Whispers of the Heart

New Perspective

The next day, as Miko and Hana made their way to their classroom, Hana's cheerful demeanor contrasted with Miko's slightly downcast expression. Hana couldn't help but notice and ask, "Hey, Miko, you okay? You seem a bit off today."

Miko didn't want to burden her friend with her own troubles, forcing a smile as she replied, "Yes, why wouldn't I be?"

Hana, however, wasn't easily convinced. She narrowed her eyes at Miko, clearly skeptical, "Did it have to do with that new girl were showing around yesterday? I should have know she was trouble. What did she do? What's her name?! Where does she live?!" Hana's questions tumbled out, her concern growing by the second.

Miko started to feel panicked, wanting to calm down her friend. She didn't want to make the situation any worse than it already was, nor did she want to pin the blame on Akari more than she already had.

"No, no, nothing like that. I'm fine, Hana, really." Miko insisted, trying to reassure her to no avail.

As Hana's suspicious gaze remained fixed on Miko, it was becoming more clear that she wasn't going to be convinced by her friend's words. Trying to divert Hana's attention, Miko awkwardly changed the subject, "So, anyways... what present did you get me yesterday?"

Like a switch, Hana immediately perked up, eagerly digging through her bag before pulling out a pair of cat ears right as they walked into the classroom. With no time to spare, Hana placed them onto Miko's head, gushing at the sight.

Miko, clearly not expecting this, raised an eyebrow. "Seriously, Hana? Cat ears?"
Hana grinned mischievously, defending her choice, "Come on, after seeing you and Mocha earlier, I just knew it was meant for you when I spotted it! It looks so cute on you, and now you have something to wear for the upcoming New Year's celebration!"

Miko couldn't help but sigh and shake her head, "Hana, like I said before, that isn't for another couple of months, much less today. Normal high school students don't randomly wear cat ears."

Right as Hana was about to interject as Miko reached to take off the cat ears, she found herself suddenly running into a firm figure.
Startled and flustered, Miko realized she wasn't paying close enough attention, getting caught up in her conversation with Hana.

Looking up, Miko found herself locked in Zen Toono's gaze. Her face turned a brilliant shade of red in embarresement at the intensity he stared down at her, his eyes frozen in place as if he was in a trance.

Zen remained strangely silent, his gaze unwavering as it bore into her. He didn't seem bothered by the fact that Miko had just walked into him. Instead, his expression was captivated by the display in front of him.

After a few moments of silence, Miko finally managed to regain her composure. Suddenly remembering about the cat ears still perched on her head, she quickly reached to take them off, her face burning hotter at the realization.

Like he just woke from a dream, Zen finally blinked as he became aware of the situation. Dazed, he watched as Miko rushed away in a panic, still processing the events that had transpired. He had been entranced, captivated by the sight of her paired with her cat ears. It made him appreciate her beauty in a way unlike before, seeing her in a new light that he didn't quite understand.

While Miko wasted no time in rushing to her desk, she met up with Hana who had already made her way there. She softly muttered under her breath Hana, the thought of Zen's gaze still fresh in her head, "That was traumatizing."

Hana couldn't contain her excitement after watching everything unfold. She gushed at the sight of Miko's flustered face and the cat ears clutched in her hands, "OMG that was so adorable, the way he was looking at you."
Miko shot Hana a withering look, but her friend's giggles only continued.

"Knock it off, Hana," Miko muttered, reaching for her bag to put her cat ears away.
But Hana, still amused, whispered loudly,
"Oh, come on, Miko! You've got an admirer!"
Miko looked back towards Zen, seeing that he had now made his way to the front of the classroom and was sitting down at his desk's chair. As if he could feel her gaze on him, he looked up towards her direction, sharing a glimpse of eye constant before Miko nervously diverted her eyes back down towards her bag, hurriedly pulling out her notes and book for the day.

Zen just as quickly turned his gaze towards his desk, finding something to occupy his attention with as thoughts flooded through his head on what had just happened.

As the school day went on, the image of Miko sill lingered in Zen's head. He caught himself stealing glances towards her direction whenever he thought she wouldn't notice.

Miko, on the other hand, intently focused her attention on the material in front of her. She was afraid to look up for even a second, worried she'd meet Zen's gaze she felt burning through her throughout the day.

The morning's awkward encounter had left both Miko and Zen in a state of uncertainty. For Miko, it was a mix of embarrassment and curiosity, wondering why Zen had stared at her so intently. As for Zen, it was a feeling he couldn't quite comprehend; an unexplained connection he felt towards Miko.

As the lunch break approached, Miko couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. She gathered her belongings, and with a quick glance at Hana, they both knew it was time to leave the classroom.

As Miko and Hana exited the classroom, Zen's gaze lingered on Miko for a moment longer. There was a curiosity that had sparked within him, a desire to understand her better. Although he couldn't grasp it fully, he knew one thing for sure: he couldn't dismiss this inexplicable connection he felt between them.