#sms solutions

[thesmspoint]

Incorporating SMS solutions for your enterprise

Discover the power of SMS Solutions for your business! Our comprehensive SMS services help you engage customers, streamline communications, and boost sales effortlessly. Learn how our innovative platform can transform your marketing strategy. Explore now and stay ahead of the competition. For more details, visit Our SMS Solutions.

[sinchindiasms]

Reliability and Security: Safeguarding Business Data in Instant SMS

Safeguarding business data against various types of security threats must be a priority for businesses across industries.  With every new process, platform and technological advancement embraced by a company, there is a good chance that certain nefarious parties would try to exploit it. Today a large number of businesses use text messaging to connect with their customers. As a result, many criminals have also started to exploit this channel to steal business and consumer data. They often use messaging traffic routes that enter a telecommunications network that is not sanctioned by an MNO (mobile network operator) in order to bypass legitimate messaging channels.

Being the target or a victim of fraud would be a very unpleasant for everybody involved. It can cause a lot of financial and reputational damage to a business. Fortunately there are measures to minimize the threats in Business SMS,.

Implement 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication)

Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a common type of MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication) that requires two factors of identification to verify the identity of the user. The factors of identification can be:

Something a user knows, such as a PIN or an answer to a secret question

Something a user possesses, like a onetime password (OTP) that is sent via SMS

Something a user is, which can include their fingerprints and facial recognition

2FA is widely used across industries and messaging channels due to its effectiveness in preventing messaging fraud. It can add an extra layer of security for both your employees and customers, and lower the odds of unauthorized access in comparison to an account that is protected solely with a username and password.

Use a trusted messaging provider

Reputed providers of SMS Solutions often have fraud prevention measures implemented within their software to lower the risk of frauds. Some of them also offer built-in alerts for unusual traffic volumes, allowing you to effectively identify and address any unusual patterns.

[tanlakarix]

Tips for Success with SMS Marketing For eCommerce – Kaix

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, staying connected with your audience is crucial for the success of any eCommerce business. While email marketing and social media are commonly utilized channels, SMS (Short Message Service) marketing has emerged as a powerful tool to engage customers directly and drive sales. With higher open and engagement rates, personalized communication, and real-time updates, SMS marketing offers numerous benefits for eCommerce businesses seeking to enhance their outreach efforts. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve into the tips and strategies for leveraging SMS marketing effectively to boost your eCommerce success.

Benefits of Using SMS as a Marketing Channel:

1. Higher Open and Engagement Rates:

SMS messages boast significantly higher open and engagement rates compared to emails or social media posts. With most people keeping their mobile devices within arm’s reach, SMS ensures your messages are seen and acted upon promptly.

2. Direct and Personalized Communication:

SMS allows for direct and personalized communication with customers, enabling you to tailor messages based on their preferences, purchase history, and behavior, fostering a stronger connection and increasing the likelihood of conversions.

3. Real-time Alerts and Updates:

With SMS, you can deliver real-time alerts, updates, and notifications regarding order confirmations, shipping status, flash sales, and promotions, keeping customers informed and engaged throughout their buying journey.

4. Increased Accessibility:

SMS marketing reaches customers regardless of their internet connectivity, making it an accessible and reliable communication channel for engaging with a wide audience, including those in areas with limited internet access.

5. Less Competition:

With many businesses focusing primarily on email and social media marketing, SMS presents an opportunity to stand out from the crowd and capture customers’ attention in a less saturated channel.

6. Reduced Abandonment:

SMS can help combat cart abandonment by sending timely reminders or incentives to encourage customers to complete their purchases, resulting in increased conversions and revenue for your eCommerce store.

7. Quick Surveys and Feedback:

Gathering customer feedback and insights is simplified with SMS surveys, allowing you to collect valuable data, identify areas for improvement, and enhance the overall customer experience.

Understanding Your Audience:

1. Segmentation Strategies:

Segment your audience based on demographics, purchase history, engagement levels, and preferences to deliver targeted and relevant messages that resonate with each segment.

2. Personalized Recommendations:

Utilize customer data to provide personalized product recommendations and offers, increasing the likelihood of conversions and fostering long-term customer loyalty.

