Ayaka lay sprawled on her bed, her face buried in a pillow. The memory of earlier that day replayed in her mind, making her groan louder each time.
"Please, it's the least I could do after scaring you like that."
She buried her face deeper into the pillow. "Ughhh, why did I say it like that?! I sounded like some cliché character from an American high school movie. I finally get to talk with a cute girl, and I come out with such a corny line, argh!!!!" Her legs kicked the innocent bed as she screamed in embarrassment. "Wait, maybe it didn't sound that bad. What if she liked it? Maybe I'm just that girl, making people fall for me without even trying. Damn it, I'm already overthinking this. I just met her, I can't possibly expect anything right now. This is real life, not a romance movie,"
Ayaka thought before tucking herself tightly into her preferred sleeping position, covering every inch of her body except for her head, resembling a pharaoh's coffin.
About five minutes later, Ayaka was still unable to sleep, so she decided to call Jirō and get her opinion on the situation.
After her friend picked up, Ayaka explained everything, sparing no details. Almost immediately after she finished, she heard explosive laughter from Jirō.
"Stop laughing, it's not that funny! I just want to know if it was as bad as I thought!" Ayaka said, even more embarrassed than before.
"I mean, considering your history, it wasn't that bad."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You mean you don't remember the barista incident? You went to the same coffee shop for a month, and when you finally mustered up the courage to talk to the girl, you said, and I quote, 'Fancy meeting you here,' while trying to lean on the counter in what you described as 'a hot way'." Jirō chuckled before adding, "But in all seriousness, you're overreacting. Sure, it might have sounded a little awkward, but at most she'll just think you were a bit weird and move on. You can't expect someone to have a bad impression of you because of something so minor. Try talking to her again tomorrow and see how it goes."
"That's surprisingly good advice from you, thank you," Ayaka said, genuinely surprised.
"I'm very sleepy, so I won't even bother responding to that very, VERY unnecessary surprise. Goodnight, Ayaka."
"Goodnight, Jirō." Soon after, Ayaka finally drifted off to sleep.
In the blink of an eye, it was the end of the week, and Ayaka still hadn't managed to speak to Momo a single time since their fateful encounter. Now she sat in class, staring out the window, trying to think of another way to naturally meet her again.
Some might think it was strange, trying to orchestrate a "natural" meeting, but to Ayaka it seemed like a solid plan. In short, she wanted to walk up and casually start a conversation so she could get Momo's number. There were, however, some glaring problems with this plan. First, Ayaka's ability to hold a conversation with women was terrible. Second, she could rarely find Momo alone at school. Despite having transferred only recently, Momo had already gathered a large circle of friends who were with her nearly all the time.
Time slipped by while Ayaka daydreamed about her schemes, and before she realized it, lunch break had arrived. Today she planned to eat and then nap in the botany club "room." It was one of the few places at school where she could truly relax. Since most students didn't visit it, aside from club members, it was the perfect spot to doze off.
Ayaka's fatigue came from many things. Some nights she couldn't sleep because of her mother's passing, others she stayed up late battling Fatalis in Monster Hunter World, her efforts fruitless, and still others she wasted away reading manga until sunrise.
Sitting beneath one of the trees she had planted, she ate her lunch quietly, breathing in the fragrance of the many flowers growing nearby. When she finished, Ayaka put in her earphones and set an alarm for the end of the break.
The kind of music she liked for moments like this usually came from her favorite band, Radiohead. She also enjoyed rock and metal, but they didn't help her relax.
She grabbed the small pillow she had hidden in the greenhouse and settled back under the comforting shade. Blocking out the sounds around her and focusing only on the music, she quickly drifted to sleep. She was listening to "Man of War" by Radiohead.
On the other side of the school, Momo excused herself from her friends, claiming she wasn't feeling well. In truth, she just wanted some time alone. She loved her friends, but spending every single moment with them wasn't what she wanted.
Since she had only recently transferred, Momo was still unfamiliar with many places on campus, so she wandered aimlessly in search of a quiet spot. Before long, she discovered a cozy open space with lush green grass, colorful flowers, tall trees, and a small greenhouse tucked in the corner.
"This must be the Botany Club…" she thought while looking around. "There doesn't seem to be anyone here. Finally, some alone time." She sat down facing the entrance, then moved to the other side of a tree so she wouldn't be easily seen. Just as she was about to settle, her foot brushed against something soft on the ground.
When Momo looked down, she saw a girl sleeping. Though she had seen her before, she had never noticed how captivating Ayaka was. Her long, golden-blonde hair fanned out across the pillow and grass, her delicate features highlighted by the gentle sunlight. The sight made Yaoyorozu feel like a prince in a fairytale, encountering a sleeping beauty.
Since the light kick hadn't woken Ayaka, Momo decided to eat next to her. After finishing her lunch, she leaned against the tree, gazing at the cherry blossoms drifting down. A few landed softly on Ayaka's face. Smiling, Momo gently picked them off, careful not to wake her. But as she brushed away the last one, Ayaka stirred and groaned.
She sat up with her eyes half-closed and checked her phone. Only then did she realize someone was sitting beside her. Ayaka stared at Momo, speechless. Several seconds passed before Momo laughed, breaking the ice.
Hearing her laugh, Ayaka couldn't help but smile, though she was flustered. "W-when did you get here?"
"I got here a few minutes ago. I-I wasn't watching you sleep or anything, that would be creepy. I came here to eat by myself and just found you here. I didn't mean to wake you. I'm sorry. I'll leave if you want," she said, starting to rise, but Ayaka gently held her sleeve before she could stand.
"It's okay… you can stay as long as you want…" Ayaka replied softly. As Momo settled back down, she added, "I've been meaning to talk to you again. Y-you seem like a nice person, and I wanted to get to know you better."
The words warmed Momo's heart. She didn't respond right away, but she felt the same. Ever since they first met, she sensed Ayaka was different from others. Maybe she would become her closest friend, or perhaps this fated connection would grow into something even more.
For the rest of lunch break, they spoke easily, sharing their likes and dislikes, trading stories, and laughing together. But unfortunately, the bell rang, cutting their time short. Still, Ayaka didn't want the conversation to end, so she finally worked up the courage: "Let me add you on Line so we can talk more later!" Her trembling voice went unnoticed by Momo.
Ayaka handed over her phone, her face red like a fresh tomato. "There you go. Too bad we still have class," she said, then added, "Let's talk more tonight."
"Okay, I'll look forward to it! You can go on, I just need to check on the white carnations I'm raising."
After Momo left, Ayaka waited until she was out of sight before leaping into the air, cheering to herself in triumph.