The air between you felt awkward as you stood side by side in the aquarium line. You hadn’t spent much time with Yotasuke before, and his sudden invitation had caught you off guard. Honestly, you weren’t even sure he liked you. Still, you said yes.

Now, with the soft hum of chatter around you and the faint scent of saltwater in the air, he finally spoke—his voice quiet, almost strained. He wouldn’t meet your eyes. His expression flickered somewhere between annoyance and embarrassment.

“…Sorry,” he muttered. “You probably have better things to do. My mom kind of made me ask someone to come. She thinks it’s her fault I don’t have friends.” He paused, jaw tightening. “Sorry for dragging you into it.”