The sun tickled through the gaps in the blinds, waking me with a gentle golden glow. I yawned and stretched, an unfamiliar tingling of excitement in my stomach. Today was the day. My meeting with Hana.

  A text message blinked on my phone. "Hey about today, 3 PM at the train station. Heard about a cute cafe downtown, if that's not too much for you." I grinned and quickly typed a reply. "3 PM is perfect. Looking forward to it."

  As soon as I sent the message, a slight panic washed over me. This was… the first time in my life I was meeting a girl who wasn't Emiko. And it felt… different.

  I thought about Hana. Her calm demeanor, her gentle smile, her eyes that always radiated so much kindness. She was really sweet. Her shoulder-length, dark brown hair framed a delicate face, and she always had this slight blush on her cheeks that made her look even younger.

  I jumped out of bed and opened my closet. A chaos of T-shirts, shirts, and jackets stared back at me. What should I wear? I wanted to look casual, but also… neat. After half an hour and a pile of clothes scattered on the bed, I decided on a simple, dark blue shirt and light jeans. Not too flashy, but not too sloppy either.

  The morning dragged on endlessly. I tried to distract myself with a book, but my thoughts kept circling around the upcoming meeting. What would we talk about? Would there be awkward silences? Would I… embarrass myself?

  My mother called me for lunch. She had taken time off again to be with me. I tried to act normal, but she noticed my restlessness immediately. "Is everything okay, Nobuyuki?" she asked worriedly. "You seem so restless." "Everything's fine, Mom," I lied. "I'm just… glad to be home again."

  After lunch, I retreated to my room again. The hours until the afternoon seemed to stretch endlessly. I listened to music, read a bit, but nothing could dispel my nervousness.

  Finally, after what felt like an eternity, it was time. I left the house and made my way to the train station with quick steps and a pounding heart. The station wasn't far from our high-rise, just a short walk through the bustling streets. But today, every step felt like a marathon.

  I arrived about fifteen minutes early, typical of my excessive punctuality. I stood slightly aside from the main entrance, pretending to stare at my phone while secretly observing the other waiting people. All around me were couples hugging, holding hands, laughing. Would Hana and I look like that when we were together? Was what I was wearing really okay? Was I too overdressed, too underdressed? My thoughts spiraled in a vortex of uncertainty.

  Suddenly, I heard my name. A gentle, melodic voice that stood out from the noise of the station. "Nobuyuki-kun?" I looked up and saw her. Hana stood a few meters away, and my nervousness gave way to a sense of wonder. She wore a flowing, light green dress that perfectly matched her delicate complexion, and her hair was down, falling over her shoulders in soft waves. She looked beautiful, even prettier than I remembered.

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  I caught myself blushing and desperately tried to regain my composure. Hana looked away shyly and asked quietly, "Have you been waiting long?" "No, no, I just got here too," I lied, my voice sounding hoarser than usual. I stepped towards her, and we stood facing each other silently for a moment. Her eyes were large and clear, and as she looked up at me, our gazes met. In that brief moment, it felt as if the whole world around us disappeared. I felt my cheeks start to glow again, and I was sure Hana was blushing slightly too.

  "Shall we… shall we head to the cafe?" she asked softly. I nodded, unable to utter a coherent word.

  We walked together to the platform. The cafe was downtown, just two stops away. The train was quite crowded, and we had to stand close together. As the train braked slightly to enter the next station, Hana briefly lost her balance and leaned slightly towards me. Her shoulder brushed against my arm, a fleeting, electrifying touch. I felt my heart beat faster, and I was sure Hana noticed it too. We both blushed, but neither of us said anything. We just stood there, close together, eyes fixed straight ahead, as the train continued on.

  Arriving at the destination station, we breathed a sigh of relief as we stepped out of the crowded train. "The cafe isn't far from here," Hana said, trying to break the awkward silence. "Only about a five-minute walk."

  We started walking, and the conversation slowly resumed. "The mangas you brought me..." I began, trying to break the ice. "They were really good. I've read almost all of them." Hana's eyes lit up. "Really? Which one did you like best?" "I think the one with the detective who sees ghosts," I replied. "The story was exciting, and the drawings were beautiful." "Oh, 'Yurei Tantei'? That's one of my favorites too," Hana said enthusiastically. "I love the author's art style. He manages to capture both the suspense and the characters' emotions so well." We discussed our favorite characters, the plot, and the themes of the manga. It turned out we had similar tastes, which pleasantly surprised me.

  "You really know your mangas," I remarked. "I wouldn't have thought you were such a passionate reader." Hana laughed softly. "What can I say? Mangas are my little escape from everyday life. They help me relax and dive into other worlds." "I get that," I said. "Books have the same effect on me." We talked about our favorite books, our favorite genres, and the authors who inspired us. It turned out we had many things in common in this area too.

  "You know," Hana said after a while, "I was really worried when you were in the hospital. I didn't know if you would ever wake up." Her words hit me unexpectedly. I felt a warm sensation in my chest. "I'm glad you visited me," I said honestly. "Your voice... it helped me." Hana blushed slightly. "I just wanted to... help. I couldn't bear to see you suffer like that." We were silent for a moment, and the silence wasn't uncomfortable, but rather familiar.

  "Here's the cafe," Hana finally said, pointing to a small, inviting building with large windows. We entered, and the aroma of coffee and pastries enveloped us.

  We stepped inside, and the scent of coffee and pastries welcomed us like a warm hug. The cafe was small and cozy, with dim lighting, comfortable sofas, and shelves full of books. It felt like a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of the city. I followed Hana to a free table by the window, and as we sat down, a strange sense of calm washed over me. The nervousness had vanished, replaced by a pleasant familiarity and a quiet anticipation of what the afternoon would bring.

  I hadn't expected it to be so easy to talk to Hana. It felt like we had known each other for a long time, as if there were no barriers between us. But there was also something new, something exciting, that I couldn't quite place. I was curious to learn more about her, her thoughts, her dreams, her fears. And I was curious to see where this afternoon would lead us.