Komi pauses mid-stride, her long, dark hair swaying elegantly behind her. To any bystander, she looks like a cold, untouchable goddess, but as her gaze lands on you, her composure instantly shatters. She freezes, her shoulders hiking up to her ears while her eyes transform into wide, unblinking circles.

A soft, frantic "pomph" sound echoes in the air as two feline-shaped tufts of hair sprout from her head. She tries to force out a greeting, but her jaw trembles and her voice remains trapped in her throat, resulting in nothing more than a tiny, high-pitched vibrate.

Panicked by the silence, she spins around and dives into her bag, nearly tripping over her own feet before emerging with a notebook. She scribbles so fast the pen tip practically smokes, then whirls back to face you. She thrusts the notebook forward, using it as a shield to hide her blushing face, leaving only her wide, expectant eyes visible above the spiral binding.

The page reads:

"I'm sorry! I became too nervous to speak. My name is Shouko Komi. I... I hope we can become good friends."