3. Behavioural Triggers:

Set up automated SMS campaigns triggered by specific customer actions or behaviors, such as abandoned carts, website visits, or previous purchases, to deliver timely and relevant messages.

4. Lifecycle Stages:

Tailor your SMS marketing campaigns to align with the customer lifecycle stages, including awareness, consideration, purchase, and retention, to nurture relationships and drive repeat business.

5. Geolocation Targeting:

Utilize geolocation data to send location-based offers, promotions, and event notifications, providing customers with relevant and timely information based on their current location.

Crafting Compelling SMS Content:

1. Timing is Key:

Send SMS messages at optimal times when your audience is most likely to be engaged, such as during peak shopping hours or in the evening when they have leisure time to browse.

2. Scheduling SMS Messages for Optimal Impact:

Use scheduling tools to plan and automate SMS campaigns in advance, ensuring consistent delivery and maximizing the effectiveness of your messaging strategy.

3. A/B Testing Your Campaigns:

Experiment with different messaging formats, call-to-actions, and offers through A/B testing to identify what resonates best with your audience and optimize your SMS campaigns for success.

Compliance and Privacy:

1. SMS Marketing Compliance:

Adhere to SMS marketing regulations and guidelines to ensure compliance with laws such as the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and CAN-SPAM Act, protecting consumers’ privacy and rights.

2. Opt-In Regulations:

Obtain explicit consent from customers before sending them marketing messages via SMS, adhering to opt-in regulations to maintain trust and transparency in your communication practices.

3. Unsubscribe Option:

Provide recipients with a clear and easy way to opt-out of receiving further SMS communications, respecting their preferences, and ensuring compliance with unsubscribe regulations.

4. Frequency and Timing:

Respect customers’ time and preferences by limiting the frequency of SMS messages and sending them at appropriate times to avoid spamming and annoyance.

5. Data Security:

Implement robust data security measures to protect customer information and ensure the confidentiality and integrity of data collected through SMS marketing efforts.

6. Legal Compliance:

Stay informed about legal requirements related to SMS marketing, including privacy policies, consent mechanisms, and data handling practices, to mitigate legal risks and maintain compliance.

7. GDPR and CCPA:

Comply with data protection laws such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) when collecting and processing customer data for SMS marketing purposes.

8. Age Restrictions:

Ensure that your SMS marketing campaigns comply with age restrictions and regulations governing the marketing to minors, safeguarding the privacy and well-being of underage consumers.

9. Third-party Providers:

Select reputable SMS marketing platforms and service providers that adhere to industry standards and compliance requirements, ensuring the security and reliability of your messaging infrastructure.

10. Regular Compliance Audits:

Conduct regular audits and assessments of your SMS marketing practices ensuring ongoing compliance with regulatory requirements and industry best practices.

Monitoring and Analysing Campaign Performance:

1. Tools for Tracking Campaign Success:

Utilize analytics tools and metrics to track the performance of your SMS marketing campaigns, including open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and ROI, to measure effectiveness and optimize future strategies.

2. Building Customer Loyalty through SMS:

Leverage SMS marketing to foster customer loyalty and retention by delivering personalized offers, exclusive discounts, loyalty rewards, and VIP experiences tailored to individual preferences and behaviors.

Conclusion: SMS marketing offers a myriad of benefits for eCommerce businesses seeking to enhance customer engagement, drive conversions, and build lasting relationships with their audience. By understanding your audience, crafting compelling content, ensuring compliance and privacy, and monitoring campaign performance, you can harness the power of SMS to propel your eCommerce success to new heights.

For more info: https://www.karix.com/products/sms-solutions/

Write a mail to contact our team: marketing@karix.com

[karix]

What exactly is an SMS notification? Examples & Benefits from Various Industries

SMS is an easy way for businesses to communicate with their clients. Let’s look at how promotional SMS and Transactional SMS messages play a part in consumer interactions.

What exactly is an SMS notification?

A text message sent to a mobile device to notify consumers of crucial or time-sensitive information is known as an SMS notification. You are free to send SMS notifications can be issued to share news, updates, and alerts, such as the ones below:

Package Delivery

Payment Reminders

Event Updates

Promotional Messages

Security Notifications

The Advantages of SMS Notifications

High Open Rates: SMS messages have extremely high open rates. Almost 90% of SMS messages are read within three minutes.

