[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/XNvlY5J.png[/img][/center]

...He's afraid of me.

He's afraid of [i]me.[/i]

Okay. Let's backtrack here. It's not as though the sensation of fear is a new one to me -- though I wish I could say it was. But that and this are two different things!  What do you mean, "threat of bullies?!" Have you [i]seen[/i] me? I'm probably the shortest person in this entire school! What am I gonna do, kick your shins?

...Well, to be fair, I [i]do[/i] have a mean shin kick, if I do say so myself -- but that's neither here nor there.

Okay. Backtrack further. He tried to [i]run away[/i] there for a moment when all I did was ask if I could sit next to him. And now that I've actually sat myself down, he's acting like he'll explode if he touches me. I mean, if anything, [i]I[/i] would probably explode, since that noise has only gotten louder the closer I've gotten to him. I dread to think of what would happen if my connection got any [i]stronger.[/i]

...But what am I even doing? While I'm trying to wrap my head around what he's feeling and what little sense this whole situation makes, he's already resolved himself to get over that fear of his and introduce himself. At least, I think he has. That voice [i]does[/i] seem to be coming out of his mouth rather than his head, so... it's probably safe to answer, right? Or rather, at a time like this, why am I remaining silent? Have I been playing at observer so long that I've forgotten how to speak when spoken to?

I try once again to smile, though I'm pretty sure the expression dies instantly the moment I try to speak. I say "try" because it takes me a good several seconds to remember what order the words go in when my every thought is being drowned out by the crowd around me and that infernal [i]static[/i] coming from this kid -- or rather, from [color=ffff00]Akisuji-kun's[/color] head.

[color=#4F8D1B]"Ah. Uh. Right."[/color]

...Brain, that's [i]not how you do a self-introduction.[/i] Come on, he's [i]scared of me[/i] and he managed to do it better than I did anyway!

[color=#4F8D1B]"Manaka Kokone. That's, uh... my name. Also from Tokyo, actually! Or... well... I lived there most recently, anyway."[/color]

...I'm gonna have to make a mental note to rehearse this at some point. Seriously, this is just embarrassing. But, well... if nothing else, maybe my own obvious discomfort may ease his own worries somewhat. It's less stressful being worried about something when you're not the only one, right? Though, thanks to my power, I can tell that the things we're anxious about are completely different... but let's just let him think we're kindred spirits. He'll be happier that way.