A Nervous New Friendship

Their first period science teacher came over to greet them in his lab coat. He stood tall and imposing in front of the classroom. His hair was cropped neatly above his ears. With sharp features, he exuded confidence and authority despite standing only five feet seven inches tall; not exactly the type of guy that most teenage boys would aspire to be like.

"Today we are learning about genetics and DNA. Today we'll learn about how genes work together within organisms to produce traits such as eye color or height. Let's begin by looking at pictures of various animals and plants to determine whether they have similar genetic makeup," Mr. Hasegawa instructed.

"Ughh... this is boring..." Mika grumbled, rolling her eyes dramatically.

Mika noticed Saori staring at Yuna during class and took action. She leaned over and whispered in Saori’s ear, “Hey, do you have a crush on my sister?”

Saori’s face flushed bright red, and she stammered out a denial. But Mika could see the truth in her eyes.

“Don’t worry, it’s okay,” Mika said, grinning wickedly. “Yuna’s been staring at you too, you know.”

Saori’s eyes widened in surprise, and then she looked away shyly. “Really?” Mika nodded. “Yeah, she thinks you’re cute. But she’s too shy to do anything about it.”

Saori’s eyes flicked back to Yuna, who was completely absorbed in her textbook. “I... I don’t know what to do,” she admitted.

Mika could feel her own heart racing with excitement. This was it, the perfect opportunity to bring her sister and Saori together. “Don’t worry, I’ll help you out. Just follow my lead.”

With that, Mika grabbed Saori’s hand and pulled her out of her seat. The other students looked up in surprise, but Mika didn’t care. She was on a mission.

She dragged Saori over to the table where Yuna was studying, and now she sat back and watched the two girls with a grin on her face. Yuna was blushing furiously, her gaze fixed on her textbook as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world. Saori, for her part, looked just as nervous, her eyes darting around the room as she fidgeted with the straps of her backpack.

“So... um... hi,” Yuna finally managed to say, her voice barely above a whisper. She looked up at Saori briefly before quickly looking away again.

“Hi,” Saori replied, her voice equally hesitant.

There was a tense silence for a moment, and Mika could feel her heart racing with nerves. This was it, the moment she had been waiting for, and she didn’t want it to be ruined by an awkward silence.

"Okay, guys, let's try this again," Mika said, leaning forward in her chair. "What kind of anime do you like, Saori?"

Saori's eyes flicked over to Mika, and she seemed grateful for the change of topic. "I... I really like magical girl anime. Like Sailor Moon and Cardcaptor Sakura."

"Oh, I love those shows!" Mika exclaimed, grinning at Saori. "Who's your favorite character?"

Saori's face lit up as she started talking about Sakura, and Mika could feel the tension in the room easing. Yuna was still shy, but she seemed more relaxed now that there was a topic to talk about.

Mika jumped in a few more times to keep the conversation going, asking about Saori's favorite books and movies, and then Yuna's. It was slow going, with a lot of awkward pauses and stilted speech, but Mika could tell that there was a connection forming between the two girls.

"So... um... would you maybe want to hang out sometime?" Yuna asked hesitantly, her gaze fixed on Saori's face. Saori's eyes widened in surprise, and then a shy smile spread across her lips. "I... I'd really like that. Maybe we could... I don't know, watch some anime together or something?"

Mika couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement. This was it, the moment they had been building towards. "Yes! That sounds amazing. I have some DVDs at home that we could watch."

As the conversation drew to a close, Mika watched as the two girls exchanged phone numbers, both of them grinning from ear to ear. It was a beautiful moment, one that she knew she would never forget. As they said their goodbyes and headed off in opposite directions, Mika couldn't resist giving both of them a big hug.

"You two are amazing," she said, her voice soft. "Never forget that, okay?"

Yuna and Saori both nodded, and then they were gone, disappearing down the hallway towards their respective classes. Mika watched them go, feeling a sense of satisfaction and excitement that she couldn't quite explain.

As Yuna and Saori walked down the hall, they continued talking about their favorite anime shows. It was awkward at first, each struggling to find what to say, but as they kept talking, they became more animated and open.

