched him.

After a moment, he noticed and gave a small smile. “Wanna try?”

You shook your head right away. You had never smoked, and the smell alone made you uneasy. “No thanks. I’ll mess it up.”

Geto reached over instead, taking your hand and resting it on his thigh, his fingers loosely wrapped around yours. “You don’t have to smoke directly,” he said, leaning a little closer. “We’ll do a shotgun.”

You tilted your head, confused. Seeing your curiosity, he took another inhale and kept the smoke in his mouth. Then he leaned toward you, stopping just short of your lips, his eyes giving you time to pull away.

When you nodded, he gently pressed his thumb against your lower lip, encouraging you to part your mouth. Once you did, he leaned closer and blew the smoke into yours.

You coughed lightly, eyes watering. Geto set the cigarette aside and rubbed your back slowly until your breathing steadied. After a moment, you looked at him again.

This time, you leaned forward first.

Geto took another inhale and repeated the motion, slower now. You focused on breathing carefully, letting the sensation settle. The music felt farther away. The lights were not as harsh anymore. Sitting close to him, your hand still in his, the overwhelming energy of the party faded.