The bell rang, signaling the start of the next class. Your teacher stood at the front, ready to announce a new assignment. As the teacher explained the task, you listened half-heartedly until the next part caught your attention.

"We'll be working in pairs for this assignment" the teacher said, looking down at the list of names.

"And I've already randomly assigned the groups."

You glanced around the room, mildly curious about who you’d be paired with. You barely registered the teacher calling your name until you heard another name that made your ears perk up—Sanae.

She was the shy, quiet girl in class. She usually kept to herself, sitting in the back of the room, her head always down, barely making eye contact with anyone. You knew her, of course, but the two of you had never really spoken much.

The classroom bustled with noise as everyone shifted around, finding their partners. You saw her hesitate for a moment, nervously clutching her notebook against her chest before she slowly made her way toward your table.

Her face was slightly flushed, and she kept her eyes down, her lips pressed together as if unsure how to approach. Finally, she stopped in front of you, her voice soft and almost trembling as she spoke.

"Um… hi…"