Kai stood there, heart hammering in his chest.
For a second, he hesitated.
Then — before he could lose his nerve — he sprinted after her.
"Hoshina—wait!" he called out, his voice cracking a little.
Saito paused and turned, her violet eyes blinking in surprise.
Kai skidded to a stop in front of her, breathing hard.
His mouth was dry. His hands were shaking.
"Could you..." he started, then panicked.
"Aah, I mean... could you... um... talk to me? After school?"
There was a long, awkward silence.
Kai wanted to crawl into a hole and die.
But then — Saito smiled.
A real smile this time. Not the polite kind.
"Sure," she said simply.
"I'll wait for you by the front gates."
Kai blinked.
Had he heard that right?
Before he could say anything else, Saito gave him a small wave and turned, disappearing once again into the flow of students.
Kai stood frozen in place, his heart beating faster than ever.
He had done it.
He had actually asked her.
And she said yes.
Beck suddenly appeared at his side, slapping him on the back hard enough to almost knock him over.
"See?!" Beck laughed. "What'd I tell ya, lover boy? Show some guts!"
Kai grinned weakly, still in shock.
But somewhere deep inside...
a small, cold fear started to creep into his excitement.
He didn't know it yet —
but that after-school meeting would be the first step into a world he wasn't ready for.
A world of confessions...
and curses.