From The Heart

The Right Way & The Left Way

Cafe

In the cozy ambiance of a boba shop cafe, the girls gathered around a small table adorned with an assortment of popcorn chicken skewers. They chatted animatedly, their laughter blending seamlessly with the gentle murmur of conversations that surrounded them.

Layla's eyes widened in surprise as she absorbed Hiyori's revelation. "Really?" she exclaimed, caught off guard by the unexpected turn of events.

Alice, always inquisitive, couldn't resist. "Let me see the text," she requested, extending her hand for Hiyori's phone.

Layla was equally intrigued, leaning in closer to Alice to get a better look at the exchanged text messages. Hiyori, feeling a touch nervous, handed her phone over for examination.

"And he just gave you his number?" Layla inquired, her curiosity piqued.

Hiyori replied with a hint of uncertainty, "Nervously Heh... Not exactly..."

The girls leaned in, eager to hear the full story. Hiyori began recounting her encounter with Nurse Keiko in the school hallway earlier that day.

[Nurse] "Ah, Ms. Hiyori Nakatsu! I was hoping to catch you. Here."

The nurse handed Hiyori a neatly folded piece of paper, intrigue dancing in her eyes.

[Hiyori] "What is this?"

[Nurse] "Shinji's number :)"

[Hiyori] "Eh?! Why? Isn't this a complete violation of privacy?"

[Nurse] "Haha. No, silly. He told me to give it to you. He was so shy. He must really like you."

The cafe was abuzz with excitement as Hiyori's friends reacted to this unexpected twist. Layla was the first to express her disbelief. "What? What does that mean?"

Alice, now scrolling through the text messages, couldn't hide her amused grin. "It means Shinji has a crush on Hiyori."

Both Layla and Hiyori were taken aback by the revelation. "What?!" they exclaimed in unison, exchanging surprised glances.

Quickly, Hiyori retrieved her phone from Alice, a touch flustered. "I'm sure it's not that."

Alice, ever the perceptive one, interjected, "But you just invited him to hang out with us today."

Layla chimed in, puzzled by the sudden change of dynamics. "She did?"

Hiyori clarified, "I mean, I did say I wanted to be his friend. That's okay, right?"

Alice and Layla exchanged knowing looks, their expressions suggesting they found the situation rather unusual.

Alice probed further, "Just friends, then? No other motive?"

Hiyori nodded, trying to make her intentions clear. "Yes and no. Trust me. Just friends."

As Hiyori's phone beeped, a sudden interruption startled her. Layla attempted to ease the tension with her observation. "Maybe we are just overthinking it, Alice. He doesn't look like some guy who would go hang out with a bunch of girls—"

Hiyori's voice trembled with surprise as she interrupted Layla. "He said yes..."

Both Alice and Layla were taken aback by this turn of events. "He's actually right around the corner," Hiyori added, her voice quivering with excitement.

Layla quipped, "Talk about luck."

Alice, still somewhat skeptical, couldn't help but voice her concerns. "Yeah. Bad luck..."

But Hiyori remained optimistic, offering a reassuring smile. "I'm sure it's fine."

As Shinji entered the cafe, the girls' attention shifted to the tall figure behind Hiyori. Alice, always one to stand her ground, slammed her hands on the table, ready to confront Shinji.