Akira stood in front of his bathroom mirror, adjusting the collar of his dark blue button-down shirt. The fabric was new and crisp; he'd bought it specifically for today. He paired it with dark jeans and his cleanest sneakers, going for casual but put-together.

"Not bad," he muttered, running a hand through his hair one last time.

"Looking sharp, darling," Ai purred in his mind. "Though I remember a time when you couldn't even look at yourself in the mirror without cringing."

Akira's reflection stared back at him, and for a moment, he saw the ghost of his old self: round face, slouched shoulders, acne-scarred skin, and that perpetual look of defeat.

He remembered standing in a similar way months ago, psyching himself up to talk to Sakura.

We all remembered how that ended up…

But that was the past.

The person looking back at him now was different: clear skin, confident posture, eyes that didn't immediately look away when meeting someone's gaze. The system had changed more than just his stats; it had changed how he saw himself.

His phone buzzed on the counter.

Mia: "Where are you going again?"

He sighed, typing back: "Coffee with an old friend. I told you about this already."

Mia: "Right. The 'old friend.' What's her name again?"

"Yuki. We went to middle school together."

Mia: "And you're meeting her alone?"

"Yes, Mia. Like I said, it's just coffee. I'll text you when I'm done."

Mia: "You better. And take pictures of the café. I want to see where you are."

Akira stared at the message, feeling the familiar tug of the Heart Strings bond. Through it, he could sense Mia's emotional state: GREEN jealousy coiled tight, PURPLE anxiety pulsing rapidly, the thin WHITE trust thread stretched almost to breaking.

He'd managed her reaction when he first told her about the date, using Heart Strings to keep her from completely spiraling. But the effect was temporary; jealousy had a way of regenerating like a stubborn weed.

"She's going to be a problem," Ai observed.

"I know. But I promised her I'd be honest, and I am. I'm just... managing the honesty."

"Semantics, darling. Manipulation by any other name."

Akira pocketed his phone and grabbed his jacket. As he headed for the door, another notification buzzed.

Mia: "Be safe. I love you."

He hesitated before replying: "I will. See you tonight."

—

Café Meridian was a cozy spot tucked into a quiet corner of the shopping district. Large windows let in afternoon sunlight, and the smell of fresh coffee and pastries filled the air.

Small tables dotted the space, most of them occupied by couples or students hunched over laptops.

Akira spotted Yuki immediately. She sat at a corner table near the window, her long black hair falling in soft waves around her shoulders. She wore a cream-colored sweater and jeans, looking casual but effortlessly pretty.

When she saw him, her face lit up. "Akira-kun! Over here!"

He weaved through the tables, and she stood to greet him. For a brief, awkward moment, neither of them knew whether to shake hands, hug, or just sit down. They settled on a quick, friendly hug.

"You look great," Yuki said as they sat down. "Really great. I still can't get over how much you've changed."

"Thanks. You look good too."

A waitress appeared, and they ordered: coffee for him, a latte and a slice of strawberry cake for her.

Once they were alone again, Yuki leaned forward slightly. "So, how have you been? Really. Not just the polite answer."

"Honestly? It's been... complicated. But good. Mostly good."

"Complicated how?"

"School, basketball, life in general. Things have been moving fast."

"I heard you made co-captain of the basketball team of your school. That's amazing!"

"Yeah, it's been... an adjustment. My co-captain isn't exactly thrilled about sharing the position."

"Kenji?" Yuki's expression soured slightly. "Ugh, I remember him from middle school. He was always so... full of himself. I see him around the gym too."

"That hasn't changed."

"I bet." She stirred her latte absently. "You know, I didn't really think you'd text me about us hanging out, or if you'd even come. I thought maybe you hated me after what happened in middle school."

"Hate you? Why would I hate you?"

"Because I was awful to you," Yuki said quietly. "When you tried to talk to me that one time, I shut you down so fast. I didn't even give you a chance."

Akira remembered that day too. He'd gathered his courage, approached her after class, stammered out something about maybe studying together. She'd looked at him like he was invisible and walked away without a word.

"You weren't that bad," he said.

"I was. And I'm sorry." She met his eyes, genuine regret in her expression. "I was dealing with my own stuff, and I took it out on anyone who tried to get close."

"What kind of stuff?"

Yuki hesitated, then sighed. "Okay, this is going to sound stupid, but... I developed early. Like, really early. By seventh grade, I was already..." She gestured vaguely at her chest. "Bigger than most girls. And boys noticed."

"I can imagine."

"It was awful. They'd make comments, try to 'accidentally' bump into me, stare constantly. I felt like a piece of meat. So I put up walls. Anyone who tried to talk to me, I assumed they were just another creep."

"Even the non-creeps?"

"Especially the non-creeps," Yuki admitted. "Because they were harder to deal with. At least with the obvious perverts, I knew what to expect. But the nice guys? They scared me more because I didn't know their angle."

"And you thought I had an angle?"

"I thought everyone had an angle." She paused. "But looking back, I don't think you did. You were just... a lonely kid trying to make a friend."

"Pretty much."

"I'm sorry, Akira-kun. Really."

"It's okay. We were kids."

"Still." She reached across the table, placing her hand over his. "I'm glad we're doing this. Getting a second chance."

Her touch was warm, and through it, Akira felt a faint connection forming… the beginning of a new Heart Strings thread, pale lavender and tentative.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. He ignored it.

"So," Yuki said, pulling her hand back with a slight blush. "Tell me about basketball. I didn't see the match, but I've seen clips online."

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