You had been on high guard ever since your unlucky run-in with Nyoka, constantly scanning your surroundings for any signs of that all-too-familiar, striking green hair. Every commute to class became a stealth mission, dressing yourself in black, unassuming clothes and checking each and every corner before moving ahead. Koda followed in your footsteps like sidekick, silently aiding you and keeping tabs on Nyoka's position at all times. It amused him a little to see you like this. So paranoid, so meek, so desperate to be unseen, unheard. Of course, even with all your efforts, Koda could always spot you in the crowd. He had memorised the way you moved and interacted with the world. Even when you when you tried your very best to disguise yourself from head to toe, Koda would instantly identify you and jauntily stalk you from behind as usual.

He hated Nyoka much more than you did, but he was also strangely thankful for her. If it wasn't for her bitchiness, you wouldn't be in this state of avoidance and anxiety. For the past month, he had been acutely aware that you were slowly coming out of your shell and interacting with new people, pests. So he hoped that this negative experience would help coax you back to your old, lonely ways where you only relied on him for social input.

Nyoka was nowhere to be seen. You had expected her to be hunting you from the shadows, tracking you meticulously like a shark sniffing out blood in the water. But nothing came of it. For the rest of the week, it was as peaceful as it had always been. And somehow this put you on edge even more. This was the quiet before the storm, you thought. Any moment now you'd surely be slammed with the reality of having the worst person in school really fucking hate your guts. You wondered if she was planning something, waiting for the perfect time to strike.

You groaned quietly at the thought of it and moved your hands to support your head as you continued down this never-ending, spiralling paranoia. This was the worst. Why did you have to walk into her that day? Why couldn't you have just stayed put in the classroom like you always did and deal with Liam and Mimiko's excessive chatter.

Speaking of whom, as you left the classroom and cagily walked down the corridor, you felt a small tap in the back of your shoulder. You froze immediately, thinking it was Nyoka and her friends, but the girl quickly stepped in front of you to reveal herself. An immense sensation of relief washed over you the moment you saw that soft, candy floss hair.

"[Y/n], are you off to lunch?" Mimiko asked, eyes gleaming so brightly, you'd think she had the sun itself trapped behind them.

Now that you thought about it, you had never properly acknowledged how beautiful Mimiko was. She didn't have the elegance and angelic charm of a porcelain doll like Sana. No, she was beautiful like a firework, sudden and dazzling in a way that was impossible to ignore. Heads just had to turn her way, admiring her inspiring, colourful appearance. A walking daydream. She reminded you of a princess in a children's storybook, lacking the stuffy grace and airs but filled with love and excitement.

Unfortunately for Mimiko, it wasn't uncommon for people to infantilise her, viewing her like a cuddly stuffed toy to be grabbed and picked up without her consent. She was a little a shorter for her age so many couldn't help but coddle her and treat her like a damsel in distress. They'd rest their hands on top of her head, petting her like a puppy, and offering to carry even the lightest of things for her. Some people would find this sweet, but to Mimiko, it was nothing short of condescending, especially as she was older than most of her classmates. She had even considered dying her hair, wondering if the bright colour was the source to this obnoxious curse.

"I-I was going to go home and have it." You answered quietly, knowing damn well you had nothing good waiting for you back there. You hadn't gone grocery shopping in quite a while due to your paranoia regarding Nyoka and her crew. Now your fridge and cupboards were starting to look worryingly empty. You knew it was going to be scraps and leftovers again.

After you said that, you noticed Mimiko averting her eyes from you and nervously toying with her hands. A pink blush blossomed across her cheeks. It was an expression you had never seen the bubbly and outgoing Mimiko make.

"Well um, if you don't have anything special planned, would you like to have lunch with me? I accidentally made way too much so..."

Her gaze returned to you, shimmering with hope. This was unchartered territory for you. Something new and unknown. You had never eaten lunch with another student before. I mean, the opportunity had never revealed itself to you but you had never expressed much interest in it. Sometimes, after class, you'd pass by the cafeteria, observing the students grazing together socially or parked outside on the grass, enjoying picnics. You had distantly envied their laughter and closeness, but always opted to return home for lunch instead.

✧──────✧ 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘩 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘔𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘬𝘰? ✮ Accept her Invitation [Read Section A] ✮ Politely Decline [Read Section B] ✧──────✧



"Okay, I-I'd like that." You replied shyly. Both of you looked at one another with a flustered giddiness. It was like you were kids again, giggling and grinning over the fact that your moms had allowed you two to have a sleepover with one another. Mimiko grabbed your hand.

