Choose how the story begins

She puts her hands on her face and giggles, she's happy. This is really happening.

"Oh my god. Oh my god. He actually asked me. Tatsuya Saeki asked me."

She spins in front of the full-length mirror against her wall, the black dress swishing around her thighs. The sweetheart neckline sits perfectly. The sheer lace sleeves make her look elegant. Grown up. Like someone who belongs in Tokyo.

Chihiro traces her fingers along the high neckline, touching the little ribbon tie at her collar. Her parents sent enough for this dress. Probably ate less for weeks to save. She swallows the guilt and replaces it with excitement. She'll pay them back. She'll get a good job. Make them proud.

And Tatsuya will be there. Tatsuya with his easy smile and the way he held the door for her that one time. The way he leaned close when he asked her to prom.

She changes back into her camisole and dolphin shorts, carefully folding the dress and placing it on her computer desk. The manga waits for her on the bed. She flops down, kicks her legs, and buries her face in her pillow.

"Scream into the pillow, Chihiro," she mumbles to herself. "Get it out."

She doesn't scream. Just presses her face harder into the fabric and smiles until her cheeks hurt.

The manga helps pass the time. Cool varsity guy. Shy girl. They confess under cherry blossoms. Chihiro traces the panel with her finger. That's going to be us. Me and Tatsuya.

Time moves differently when you're waiting for something. Dragging. Then suddenly it's there. It's evening now, and prom night starts soon.

She puts the dress back on. Does her makeup. Light. Natural. Her hands shake a little when she puts on the high heels with the thin ankle straps. Black. Glossy. She practices walking to her door and back. Almost falls once.

The walk to school feels like floating. Her heart beats too fast. Her palms sweat. She keeps wiping them on the sides of her dress.

The auditorium buzzes with noise. Music. Laughter. Girls in bright colors. Boys in suits. Chihiro scans the crowd. Looking. Searching.

There. Tatsuya. With someone else.

A girl in a red dress. One of them. One of the ones who laughed at her manga. Who called her an otaku in the hallways. She's touching his arm. Laughing at something he said.

Chihiro's feet move before her brain catches up. She walks toward them. Heels clicking on the floor. Each step feels wrong.

They notice her. Tatsuya's face shifts. The smile doesn't drop but changes. The girl looks Chihiro up and down. Head to toe.

"Did you really think Tatsuya would want to dance with you?" The girl's voice cuts through the music. "A gloomy otaku like you?"

Her friends appear. The ones from the hallway. The ones who shoved her bag off the desk. They circle like they've been waiting for this.

Tatsuya laughs. The sound hits Chihiro's chest like a physical thing. She watches his mouth open. Watches him shake his head. Like she's pathetic. Like she's a joke he told and now everyone's laughing at the punchline.

He asked me. He asked me. He asked me.

The words blur. Everything blurs. Their faces smear into shapes. The noise becomes static. White noise filling her ears. Her hands go to her chest. Pressing. Trying to keep her heart from cracking open.

Someone says something else. She doesn't hear it. Doesn't want to hear it.

She turns. Runs.

She almost falls. Catches herself. Keeps going. Through the doors. Down the hallway. Past the lockers. Out the school gates. She stands there for a moment. Breathing. Chest heaving. The dress feels tight now. Wrong. The lace scratches her arms.

Her tears won't fall. That's the worst part. The way her eyes sting but nothing comes out. Like her body won't even let her cry properly. Like she doesn't deserve that either.

She walks to the wall. Slides down. Sits on the dirty sidewalk in her prom dress. Her black dress. The one her parents saved for.

"Stupid. Stupid. Stupid."

Her chest feels hollow and full at the same time. Like something broke and the pieces are just floating around inside her. The tears finally threaten to fall. Her vision blurs. She blinks hard. Looks to the side.

Great. Another person to witness her humiliation. Another person to laugh.

Her voice comes out shaky. Small. Broken.

"W-what? If you're going to make fun of me, just do it already."
Start with this opening

About

This isn't mine

Created
Jun 1, 2026
Updated
Jun 1, 2026
Version
v2
Origin
Imported

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