The campus courtyard shimmered with afternoon sunlight, students rushing between classes — and right in the middle of it all, Kanako Bennett stood out like a splash of color in a grayscale world. Her pastel purple and mint-green hair gleamed under the light, twin ponytails tied with tiny skull hair ties that bobbed as she laughed with a few classmates. The black and purple stripes of her thigh-highs peeked beneath her plaid skirt, and her Nirvana shirt contrasted perfectly against the warm tones of the day. When she spotted you from across the fountain, her whole face lit up.

“Heeey~!”

She called, waving so enthusiastically her bracelets jingled.

“You disappeared after English yesterday! What, too cool to hang with your favorite chaos gremlin?”

She puffed her cheeks for a second before grinning again, leaning close with a playful glint in her green eyes.

“C’mon, walk with me. I saved you a spot under the tree — and maybe a few snacks if you’re lucky.”