Improved Engagement: SMS has a greater response rate than other traditional communication channels, making it an effective technique for getting people to act.

SMS has a wide reach, and with mobile use on the rise, organizations can engage with clients regardless of their location.

SMS is less expensive than other media, allowing businesses to provide timely notifications and updates to clients at scale without incurring large expenses.

Simple to Implement: SMS APIs (application programming interfaces) can be integrated with your existing business tools to create seamless workflows.

SMS notifications enable you to reach clients in real-time. This allows businesses and organizations to send critical information, notifications, and reminders to their target audience with minimal delay.

SMS Notification Examples from Various Industries

SMS notifications are used by retailers to notify customers about special discounts, sales events, and promotions. They may also use it to send order confirmations, shipment and delivery updates, and other information. This guarantees that clients are always aware of the status of their orders and when a sale is taking place.

Healthcare

SMS notifications can be used by healthcare organizations for appointment reminders, test result updates, and medication refills. They can also send SMS alerts to patients to remind them of forthcoming appointments, lowering no-show rates and increasing overall patient care.

Transportation

SMS notifications are used by public transport, airlines, and ride-sharing platforms to deliver real-time updates regarding delays, cancellations, or changes to scheduled services. This information enables passengers to better plan their trips and prevent excessive wait periods.

Services in Finance

SMS notifications are used by banks and financial institutions to notify consumers of transaction alerts and account activities such as withdrawals, deposits, balance updates, and potential fraud detection. These real-time messages boost transparency and assist clients in making more educated financial decisions, while also adding an extra degree of security.

Karix allows you to send SMS notifications.

SMS notifications are a very efficient mode of communication with several advantages that can be realized across a wide range of sectors. You may increase your contact with clients, customers, and partners by utilizing Karix’s SMS service, hence increasing your overall success and effectiveness.

you may be able to improve the consumer experience. Send us an email at marketing@karix.com as soon as possible.

For More Info:

https://www.karix.com/products/sms-solutions/

[twentyfivemiceinatrenchcoat]

go for it! ; yuuta okkotsu

synopsis; yuuta’s been crushing on you ever since the first group project you had together, but he’s too nervous to confess. luckily, he has some over-eager friends willing to help! step 1: ask for your number!

word count; 7.4k

contents; yuuta okkotsu/reader, gn!reader, university au, yuuta majors in creative writing and writes poetry in his spare time <3, no curses au, yuuta is a cutiepie, he’s also a loserboy, pining and longing, one-sided love, maki inumaki and panda are wingmen (but not very good ones), fluffy vibes, gojo makes a guest appearance (stay safe), literally just yuuta being whipped for like 7k words straight

a/n; im gonna have to edit this a lot i think….. but for now it should be fine :3 i love the boy!!

”you’re staring. again.”

yuuta flinches. a jolt overtakes him, running through his body, and the pen he’d been absently writing with slips from his fingers. it tumbles down to the ground with a soft thunk. 

gazing up at the shadow towering over him, his eyes are wide, a little flustered; like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. like he’s expecting a smack on the head from the person in front of him.

— it’s maki. 

and she looks displeased, lips pursed and a single eyebrow raised. unimpressed, as she stares him down — the same way he’d been looking at you just a second ago.

”they’re gonna think you’re a creep if they catch you, you know,” she sighs, shifting from one foot to another. carrying her bass in a case on her back.

”maki, c’mon,” comes from behind her, an even larger figure strolling up to the pair. grinning brightly, fluffy hair tousled by the afternoon breeze. ”cut him some slack!” 

”salmon,” a third voice joins in. inumaki’s got some green paint staining the sleeve of his hoodie, and his fingers are dirtied with charcoal.

his closest friends, all joining him on the table they usually frequent on campus. right next to a giant tree, casting a pleasantly cool shade and obscuring the irritating brightness of the sun.

maki, headstrong and resilient. infamously rude. a music major, primarily, though yuuta knows she has more than a couple minors. if you pay attention, you can see her almost everywhere on campus, and she always does well on exams. confident, enough so that just being around her makes yuuta feel a little more secure in himself.

panda, a big kid with a big heart, always wearing monochrome clothes. ‘panda’ can’t possibly be his real name, though yuuta’s never found the courage to ask. truthfully, he isn’t sure panda even has a major, or goes to this university at all — but nobody’s mentioned it yet, and he doubts they ever will.

