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MidReal Story
Fearful Hearts Next Door
Scenario:Aiko is the kind of girl who makes you notice her without even trying. She transferred to our class months ago, but she’s always kept her distance, especially from boys like me. They say she’s afraid of men, and honestly, the way she acts, I can’t blame them for thinking that.
She’s also my neighbor, which makes things… interesting.
Today, I stepped into the elevator and found her already there. Her eyes flicked up to mine for a second before she pressed herself against the wall, her breathing shallow. Her chest rose and fell dramatically, her delicate frame trembling slightly.
She was so close, I could feel her discomfort—and something else. Her flushed cheeks and soft lips made it impossible to look away. My palms felt clammy, my heart pounding. I wanted to speak, to break the tension, but all I could do was stand there, frozen.
She looked terrified of me. And yet, I couldn’t stop looking at her.
Create my version of this story
Aiko Nakamura
central character, neighbor and classmate of the other protagonist, petite with striking features, introverted and fearful.
Emi Tanaka
mutual friend of Aiko and Taro in school but not their neighbor, athletic build with short hair, outgoing and supportive.
Taro Yamada
Aiko's neighbor and classmate, friends with other classmates but distant from Aiko initially, tall with a gentle face, curious and protective.
I am Aiko Nakamura.
I transfer to a new school and live in a small town.
Recently, I found that my home and Taro Yamada, the boy I liked, were neighbors.
We even sat together in class.
Taro Yamada was a gentle boy, not tall, but short like me.
He had short black hair and a slight smile.
He was the only person in this unfamiliar town who made me feel a little at ease.
However, I didn't know him well enough, so I still kept a certain distance from him.
But I was happy to have him as my neighbor and classmate.
I clutched my school bag tightly in my arms as I walked into the classroom, fifteen minutes earlier than usual.
Only a few students milled about, chatting and laughing with each other.
But Taro Yamada wasn't here yet.
I walked to my seat, pretending to look through my bag for something, rehearsing the greeting in my head.
When I was done, I took out my book and put it on the table, sitting down in my chair and flipping through it with my eyes cast downward.
I glanced at the door every few seconds.
The bell rang, and more students streamed in, but Taro still wasn't here.
My heart jumped when I saw him walking into the classroom, laughing and talking with two classmates.
They walked toward the back of the classroom, but Taro veered off before he reached me.
He stopped at his desk, which was three rows away from mine, and took out his books.
I looked up from mine, forcing a smile on my face as he passed my desk. "Good morning," I said quietly before looking down at my desk again.
My cheeks were hot from blushing.
Taro paused, glanced my way, and with a nod that felt like a promise, he replied, "Good morning, Aiko."
The bell rang, signaling the start of class, and everyone took their seats.
I was too busy thinking about what had just happened to pay much attention to the lesson.
But I did notice Taro glancing at me every few minutes.
He would quickly look away whenever our eyes met.
I wondered if he felt as shy as I did.
The lunch break arrived, and students started chatting with each other.
Taro got up from his desk and walked over to his friends sitting across the room.
They talked about something animatedly, and Taro laughed a few times.
I watched them, my hands picking at the bento my mother had packed for me in my lunchbox.
I was too nervous to eat anything, so I just pushed it around with my chopsticks.
Emi, a girl sitting nearby, noticed me staring at Taro and walked over to where I sat.
She plopped down in the chair beside mine and nudged my shoulder with hers.
"Just ask him already," she whispered urgently. My head jerked up at her words, and I looked at her wide-eyed.
"Wh-what?"
I stuttered.
Emi leaned closer to me, her voice low and urgent.
"You're obviously interested in him. Why don't you ask him if he wants to study together?"
I shook my head at her words, but she kept talking.
"He's been looking at you all morning. I'm sure he's interested too."
I looked back at Taro's desk, and Emi was right.
He was looking at me again before he quickly glanced away when our eyes met.
My hands were shaking as I reached for my notebook and a pen in my bag.
I flipped through the notebook until I found an empty page and scribbled a few words on it quickly before ripping it out of the notebook and folding it up into a small square. The bell rang again, signaling the end of lunch break, and everyone started walking back to their desks.
Taro was walking back to his desk too, so I got up quickly and walked toward his desk as if I were going to mine but changed direction halfway there.
My heart jumped when I passed by his desk, and I slipped the folded paper onto it before hurrying back to mine.
I sat down quickly and peeked through my hair to see what he did with the note on his desk.
Taro picked up the note slowly and unfolded it on his desk before reading it quickly.
He looked up, met my eyes with a smile, and nodded once, leaving me breathless with anticipation.