An unexpected cardiac arrhythmia

Mio returned home completely exhausted. By some small miracle of the universe that normally tormented her, her evening classes at the university had been canceled. The relief was immense. All she wanted was to get to her apartment and sink into a sugar- and caffeine-induced coma.

She took a different route, one that was busier and better lit. Her reasoning was simple: more people meant fewer dark alleys and, hopefully, zero chance of running into thugs or the weirdo with the sticks.

"I've had enough embarrassment for today," she thought, remembering how she had choked on her soda in front of the new boy, Tomoki. "You're such a fool, mine. Now the only nice guy you've met in months will think I'm a useless, insignificant slug."

The avenue was full of people. Couples strolling hand in hand, laughing, or sharing ice cream. She felt like a gray ghost in a world of colors, lost in her thoughts until, inevitably, she bumped into someone.

" I know " she began, looking up. But her blood ran cold when she saw who that person was.

It was him. The stalker with the sore muscles. Ren Shinomiya.

Mio's eyes widened. Panic, that old acquaintance, shouted a single command: run! 

Mio turned and quickened her pace, trying to disappear into the crowd. But a firm, warm hand closed around her wrist, stopping her in her tracks.

She froze, a slight but undeniable blush rising to her cheeks. The contact was electric and unexpected.

They both stood still for a few seconds, a silence in the middle of the river of people, looking at each other without knowing what to say.

"Aww, what a cute couple!" exclaimed an elderly woman passing by.

The comment broke the spell. Mio shuddered as if she had been electrocuted, and Ren instantly let go of her hand, as if it were burning.

A few seconds of incredibly awkward silence passed. Ren finally opened his mouth. "T-thank you," Ren said, but then stopped, frowning as if his brain was trying to load a file that was too heavy.

Mio, surprised that he finally said something, summoned up a courage she didn't know she had. " D-Do you... have something to say? " she asked, even though her mind was in total panic mode.

" I wish the ground would swallow me up! Or better yet, him! Or both of us! Whoever it may be, but do it now! "

But Ren didn't use his words this time. In his innocent ignorance and complete lack of knowledge of social norms, he did something Mio would never have imagined. He slowly brought his face closer to hers.

Mio's eyes widened to their limit. His face, that perfect face she had only seen on television, was inches from hers. She could see her own face in Ren's gray eyes.

" W-w-what are you doing!? Are you going to kiss me? Here! In the middle of the street! I'm not ready! I haven't brushed my teeth since this morning! My breath must smell like French fries and desperation! Wait, I haven't even had my first kiss yet, how am I supposed to kiss someone! "

Her survival instinct took over. She spun around to run, but her feet got tangled up. Tripping over her own loose shoelaces, she fell to the ground with a thud.

She got up with incredible speed, and with her face burning with humiliation, she ran away from the place, not daring to look back at where Ren was.

Ren didn't follow her. He just watched her leave, a pink blur disappearing into the distance. Then, slowly, he brought his hand to his chest, just above his heart, which was beating strangely and erratically.

" Cardiac arrhythmia ?" he asked himself quietly, genuinely confused.

Meanwhile, Mio arrived home. She slammed the door shut, locked it, and ran to her room. She threw herself onto her bed and hid under the covers, as if that would allow her to hide from the world and her own shame.

Her mind was in chaos. "Why had he done that? Why had he made me so nervous? Why had he gotten so close to me? A guy so famous, so perfect... why would he notice someone like me? What should I do? Move out of town? Out of the country? Be reborn? Aaaaaaaaaaaah!"

There, under the shelter of her bunny blankets, her day had ended with a question that resonated louder than any other.

Why was Ren Shinomiya so interested in her?