and then inumaki, the quiet kid, always helpful and kind. a little teasing, too. selectively mute, speaking exclusively in rice ball ingredients, but yuuta has already begun adjusting to the thought behind his phrases. an art student with remarkable talent, from sculptures to comics to paintings. he mostly spends his lectures playing games on his phone, though. and he's the kindest guy yuuta knows.

his beloved friends. the reason he can smile through each day, even when it’s a little difficult.

and maki’s right, he knows she is. if you were to lock eyes with him, and realize he’d been glancing over at you for the past ten minutes… god, he doesn’t even want to think about it. you’d be weirded out for sure, wouldn’t you?

but yuuta just can’t help it. you’re far too radiant to ever look away from, smile much too pretty.

you’re just sitting there, laughing and talking with your friends, the same as any other day. comparing hand sizes with miwa, or leaning over to whisper in mai’s ear. snorting over something momo said, or trying to understand the code kokochi’s fiddling with on his laptop. just being yourself, with people you’re close to.

and yuuta desperately wishes he could be among them. wishes he could see your honeyed smile up close, hear the melodic lilt of your laughter, breathe in the lingering scent of your shampoo. he wishes he could speak to you without stuttering, without tripping over his feet — hang out with you outside of class. just something small, like studying together, or grabbing a bite to eat.

he wishes he could get to know you. 

yuuta thinks he must seem like a fool, to be so affected by your mere presence. everything comes to him so easily, when he looks at you; the pitter patter of his heart, his sweaty hands, the whirlwind of butterflies swirling in his chest. even just the way you twirl your hair or chew on your pencil is so mesmerizing. 

so all he can do is stare, hopeless, a moth to a flame. basking in the warmth of your gaze, directed at your friends.

hoping one day, maybe… that warmth will fall upon him, as well.

(maybe one day.)

”hellooo? earth to yuuta!”

”see? he’s hopeless.”

”mentaiko…”

”inumaki’s right. he’s a man in love!”

”he’s a boy with a stupid crush,” maki scoffs, picking at a piece of lint on her tank top. ”and we have a study session we need to get done. the exam’s next week, remember?”

exam.

yuuta shoots up, wasting no time in grabbing his backpack and slinging it over his shoulder. the ring hanging around his neck dangles with the sudden movement, and he clutches onto it.

”ah — right!” he squeaks, apologetic. ”sorry, it completely slipped my mind —”

before his mind can begin to overthink every action he’s taken these past few hours, a hand reaches out to pat his shoulder. pat, pat. reassuring and stabilizing.

inumaki smiles at him. yuuta can’t see his mouth, from behind the fabric of his hoodie, but his eyes crinkle softly; and it’s enough to put yuuta’s heart at ease.

”don’t apologize,” maki says. simple, straightforward. ”let’s just get going. i need to do better than naoya did last time.”

”you’re still mad about that, huh?”

”he only got a higher score because i wasn’t on top of my game,” she grumbles, digging her nails into the pockets of her baseball jacket. ”he doesn’t even like music. he’s just taking the course to piss me off. grown ass man.”

a chuckle slips from yuuta’s lips. the warm breeze ruffles his hair, and he holds onto the strap of his backpack, following closely behind as his friends begin to leave. sending one final glance at your figure, over by a table near the apricot trees.

and that’s when it happens.

— he looks over at you, and finds that your eyes are already on him. 

a moment passes.

while yuuta struggles to find his breathing, your lips curl up into a soft smile. then you raise your hand, waving to him cheerily, teeth peeking out from between your lips. he can see it clearly, even with the distance between you. 

a smile that glimmers like a jewel, in the light of the sun. 

yuuta feels his lips part, mouth falling open ever so slightly. but he waves back, afraid to take too long, unable to stop the pounding of his heartbeat — smiling giddily, like a schoolgirl tripping over her feet. 

his friends just watch, wholly unimpressed.

”do you think he’d notice if i threw a rock at him?”

”maki!”

”what do you like about them, anyway?”

the question is unexpected. yuuta has to do a double take, eyes straying from his excerpt of sappho 31 up to the person seated across from him. tapping her pencil on the edge of the table, resting her sharp jaw on the heel of her palm. 

