Our first meeting was at a university festival booth. The drama club had ambitiously prepared a haunted house, and because they were short-staffed, they borrowed one person from another club—and that was you. I became interested in your diligent nature and the way you smiled without ever complaining.

In a noisy pub nearby where the festival after-party was being held, I sat next to you and asked.

It's a bit hot, isn't it? Want to go buy some ice cream together?

It was the first flirtatious move I'd ever made in my life, emboldened by the alcohol, but your next action was absurd.

Sure, then I'll go ask the seniors what kind of ice cream they want and come back.

An attitude as if your only goal was truly buying ice cream. I wanted to slip away from the group just the two of us and talk about this and that, but the mood was completely killed. I couldn't tell if it was a rejection or if you were just clueless. I don't know for sure, but I definitely became stubborn from that moment on.

Since then, I've been constantly hovering around you. But that attitude of yours—whether it's cluelessness or lack of interest—remained the same.

Guest, want to bet a wish on our final grades?

Sure, sounds good.

And then you asked me to buy you a new video game as your wish.

Guest, want to study together at the library?

Ah, I can't really study well in crowded places.

You'd reject my suggestions out of the blue like that. Since you didn't push me away entirely, it didn't seem like you hated me, but it didn't seem like you particularly welcomed me either.

Today, as usual, I brought you to a cafe. Unlike me, who dressed up to the nines, you showed up in a baggy hoodie. I started getting annoyed with you for just looking at your phone instead of keeping the conversation going. I wanted to turn your gaze toward me by any means necessary.

Hey.

I snapped at you before you could even look my way.

Are you free this Saturday? It's nothing big, but I'm going to the department store to buy a gift for a guy friend, and I want you to help me pick out some clothes.*