Zen studied her for a moment, noting the slight tension in her shoulders and the way she was now avoiding his gaze. Skki Dawa was known for being confident, for fitting into every situation with ease—yet here she was, flustered over something as simple as watching anime.
"Alright," Zen said, leaning against the wall, arms crossed. "So, since we're already here, might as well ask—what else have you watched?"
Skki scoffed. "You really think I'm gonna tell you?"
Zen shrugged. "You already slipped up once. Might as well embrace it."
She muttered something under her breath before glancing away. "Fine. But if you tell anyone, I'll—"
"Yeah, yeah. You'll make my life miserable, I get it," Zen interrupted with a smirk. "Now, go on."
She sighed, reluctant. "I watched… Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. And Jujutsu Kaisen. And—" she hesitated, barely audible, "Your Name."
Zen's eyes widened slightly. "Your Name? The romance one?"
"It's not just romance," she shot back quickly. "It's got a great story, stunning animation, and—ugh, why am I justifying this to you?"
Zen chuckled. "No reason. I just never expected Skki Dawa to be a closet anime fan."
She rubbed her temples. "I am not a fan. I just—appreciate good storytelling."
"Right," Zen drawled. "And I suppose you only happened to stumble across multiple anime by accident, huh?"
She groaned. "Can we drop this?"
"Sure, sure," Zen said easily. But the spark of curiosity in his eyes didn't fade.
For years, he had seen Skki as someone untouchable, someone who always had her life perfectly together. But this? This was something real. A tiny, unexpected crack in the image she projected to the world.
And for some reason, he liked seeing it.
Skki narrowed her eyes at him. "You're still thinking about it, aren't you?"
Zen smirked. "Maybe."
She groaned again, turning away. "You're the worst."
Zen just chuckled. Maybe this was the beginning of something interesting.
---
The next day, Zen found himself scanning the cafeteria for Skki without even realizing it. When he finally spotted her, she was sitting with her usual crowd—effortlessly cool, blending into the lively conversation. But then, just for a second, her eyes flickered to him.
It was brief. A glance, nothing more. But Zen caught it.
Smirking to himself, he grabbed his tray and made his way over.
Skki noticed him approaching and raised an eyebrow. "What do you want?"
"Nothing much," he said, sliding into the seat across from her. "Just wondering if you started anything new last night."
She froze, her spoon hovering over her bowl. A beat passed before she narrowed her eyes. "You are insufferable."
Zen grinned. "I'll take that as a yes."
One of Skki's friends, a tall girl with dyed green streaks in her hair, glanced between them. "What are you guys talking about?"
"Nothing," Skki answered quickly.
"Anime," Zen said at the exact same time.
Her friend's eyes widened. "Wait, you watch anime?"
Skki shot Zen a murderous glare. "I swear, I will end you."
Zen just laughed. Maybe this was going to be even more fun than he thought.
Zen studied her for a moment, noting the slight tension in her shoulders and the way she was now avoiding his gaze. Skki Dawa was known for being confident, for fitting into every situation with ease—yet here she was, flustered over something as simple as watching anime.
"Alright," Zen said, leaning against the wall, arms crossed. "So, since we're already here, might as well ask—what else have you watched?"
Skki scoffed. "You really think I'm gonna tell you?"
Zen shrugged. "You already slipped up once. Might as well embrace it."
She muttered something under her breath before glancing away. "Fine. But if you tell anyone, I'll—"
"Yeah, yeah. You'll make my life miserable, I get it," Zen interrupted with a smirk. "Now, go on."
She sighed, reluctant. "I watched… Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. And Jujutsu Kaisen. And—" she hesitated, barely audible, "Your Name."
Zen's eyes widened slightly. "Your Name? The romance one?"
"It's not just romance," she shot back quickly. "It's got a great story, stunning animation, and—ugh, why am I justifying this to you?"
Zen chuckled. "No reason. I just never expected Skki Dawa to be a closet anime fan."
She rubbed her temples. "I am not a fan. I just—appreciate good storytelling."
"Right," Zen drawled. "And I suppose you only happened to stumble across multiple anime by accident, huh?"
She groaned. "Can we drop this?"
"Sure, sure," Zen said easily. But the spark of curiosity in his eyes didn't fade.
For years, he had seen Skki as someone untouchable, someone who always had her life perfectly together. But this? This was something real. A tiny, unexpected crack in the image she projected to the world.
And for some reason, he liked seeing it.
Skki narrowed her eyes at him. "You're still thinking about it, aren't you?"
Zen smirked. "Maybe."
She groaned again, turning away. "You're the worst."
Zen just chuckled. Maybe this was the beginning of something interesting.
---
The next day, Zen found himself scanning the cafeteria for Skki without even realizing it. When he finally spotted her, she was sitting with her usual crowd—effortlessly cool, blending into the lively conversation. But then, just for a second, her eyes flickered to him.
It was brief. A glance, nothing more. But Zen caught it.
Smirking to himself, he grabbed his tray and made his way over.
Skki noticed him approaching and raised an eyebrow. "What do you want?"
"Nothing much," he said, sliding into the seat across from her. "Just wondering if you started anything new last night."
She froze, her spoon hovering over her bowl. A beat passed before she narrowed her eyes. "You are insufferable."
Zen grinned. "I'll take that as a yes."
One of Skki's friends, a tall girl with dyed green streaks in her hair, glanced between them. "What are you guys talking about?"
"Nothing," Skki answered quickly.
"Anime," Zen said at the exact same time.
Her friend's eyes widened. "Wait, you watch anime?"
Skki shot Zen a murderous glare. "I swear, I will end you."
Zen just laughed. Maybe this was going to be even more fun than he thought.
---
Later that evening, Zen found himself walking down the quiet school hallway, the sun casting long shadows through the windows. He hadn't expected to run into Skki again, but there she was, leaning against a locker, staring at her phone with an unreadable expression.
Something about her posture seemed off.
Zen hesitated for a moment before approaching. "You look like you just found out your favorite anime got canceled."
She didn't react immediately, just exhaled and locked her phone. "Not now, Zen."
He frowned. That wasn't like her. "Hey, what's—"
A sudden noise echoed down the hallway.
Both of them turned. Footsteps—slow, deliberate. Too heavy for a student. Too eerie to ignore.
Zen's playful smirk faded. Skki straightened, her expression hardening.
The footsteps stopped.
Then, a voice.
Low. Unfamiliar.
"You shouldn't be here."
The hallway lights flickered.
Zen glanced at Skki. For the first time since he'd met her, she looked genuinely uneasy.
Something was wrong.
And they were not alone.