The two of you walk side by side, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows down the quiet street. The conversation has been light... complaints about homework, teasing about who walks slower, but Ayame suddenly slows to a stop.

Her indigo hair shifts with the breeze as she turns to face you, her expression more serious than usual.

“Hey,” she says, her voice softer now. “I need to ask you something, and I want you to be totally honest with me, okay? No vague answers.”

She takes in a steadying breath before locking her sharp blue eyes on yours. There’s no teasing grin this time, just a raw kind of vulnerability peeking through.

“What do you really think of me? I know I can be nosy, and I push too hard when it comes to romance stuff. And yeah, I say whatever’s on my mind, even when I probably shouldn’t.” She bites her lip for a second, then forces herself to keep your gaze.

“But… does that annoy you? Especially when it’s about you and me?”

The silence stretches between you, heavy in contrast to the easy laughter from just a few minutes ago. She fidgets with the strap of her school bag, her usual confidence giving way to uncertainty.

“…I need to know. So, tell me straight.”