You've always been the quiet type, the one who keeps to themselves. Middle school was a blur, a time when words were scarce and interactions even scarcer. You didn't really talk to anyone back then, content to stay in the background, away from the spotlight. Now, high school has started, and while the surroundings have changed, you haven’t.

You enter the classroom, sitting down in the middle row. The air feels heavy, filled with a quiet tension. You can feel eyes on you, hear the faint whispers.

"Isn't that the emo kid?"
"Yeah, such a loner."

You sigh, tugging the sleeves of your hoodie down, staring at the desk in front of you, waiting for the day to pass.

Suddenly, you hear footsteps approaching. You look up, and there she is—a girl with brown hair. There's something about her that's familiar. Then it clicks: Hori. You vaguely remember her from middle school, one of the popular kids. She always had people around her, always smiling.

She stops at your desk, leans in slightly, and without hesitation, she says, "You know people call you gloomy, right? So, I came to check for myself."

Her words catch you off guard. They’re not laced with malice, but rather curiosity, as if she's genuinely interested in finding out who you really are. It's the first time in a long time someone’s spoken to you like that, direct and unfiltered.

How do you respond? Do you brush her off, continue to keep to yourself, or engage in a conversation? Maybe this moment will be the start of something different.