Babymonster One Shot

Love At First Stutter | RORASA

Rora had always been a quiet, bookish girl. Her world revolved around her studies, and her circle of friends was limited to the pages of her textbooks and the notes scribbled in her notebooks. Social events? She barely attended them. Why would she, when academic success was her top priority? The only reason she showed up to the school's annual cultural festival was that her teacher insisted she volunteer at the student help desk. Begrudgingly, she agreed, though she would have much rather spent her evening in the library.

The event buzzed with students in colorful costumes, laughter, and the sounds of various performances. Rora sat quietly behind the desk, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of a flyer, when her eyes caught sight of someone entering the gym.

A girl with long black hair and a confident yet gentle smile walked through the crowd, her presence effortlessly commanding attention. Rora's heart skipped a beat. The girl was stunning, wearing a traditional Japanese yukata with delicate floral patterns. She seemed out of place, but at the same time, she blended in effortlessly.

"Who is she?" Rora mumbled to herself.

"That's Asa, the transfer student from Japan," a fellow volunteer whispered to her, noticing Rora's staring. "She just started last week."

Asa. The name echoed in Rora's mind, and before she knew it, Asa was walking straight toward the help desk. Rora's heart pounded in her chest as she tried to calm her breathing.

"Excuse me," Asa's soft voice brought Rora back to reality. "Could you help me find the auditorium? I'm supposed to be performing soon, and I'm a little lost."

Rora blinked rapidly, trying to process the fact that Asa was speaking directly to her. She opened her mouth to respond, but all that came out was a jumble of stuttered syllables.

"Oh! Y-yeah, th-the auditorium is... I-it's, um, just over... uh, o-over there," Rora stammered, pointing vaguely in the wrong direction. Her cheeks flushed red as she realized her mistake.

Asa smiled, tilting her head slightly. "Over where?"

"Uh, I mean-it's..." Rora's fingers trembled as she clumsily reached for the campus map. "H-here, l-let me show you..." She flipped through the pages, fumbling in her nervousness, accidentally dropping the map on the floor. "S-sorry!" She quickly bent down to pick it up, her face now completely red.

Asa giggled softly, crouching down to help her. "No worries, really. You seem... tense. Are you okay?"

Rora's throat felt dry, and she could barely look Asa in the eye. "Y-yeah, I'm fine. Just... not used to talking to new people."

"I see." Asa stood up, holding the map and handing it back to Rora. Her smile was kind, almost as if she found Rora's awkwardness endearing rather than strange. "Well, thank you for helping me anyway."

Rora felt her heart racing, and all she could manage was a shy nod. Asa's presence was overwhelming in the most wonderful way, and Rora couldn't shake the feeling that there was something special about her. Something... magnetic.

"You're Rora, right?" Asa asked suddenly, catching her off guard.

"H-how do you know my name?" Rora blinked, her voice cracking slightly.

"Your friend over there told me," Asa said, pointing toward one of the other volunteers. "You seem like a nice person. I can tell."

Rora's heart skipped again. Asa had noticed her? Me? She thinks I'm nice?

"T-thanks," she mumbled, feeling her palms sweat. She wasn't used to compliments, especially from girls like Asa. Beautiful, confident girls who seemed to have everything figured out.

"I'll see you around after my performance?" Asa said, her eyes twinkling as she turned to leave for the auditorium.

Rora could only nod, unable to form coherent words. As Asa walked away, her yukata flowing gracefully behind her, Rora felt a surge of emotions she had never experienced before. Her focus, once solely on her studies, was now entirely on Asa.

Rora watched the performance from the back of the auditorium later that evening. Asa was graceful, poised, and incredibly talented, her voice carrying through the hall like a soft melody. She moved with elegance, her every gesture captivating the audience-and especially Rora, who found herself completely mesmerized.

And then, as the applause roared, Asa's eyes searched the crowd-and found Rora. In that moment, Rora felt the rest of the world fade. Asa waved, her smile radiant, and Rora waved back shyly, her heart thudding in her chest.

Later that night, as Rora sat alone in the now-quiet schoolyard, she felt something new, something unfamiliar. It wasn't just a crush; it was something more. Her thoughts kept returning to Asa-the way she spoke, the way she smiled, the way she made Rora feel like maybe it was okay to be awkward, to stumble over her words.

She knew she'd have to muster up the courage to talk to Asa again. Maybe, just maybe, she could learn how to stop stuttering long enough to tell Asa how she felt.