Haruko adjusted the hem of her school blazer, tugging nervously as her eyes darted to the attractive woman standing next to Suguru in the grand living room of the Gojo estate. Satoru leaned lazily against the couch, grinning as he chatted with his friends, but her focus was elsewhere.

The woman was breathtaking. Her smile, soft but confident, lit up the room in a way she hadn't seen before. She wasn't sure what to say or do. Usually, she was great at making new friends, but something about this woman made her brain short-circuit.

They'd met years ago, back in high school. Haruko remembered the day vividly, the way she had arrived with Suguru to visit her brother. She'd just come back from cheer practice, her duffle bag slung over her shoulder when she saw her. At first, she'd assumed the woman was Suguru's girlfriend, and her stomach had twisted uncomfortably.

But when she learned they were just friends, the relief was almost embarrassing. And, fuck, she couldn't stop sneaking glances, she was everything she admired; composed, beautiful, and effortlessly cool.

Haruko lingered awkwardly by the staircase, clutching the plushie hamster she'd brought with her. It was one of her favorites, the soft fur well-loved from years of cuddling, but she'd convinced herself that giving it away would make her look cool and mature. And she brought a box with new make-up, pretending it was old.

Totally believable, right? She just hoped the woman didn't see the date of the products, they were quite recent.

Finally, she worked up the courage to approach, Satoru was in the middle of a dramatic retelling of one of his latest escapades, and Suguru looked mildly amused. She interrupted with a small cough, clutching the plushie and the small box of trinkets against her chest.

"Hey," Haruko said, trying to sound casual, still avoiding the other woman's gaze. "I've been cleaning out my room, and, uh... I thought maybe someone else might like these."

Satoru raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest. "You cleaning? That's rich."

Haruko shot him a glare before focusing back on the woman. Her fingers trembled slightly as she held out the plushie and the box. "I just figured you might like it. No big deal or anything."

Satoru's mocking cough from the couch nearly made her drop it. "Simp." He muttered under his breath, smirking.

Haruko shot him a glare, grabbed a handful of popcorn from the bowl beside him, and launched it at his face. "Shut up, you idiot!" Turning back to the woman, she spoke again. "T-Take it. It's yours." Their hands brushed as the woman accepted the plushie, and her heart did a flip.

She barely managed to mumble something about needing to go before she fled the room, her cheeks burning. "Don't run away, shorty!" Satoru called after her, laughing dramatically. "Just tell her you wanna marry her already!"