”huh?”

”them. your crush,” maki reiterates. ”what caught your attention? there’s got to be something, yeah?”

”oh?” panda chirps, leaning back in his chair. a teasing grin playing at his lips. “i thought you didn’t care about his silly little crush.”

”i don’t.” a huff pushes past her lips, hands reaching to fix her lazy ponytail, hair tie dangling from between her teeth. ”i’m just bored. i already know all this, anyway.”

”tuna mayo.”

”oh, are you curious too, inumaki?”

”well, out with it. why them?”

yuuta blinks. once, then twice — mind spinning in circles, as his friends await his answer.

and, truthfully, yuuta can’t pinpoint the exact moment he felt it. that burst of joy, that tinge of excitement — the puppy love that rika always spoke of. she was always good at verbalizing her emotions, in a way yuuta never could.

(he always knew he loved her, but he could never put it into words.)

and he knows that he likes you. he knows because every word you speak has him stumbling over what to say, because even a single smile sent his way makes the world feel so gentle. he knows because he’d probably throw himself into incoming traffic, if you just asked him to.

but he can’t put it into words. not spoken ones, anyhow — putting them on paper is one thing, the one thing he can do. writing out his love for you in similes and metaphors, sonettes and alexandrines. it’s how he copes with everything; writing and writing, til his fingers start to hurt. he can compare you to a dandelion, to the way cicadas buzz in the light of the sun. the scent of childhood. but it’s harder to speak it out loud, to turn the feelings into sounds — that’s maki’s specialty, not his.

why does yuuta like you?

he remembers it clear as day, but still can’t pinpoint the exact second he fell headfirst into love. it was more of a creeping realization, something soft and sweet trickling through his veins. that sinking feeling, how helplessly he fell for you.

it all started with a pencil.

in hindsight, it’s a little silly. but yuuta can’t bring himself to think back to that moment with anything other than fondness.

(your smile was just so bright.)

that day had been a disaster. he was nervous, painfully so, afraid of every single new thing he came across during his first week of uni. scatterbrained, running on almost no sleep, unsure of where to put his feet as he walked.

honestly — what kind of trainwreck forgets their pen and notebook during their very first workshop?

all that anxiety, all those hours spent overthinking, and he still couldn’t manage something so small. in the moment, he almost panicked; sitting with you, a total stranger, wholly unprepared for such a simple assignment. read a couple excerpts, analyze them on paper. all yuuta could do was stare blankly at his lap, frozen, throat dry. hands cold with sweat.

but then you smiled.

”did you forget your notebook?” you had asked, voice set to a soothing tilt. calm, not angry or impatient.

”ah — yeah, i, um…” yuuta could only swallow thickly, fidgeting with the strings of his hoodie. ”i’m sorry. i haven't been sleeping well, so —”

”hey, hey, it’s fine!” you chuckled, teeth peeking out from between your lips. ”i totally get it. i almost forgot my laptop at yesterday’s lecture. we can just share!”

then you pushed your notebook closer to him, inviting him in. moving your chair a little, angling it towards him. but all yuuta could think of was how pretty your smile looked, how kind your presence felt.

”here you go,” you grinned, snapping him out of his trance. ”you can use this.”

a pencil. yuuta took it from your opened palm, gazing at it in wonder. an orange-coloured, halloween-themed pumpkin design. completely out of season. the tiny pumpkin was cute, though.

such a casual kindness. but maybe that's exactly why it made his heart flutter so deeply; as if you did it without even really thinking. as if kindness comes easy, to you.

that’s probably how it began. by the time the workshop ended, yuuta knew that he liked you, and he knew that he wanted nothing more than to be your friend.

(subconsciously, his fingers tap at the zipper of his backpack. the pumpkin pen is still with him, after you waved him off with a smooth you can keep it, if you want. yuuta has found that he always writes best when he uses it.)

”well?”

maki’s voice snaps him out of his trip down memory lane, and he stumbles for something to say. what does he like about you?

squirming, yuuta feels his face heat up, as he thinks of you. all he can see is your smile, the kindness in the tilt of your voice. the brightness of the grin you sent his way. warm and saccharine, like the sun peeking out after a downpour — when the streets smell like honeydew and rain.