"Let's go somewhere else. I know a place nice and quiet." As she spoke, her face darkened a little and her eyes narrowed toward something behind you, as if she sensed something you hadn't. "No one will disturb us there."

To your surprise, she didn't take you to a quiet room nor did she lead you to a tranquil spot on the campus greenery. No, she took you right out of college and down several blocks toward the large local park. You were vaguely familiar with the spot, having passed it countless times on your daily commute, but you had never actually stepped inside. The park stretched out before you in a gentle sprawl of foliage and open lawns. It was quiet and unassuming. Most visitors of the park were at work or school, leaving only a few to linger and admire its natural beauty. Elderly couples sat on benches, tossing crumbs to waiting ducks, young mothers strolled along paved paths, pushing prams and murmuring to their fussy, little ones, and a few joggers passed by, moving at a steady rhythm. You looked at Mimiko expectantly, waiting for her to choose a quiet spot nearby and plop you both down on the grass or a nearby bench but she continued stringing you along, hand-in-hand.

"We're nearly there!" She exclaimed excitedly, turning to you and smiling. However, her eyes appeared to look past you. They darkened and you suddenly felt her grip around your hand tighten. Her legs sped up and you were now both running together through the centre of the park. "Sorry, I just can't wait. If we run, we'll get there faster!"

You panicked at the swift jolt in movement, struggling to keep up as she steered you between bushes and trees. It was completely off-route from the generic park pathways, making it feel out-of-bounds and forbidden. "Are we allowed here?" You asked anxiously as you both continued to trek through the woodland area and shrubbery. "Of course, it's a public park." She replied, not really answering your question.

Then, at last, she released your hand from hers and allowed your sweaty and enervated person to pause. Hunched over and gasping for air, you took several seconds to recollect yourself before realising you were at your destination. You looked up at the hidden glade, nestled deep within the park's thicket. A sacred pocket of untouched calm. Mimiko stood facing away from you as she scanned the area as though making sure there weren't any hungry predators around to gobble you both up. She sighed, sensing that you were both alone at last.

"Do you like it? I know getting here is a bit of a pain but it's worth it, right? We can finally be alone. Just us two."

"It's pretty!" You said, having finally recovered from your exhaustion. Both of you sat on the ground, surrounded by vibrant wildflowers and tall, towering trees that stood like silent guardians, their branches weaving a canopy of dappled light above your heads. A scent of jasmine and honeysuckle hung in the air, sweet and delicate like a dream. Maybe Mimiko really was some sort of fairy princess.

"I always come here to relax and wind down. It's a lot better than the spots on campus. No litter or annoying guys around to harass us." Mimiko removed her bag and began carefully setting up lunch, presenting a bento box with a selection of all your favourite snacks. Handmade and intricately decorated with edible flowers and fruits neatly cut into flower shapes. "I-I hope you like it. I worked hard to make all your favourites."

You nodded, though you were a little confused at her words. Your favourites? How did she know what your favourite foods were? And didn't she originally say that she happened to make too much food. Mimiko, ever observant of your facially expressions, sighed.

"I know what you're thinking. Truth be told, I only said that thing about making too much as an excuse to get you to say yes. I actually... made all this just for you. I'm not a stalker or anything. I just missed being this close to you." Her face softened, as though she was on the verge of tears. You had no idea you were this important to someone other than Kitty. And you didn't even remember her at all. Just how close were you two back then? "We used to go on picnics together all the time when we were kids and I memorised everything you liked and hated. Obviously, your tastes have probably changed a lot since back then. Sorry if the food looks a little childish."

"N-no, not at all! It looks really cute and pretty! Actually, I'm glad you invited me. I don't have any good food at home and I'm not the best at cooking. This was a nice surprise."

'You mean it?! Aaaahaha, I'm so happy!~" She squealed, covering her face and kicking her legs like she was a little girl again. "Enjoy it then. You can have as much as you like."

"I'm also sorry... for not remembering anything. You worked so hard to make all this and I-" "Shhh, I don't mind, silly! Really, I'm just happy we've found each other again. Let's just continue you from where we left off and have fun, okay?"

The picnic was divine, each mouthful was like a gift from the heavens. However, you got a little embarrassed at times. Mimiko would occasionally get a little too excited and insist on feeding you herself and dabbing the corners of your mouth with a napkin. It felt a little strange, especially as you didn't recognise her the way she recognised you. Her hand would constantly rest upon yours and it was sometimes difficult to eat because of the way she would watch with such eagerness in her eyes. At least she was having fun, you thought to yourself.

Then, at last, it was time for the two of you to depart. She squeezed your hands. "Let's do this again some time, 'kay?" "Yes, o-okay! That would be fun. Thank you for the picnic." "Hehehe, thank you for keeping me company."

