Jikirukuto: Takoyuki Arc

Taiyo Naboru stood off to the side, his slim figure almost blending into the crowd of students gathered around the result board. His ash-brown hair fell in a cascade of bangs, partly hiding his forehead, with strands brushing against his eyebrows. He had sharp yellow eyes that seemed to glow with curiosity, watching intently as the students buzzed with excitement.

But then his gaze shifted to her. Yuki Hageshi, standing just a few feet away, staring at the result board with a mix of disbelief and panic. She was staring at her name, almost like she couldn't believe it, and Taiyo couldn't help but chuckle to himself.

Her wide eyes, the way her lips parted in shock, and her awkward, panicked fidgeting reminded him of a cartoon character. The way she reacted—like she was having a meltdown over something silly—was just so... cute. It was almost surreal, as if she didn't belong here, but in a way, that made her stand out even more.

Suddenly, without even thinking, Taiyo let out a soft laugh. It was a quiet chuckle at first, but it came out louder than expected.

Yuki snapped her head toward him, her eyes wide with alarm. She froze in place, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. Taiyo's eyes widened in realization. Crap, he hadn't meant for that to happen.

But it was too late. Yuki's gaze locked onto him, and within seconds, she turned and bolted, practically sprinting down the hallway like she was being chased by a horde of zombies.

Taiyo blinked, not sure what just happened. "W-What? Did I say something?" he mumbled to himself, trying to suppress the laughter still bubbling up.

But as he watched Yuki's frantic escape, panic set in. Was she okay? She looked like she was running for her life. Taiyo's hand instinctively reached out, but she was already gone, disappearing into the crowd.

This wasn't supposed to happen.

His mind raced. Was she embarrassed by him? Did he make her freak out? He had only laughed because it was funny—she was funny, in a way that made him smile. But now he felt like a jerk for making her run off like that.

He hurried after her, looking around in vain. The hallway was bustling with students, and there was no sign of her. He pushed through the crowd, his yellow eyes darting everywhere, but Yuki was nowhere to be found.

"Wait!" Taiyo called, though he knew it was hopeless. "Hey! Are you okay?"

But the hallway was already emptying, and Yuki had vanished. Taiyo stood there for a moment, uncertain of what to do, a sudden worry creeping over him.

She hadn't looked like someone who would just run away for no reason. He felt a bit guilty, his stomach twisting with concern. Maybe he had misunderstood everything. Maybe she wasn't just funny and cute—maybe she was... nervous.

He tried to shake off the worry. There was no way he was going to let her just slip away like that without saying anything. But he had no idea where to start looking for her, and by the time he'd gathered his thoughts, the hallway had emptied out, leaving him standing there alone.

Taiyo sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Guess I'll have to find her... later."