"I really like Revolutionary Girl Utena," Saori said, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "It's so different from other magical girl shows, you know? It's more... dramatic."

Yuna nodded, a smile spreading across her face. "I've never seen that one before. What's it about?"

"It's about this girl named Utena who wants to be a prince," Saori explained, her hands gesturing animatedly as she talked. "She goes to this fancy academy and gets drawn into this strange world where she has to fight duels to protect her friend. And there's this whole thing with a mysterious prince who she's trying to find..."

Yuna’s heart raced as she and Saori talked about their favorite anime shows. She had never felt so comfortable with anyone before, and she couldn’t help but think that there was something special between them.

As they turned a corner, Yuna realized that they had walked right past their classrooms and ended up somewhere very private. The quiet, secluded corner of the school was empty, with no one else around.

“Hey, where are we?” Yuna asked, looking around in confusion.

Saori shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess we just kept walking.”

“So... um... do you want to watch some anime together sometime?” Yuna asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Saori looked up at her, surprise evident on her face. “Yeah, I’d like that. Maybe we could watch Revolutionary Girl Utena together?”

Yuna’s heart skipped a beat at the thought. She couldn’t believe that she had found someone who liked the same shows as she did, someone who made her feel so alive.

As they talked, Yuna felt herself opening up to Saori in a way that she had never done before, telling her about her favorite characters and plotlines and laughing at their shared jokes.

Saori checked her phone and realized that they had been talking for hours. “I should probably go,” she said, her voice soft. “But... can we do this again sometime? Talk about anime, I mean?”

Yuna nodded eagerly. “Yes, please. I’d love that.”

As Saori walked away, Yuna called out after her. “Wait! I... um... I wanted to say something.”

Saori turned around, her eyes curious. “What is it?”

“I... I like you. A lot. And I don’t know if that’s okay or not, but... I just wanted to say it.”

Saori’s face softened into a smile, and she took a step closer to Yuna. “I like you too. A lot.”

Yuna felt a warmth spreading through her chest. This was it, the moment she had been waiting for. There was something special between them, and she knew it.

“We’ve missed a lot of class,” Saori said quietly.

“I know... but... I’m having such a good time,” Yuna trailed off, unable to finish the sentence without grinning.

“Where do you want to go?” Saori asked, looking at Yuna with a mischievous grin.

Yuna felt her face flush. “Um, your dorm room?” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Saori’s smile widened. “Sure, let’s go.”

They made their way to Saori’s dorm room, their hands still interlocked. As they entered the room, Yuna felt a sense of comfort wash over her. This was where Saori lived, where she spent her free time, where she watched anime.

"Make yourself at home," Saori said, taking off her shoes and motioning for Yuna to do the same.

Yuna sat down on the floor, feeling the soft carpet beneath her. She looked around the room, taking in the posters of anime characters on the walls and the piles of manga stacked neatly on the bookshelf.

Saori sat down next to her, a sense of excitement in her eyes. "What do you want to watch?" she asked.

Yuna took a deep breath, feeling a sense of nervousness creeping in. "Um, how about the anime we were talking about earlier? The one with the magical girls?"

"Sure thing," Saori said, reaching for the remote and turning on the TV.

As they watched the anime, Saori got closer and closer to Yuna, until finally she rested her head on Yuna's shoulder. Yuna turned beet red, feeling her heart racing with nerves. She could hardly breathe, but it was in the best way possible.

They continued watching the anime, lost in their own world. Yuna felt Saori's breath on her neck, and she couldn't believe how close they were, how they seemed to meld into one.

After a while, Saori sat up, looking at Yuna with a gentle smile. "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable," she said.

Yuna shook her head, feeling a sense of gratitude wash over her. "No, it's okay," she said. "I liked it. It felt... nice."

Saori's smile widened. "Good," she said. "I'm glad.”

After the anime ended, Yuna’s heart sank as she reluctantly let go of Saori’s hand. The sense of disappointment washed over her, and she couldn’t shake off the feeling of wanting more. She didn’t want to leave, didn’t want this moment to end.