After arriving home, Kitty was waiting for you on the messenger. You were in a pretty good mood after all that had happened so hit him up with a happy text but you immediately recognised that Kitty did not return those same feelings.

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Yin Hi Kitty! (˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶) Hru

Kitty Yin (·ω·) Hello. You're in a good mood today, aren't you? (◜ᴗ◝)

Yin Yeah, I guess I am! Are you in a good mood today?

Kitty No.

Yin Ruh roh What happened

Kitty ... I'm not entirely sure I want to talk about it ('• ω •')

Yin Aww come on U know u can tell me anything

Kitty Of course, Yin. You're my very best friend |ω・') Someone stole something from me today ( '·ω·) I was so angry, I was considering strangling them to death with a bike chain

Yin LMFAO U say the most outta pocket things sometimes Now I know to never mess with your belongings

Kitty Yin ( •̥́ ᦷ •̀ )You can always play with my things They belong to you too after all. (♡ˊ͈ ꒳ ˋ͈) I wouldn't mind! ( ∩'͈ ᐜ '͈∩)

Yin So why didn't you "strangle them with your bike chain"? Lol What changed your mind?

Kitty (。'・ω・｀｡) Oh, it was too merciful I want it to be more violent for that. I think I'm going to slowly disembowel them instead. Also I didn't want to traumatise my darling ('・ω・') That would be cruel (๑•́ -•̀)

Yin You and your edgelord humour lolol Yin Well I hope you manage to get your thing back ... whatever it is

Kitty Ah, don't worry, Yin! I will ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و I'll make sure everything goes to plan. ('・ω・｀) I'm already halfway there ( '• ω • ')

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You lowered your head, avoiding her pleading gaze. Having lunch with Mimiko would be the perfect way to solidify your friendship. An opportunity you had always yearned for in the past. You had imagined it countless times: sitting among familiar, classmates, laughter spilling effortlessly between bites of good food, conversations weaving together like the very threads of the picnic tapestry you'd be lounging on. A feeling of belonging. Acceptance.

But that was a fantasy. And fantasies simply weren't meant for people like you.

The thought of you actually stepping into that scene, awkwardly trying to fit yourself into a space that wasn't shaped for you, it caused a painful twist in your chest. A suffocating anxiety. Mimiko may be kind enough to ask, but there's no way she'd actually want someone like you sat beside her at lunch. You'd ruin the mood, kill the vibe and, most likely, put her off her appetite altogether.

In a way, this was more for her sake than yours.

"Sorry. Y-you go on ahead. I'm not feeling too great today," you lied, forcing a weak smile.

Much like your earlier high school days where your fellow classmates were pressured by the teachers to accept you into their cliques and let you hang out with them, you had anticipated a wave of relief visibly wash over Mimiko's face expression after you rejected her request. After all, she had to be asking you out of pity. There was no way this was genuine. Yet, as she listened to your words, all you could see was her face deepen with sadness. She flashed you a ghostly smile, trying to sell the look that she was okay with you declining the offer.

"Oh I see. That's too bad, but I guess it can't be helped. Get better soon, [Y/n]. Maybe we could do it another time."

"Yes. I think that would be nice."

As you returned home, a cloud of guilt followed you, raining down heavy pellets of shame. Mimiko's soft, disappointed expression continued to haunt the back of your mind. Did you hurt your feelings? Did she really want you to hang out with her? You? You checked your phone, noticing that Kitty had sent you a message.

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Kitty ♡ Yin!! ♡ You're so AMAZING ⸜(⭒•͈ 𓎺 •͈ )⸝♡ I'm so proud of you, you know that? (ﾉ'ヮ')ﾉ*: ･ﾟ

Yin I don't feel proud of myself

Kitty Awwww don't say that (˶╹̆ ▿╹̆˵)و✧ You're the best, Yin ｡ﾟ(TヮT)ﾟ｡ I wish I could hug u rn Thank you thank you thank you so much for existing ('。• ω •。') ♡

Yin Oh wow Thank you for existing as well :3 You are very nice and a good friend.

Kitty (',,•ω•,,) You're making me blush. Ah, it's lunchtime now, isn't it? What will you eat? Would you like takeout?? I can send you the money for it! Anything you want! ( ' ▽ ' ) And then we can play Valoria Online together ( • ̀ω•́ ) Or perhaps watch a movie and just hang out? Anything you want to do (˵ •̀ ᴗ •́ ˵ ) ✧ How does that sound? ᐠ( ᐛ )ᐟ

Yin Someone's in a good mood today. Did something happen?

Kitty No. Nothing happened. That's why I'm so happy :)

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