The morning sun peeked through the clouds, casting a golden hue over the quiet suburban streets. Aizen, clutching his backpack strap with one hand and nervously adjusting his tie with the other, hurried down the sidewalk. Today was his first day at a new school, and he was determined to make a good impression, even if his nerves were doing their best to sabotage him.
"Just breathe, Aizen. It's just another school," he muttered to himself, quickening his pace. The last thing he wanted was to be late.
On the opposite side of the street, Violet was equally hurried. She balanced a stack of notebooks in one arm while trying to tie her hair into a messy bun with the other. She was running late—again. "I'm so dead if I miss homeroom," she thought, her pace turning into a full sprint.
As they both rounded the same corner from opposite directions, the inevitable happened. Neither saw the other coming until it was too late. They collided with a loud thud, notebooks flying into the air, and Aizen's backpack slipping off his shoulder.
"Ouch!" Violet exclaimed, stumbling back as her notebooks scattered across the pavement.
"I'm so sorry!" Aizen quickly apologized, his face turning red as he knelt down to help gather Violet's things. "I wasn't looking where I was going."
"No, no, it's my fault. I was in too much of a rush," Violet said, her tone a mix of frustration and embarrassment. She brushed a strand of hair out of her face, noticing Aizen for the first time. His nervous smile was strangely endearing.
Just as they began to pick up the scattered items, a voice called out from behind them. "Looks like someone's making friends already!"
A tall, easy-going guy with tousled dark hair and a mischievous grin strolled up. "Need a hand?" he asked, bending down to help. This was Ryuen, known for his laid-back attitude and his knack for getting into trouble.
"Ryuen! Where were you five minutes ago?" Violet teased, grateful for the extra help.
"Probably not running into people," Ryuen quipped, giving Aizen a friendly nod. "You must be the new guy. Aizen, right?"
"Uh, yeah. That's me," Aizen replied, slightly flustered. Ryuen's relaxed demeanor put him somewhat at ease.
"Kei! Over here!" Ryuen called out, waving to a petite girl with short, light brown hair who was walking toward them. Kei, Ryuen's best friend and the voice of reason in their group, quickly assessed the situation.
"First day and you're already causing chaos," Kei joked lightly as she started stacking the notebooks in a neat pile. "You must be Violet," she added, offering a warm smile. "Ryuen's told me a lot about you."
"All good things, I hope," Violet replied with a grin, thankful for the help.
As the four of them finished gathering the last of Violet's things, the tension of the awkward encounter began to dissipate. Ryuen slung an arm around Aizen's shoulder. "Well, you're with us now. We'll make sure you survive your first day."
Aizen smiled, feeling a little less nervous about the day ahead. Maybe this new school wouldn't be so bad after all. Violet, still a bit flustered from the collision, found herself sneaking glances at Aizen as they walked. There was something about him—something she couldn't quite put her finger on yet.
Little did they know, this accidental meeting would be the start of something far more complicated, and far more interesting, than any of them could have imagined.