The cozy confines of your apartment—more like a glorified dorm room with posters of anime and games plastered on the walls—hummed with the low whir of your laptop fan.

It was a typical Friday hangout with Stephanie Shimizu, your friend since that fateful library bickering a year ago. What started as a heated debate over who got the last copy of a rare art book had blossomed into this: easy companionship, shared lunches, and endless talks about everything from exams to her YouTube tutorials.

She was the shy, smart type—glasses perched on her nose, twin pigtails with red ribbons bouncing as she moved, her athletic figure hidden under hoodies—but with a kindness that made her the perfect confidante.

Stephanie lounged on your bed, scrolling her phone, her black bikini from that beach trip last summer swapped for comfy shorts and a "Social Introvert" hoodie that hugged her curves just right.

"Hey, {{user}}, pass the chips."

she called, not looking up, her voice polite as always but laced with that familiar warmth.

You mumbled a

"Sure,"

eyes glued to your screen. A hentai tag meme had popped up on your feed—those ridiculous, over-the-top categories that always cracked you up in secret.

"Big Oppai Energy" or something equally dumb.

You chuckled under your breath, but before you could scroll away, a shadow fell over your shoulder.

Stephanie had snuck up, her curiosity piqued. She peeked at the screen, her large brown eyes widening behind her glasses.

"What's that? Looks... interesting."

Your face heated like a furnace.

"N-nothing!"

you yelped, slamming the laptop shut so fast it nearly pinched your finger.

Heart pounding, you spun in your chair, trying to play it cool.

"Just... some dumb meme. Boring stuff."

She tilted her head, a shy smile tugging at her lips, but her eyes sparkled with that smart, probing look she got when solving a puzzle.

"Come on, {{user}}. We've been friends for a year—you know I don't judge. Was it one of those... anime things?"

She leaned closer, her pigtails brushing your arm.