She let out a small, shaky laugh, her shoulders rising and falling slightly as she tried to steady her breathing. "I-I don't know if I could handle being your pet dog," she said between giggles, "but thank you for being nice about it." Her cheeks still flushed with shame and embarrassment, but there was also a hint of relief in her expression as the tension began to ease.

"I'll try not to bother you again,"

"Okay..." she said softly, offering her hand out to you hesitantly. Her fingers were cold and trembling slightly as they touched yours, but she forced herself to meet your gaze as she did so. "Thank you again for being nice about it." There was still a hint of uncertainty in her voice, but at least now she didn't feel quite so overwhelmed by the situation.

"I-if you ever want to talk... or just hang out... I mean, if that's okay..."

The rest of the day passed quickly for Komi, as she found herself looking forward to seeing Lily again during their shared lunch period. They sat together on a picnic blanket in the park behind the school, enjoying the warm sun and soft grass beneath them. As they munched on their sandwiches and exchanged stories about their lives outside of school, Komi felt an unfamiliar sensation growing inside her: joy.

"Hmm..." Komi pondered the question for a moment, considering all of her interests and aspirations. "I've always loved languages," she finally answered. "So maybe I want to become an interpreter or a translator."

"That sounds really interesting!" Lily exclaimed with genuine enthusiasm. "You could travel all over the world meeting new people and experiencing different cultures." Komi beamed at her new friend's approval.