Saori could sense Yuna’s reluctance to leave, so she suggested, “Hey, why don’t we order some takeout and spend more time together?”

Yuna’s face lit up with excitement. “That’s a great idea!” she said, feeling grateful that Saori was still willing to spend more time with her.

Saori smiled back at her, happy to see Yuna’s enthusiasm. “What do you want to order?” she asked.

Yuna’s heart skipped a beat at the sound of Saori’s voice. “Um, how about some sushi?” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Saori grinned, feeling a sense of warmth spread through her. “Great, I know a good place nearby. Let me order it.”

They spent the next few hours eating sushi and talking about their favorite anime characters and plotlines. Yuna felt like she was in a dream, like nothing else in the world mattered except for her and Saori and their shared love of anime.

As they finished their sushi, Saori suggested they watch another anime together, one that she thought Yuna might like. Yuna’s heart fluttered with excitement as Saori led her to her bed, motioning for her to sit down.

As they watched the romantic anime, Saori put her arm around Yuna, and Yuna leaned into her, feeling a sense of comfort and happiness she had never felt before. She couldn’t believe how much she was caring for Saori, and how much their shared love of anime had brought them together.

As the movie went on, the romantic tension between the characters on screen built, and Yuna got lost in their story, feeling like it was her own. She couldn’t help but think about Saori and how much she wanted to be closer to her.

After the movie ended, they sat in silence for a few minutes, both lost in their own thoughts. Yuna felt a sense of contentment wash over her, like this moment was all that mattered in the world. She couldn’t believe how much her feelings for Saori had grown in such a short time.

Yuna felt like her heart was about to burst as she thought about kissing Saori. She had been thinking about it for hours now, and every conceivable emotion was racing through her mind. But she couldn’t bring herself to do it. The tension between them was so high that she could hardly breathe.

Saori looked at Yuna, her eyes filled with a sense of longing that Yuna couldn’t decipher. She had been thinking the same thing, but she didn’t know if Yuna felt the same way.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, both lost in their own thoughts. Yuna couldn’t take it anymore. She had to know if Saori felt the same way.

“Saori?” she said tentatively.

Saori turned to her, looking into her eyes with a sense of intensity that took Yuna’s breath away. “Yes?” she whispered.

Yuna took a deep breath, feeling a sense of courage welling up inside her. “Can I kiss you?” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Saori’s eyes widened in surprise, but then she smiled, a smile that lit up her entire face. “Yes,” she said, leaning in to meet Yuna’s lips.

As their lips met, Yuna felt a sense of electricity run through her entire body. She had never felt so alive and happy as they said their goodbyes. Saori suggested, “Hey, why don’t you stay the night? We can continue our anime marathon in the morning.”

Yuna’s face lit up with excitement. “Yes, I’d love to!” she said, feeling a sense of anticipation building inside her.

As they walked back to Saori’s dorm room, Yuna realized she hadn’t showered yet and didn’t have any pajamas with her.

Saori noticed Yuna’s hesitation and said, “Don’t worry, you can use the shower down the hall. And I’ll make the bed for you. You can have my bed, and I’ll sleep on the love seat. It’ll be like a slumber party!”

Yuna felt a sense of gratitude wash over her. “Thank you so much,” she said, feeling a sense of nervousness creeping in.

As Yuna took her shower, she couldn’t stop thinking about what had happened between her and Saori. She felt like she was living in a dream, like nothing else in the world mattered except for her and Saori.

After her shower, she put on the pajamas that Saori had lent her, feeling a sense of comfort wash over her. They were a little baggy, just like Saori had said, but she didn’t mind. She felt like she was wrapped up in a warm blanket.

But a few hours later, Yuna woke up to find that Saori had slipped into bed with her. Yuna could feel the warmth of Saori’s body against her own, and it made her heart race with excitement.

She didn’t know how to feel about this, but she didn’t want to disturb Saori’s peaceful sleep. So Yuna laid there, feeling Saori’s steady breaths against her neck, until she fell back asleep.