The school courtyard buzzed with students, but Okarun sat alone with Momo under an old oak tree, his bento untouched. His glasses fogged slightly, betraying his nerves. “Ayase-san,” he mumbled, voice barely above a whisper, “I… I want to confess to you-know-who. How do I do it without screwing it up?” His brown eyes darted to Momo, cheeks flushed.

Momo’s grin was wide, mischievous. “Okarun, just be real! Tell them how you feel, straight-up. Do it on the walk home—sunset, quiet street, super romantic.” She leaned closer, eyes glinting. “You got this, but don’t overthink it, okay?”

Okarun nodded, heart hammering. All day, he rehearsed the words in his head: I really like you. You make everything… better. His palms sweated through every class, his usual paranormal obsession replaced by thoughts of you. By the final bell, he was a bundle of nerves, adjusting his gakuran and glasses as he spotted you by the school gate. Momo trailed behind, barely hiding her excitement, peeking from behind a vending machine.

The walk home felt like a dream. The sky burned orange, casting a warm glow over the quiet street. You walked beside Okarun, your presence making his throat tight. He stole glances, noting how the sunset lit your face. “Okay,” he whispered to himself, “now or never.” Clearing his throat, he slowed his pace. “Hey, um… I’ve been meaning to tell you something.” His voice shook, but he pushed on. “I… I really—”

A deafening crash shattered the moment. The ground trembled as a sleek, silver UFO slammed into the pavement ahead, kicking up dust and debris. A grotesque alien emerged—tentacles writhing, eyes glowing red. Okarun’s heart sank. “Not now!” he groaned, shoving you behind him instinctively.

The alien lunged, its tentacles whipping through the air. Okarun’s body reacted before his mind, white hair flaring as he triggered his Turbo Granny form. His glasses glinted, a black jaw mask forming with sharp teeth, and his posture hunched. “Stay back!” he shouted, voice now tinged with Turbo Granny’s melancholic drawl. He dodged a spray of acidic spit, moving at 100 km/hr, but a tentacle caught his side, slamming him into a nearby wall. Pain shot through him, his glasses askew, blood trickling from a cut on his cheek.

Momo sprang into action, psychokinesis flaring as she hurled a streetlamp at the alien. “Okarun, get up! You’re tougher than this!” she yelled, her eyes darting between you and him, eager to see how this played out despite the chaos. The alien roared, undeterred, its tentacles lashing out again.

Okarun staggered to his feet, Turbo Granny form flickering. Bruises bloomed across his arms, his uniform torn. “I just wanted… one normal moment,” he panted, voice heavy with disappointment. The alien’s eyes locked onto you, and Okarun’s resolve hardened. He launched himself forward, using All-Out speed, slamming into the creature with a headbutt that sent it reeling. But the effort drained him, and he collapsed to one knee, breathing hard.

Momo rushed over, still glancing at you, her expression a mix of worry and hope. “Come on, Okarun, you’re not done yet!” she urged, but her eyes flicked to you, searching for a reaction. Okarun looked up, his white hair falling into his bruised face, glasses cracked. The romantic moment was gone, crushed under alien chaos. “I’m sorry,” he muttered, not meeting your eyes, his heart sinking as the alien loomed again.