”they’re just… so cool,” he finally sighs, a dreamy look smoothing over his face. ”they’re so nice. and their smile is so beautiful. they’re so smart, too — god, you should see the way they write — everything about them is just…”

yuuta blushes a deep red, smiling even still. lovesick. ”.. so, so wonderful.”

maki freezes in the midst of the tapping of her pencil. panda stops kicking at the foot of the table. and inumaki looks away from his phone, messing up his full combo.

a moment of silence passes. the study hall grows quiet, and yuuta looks down at his lap; suddenly embarrassed. sipping from his little carton of apple juice.

”hey…” panda starts, delicate. somehow, yuuta dreads the teasing edge to his voice. ”have you thought about confessing to them, yuuta?”

”what?” the boy in question squeaks, choking on his juice. ”no, of course not!”

”why?” maki deadpans. popping a chip into her mouth. ”you’re head over heels, right? might as well do something about it.”

inumaki hums. affirmative.

”i… don’t know,” yuuta sighs. a heavy breath, a little wobbly. meek. ”they’d just reject me, wouldn’t they? i mean…”

(you’re totally out of his league. right?)

maki scoffs, sitting up a little straighter. there’s an angered kind of affection in her eyes. ”you’re just deciding that all on your own. how would you know how they feel?”

the gaze she sends his way is intense. it always has been. there’s a kindness to it, though, something that makes yuuta want to look her in the eye — but he can’t, eyes still locked on his hands, resting in his lap. ”… still,” he manages a weak smile, somewhat sheepish. ”even if i wanted to, there’s no way i could. i’m too much of a coward.”

…

maki slams her textbook shut. the sound is sudden, loud. yuuta flinches, and a wince leaves inumaki’s lips. panda just watches her, snacking on some chips, a mild curiousity simmering in his eyes.

the girl in question gets up from her seat, grabbing her bass case and throwing it over her shoulder. then she looks at yuuta, eyes full of decision.

”— well, lucky for you, we’ve got some time to spare.”

a blink. yuuta gazes up at the girl in front of him, tilting his head in confusion.

maki sighs. exasperated. ”i’m saying we’ll help you. don’t look so resigned, dumbass.”

at that, panda gets up too — suddenly excited. ”are you thinking what i’m thinking?”

she just huffs, smiling even still. ”probably not. but let’s hear it.”

the grin on his face widens. he scribbles something down in his notebook, showing off the writing proudly. ”operation: get yuuta to confess is about to commence!”

inumaki turns off his phone. sitting up straight, arms decisively crossed, a strangely serious expression on his face. completely invested.

”wait — wait!” yuuta stutters, eyes wide with flustered shock. ”don’t i get a say in this?”

”of course not.”

”nope!”

”bonito flakes.”

”b… but —”

”alright, so here’s what i’m thinking,” panda begins, writing down unintelligible notes on the pages of his tattered notebook. ”we need to start small. we don’t want yuuta getting heart palpitations and fainting in the middle of campus, so —”

”tuna mayo?”

”yeah, that’s perfect! hang on, lemme just…”

”let me see. i don’t want you messing this up.”

yuuta’s voice comes out tiny, as it falls from his lips. more of a squeaky breath. ”guys, i really — you don’t need to —”

panda continues to scribble in the notebook, engrossed, arm hanging off maki’s shoulder as they go over the contents. inumaki nods along, walking over to them with lazy steps. yuuta’s protests go unnoticed, and all he can do is watch them mutter under their breaths.

”— okay. listen up, yuuta.”

he raises his head, and meets maki’s sharp eyes. she’s smiling, strolling over to place the notebook right in front of him. ”here’s how this is gonna go.”

yuuta looks down. 

everything is written out with a pink sharpie, glittery and pretty. there are little hearts doodled out across the pages, and he can tell exactly which ones were drawn by who. all of them look messy, with the exception of inumaki’s perfect little shapes. 

and there, right in the middle, lies a line of text.

panda reads it out, voice loud and cheery, while maki and inumaki stick close. all smiling, as a chill crawls down yuuta’s spine.

”step 1: ask for their number!”

plan a

”okay, so… what am i supposed to do, exactly?”

panda throws an arm over yuuta’s shoulder, and he’s enveloped by the scent of fresh sunlight. the weight is heavy, a comfort. ”we’re going with my plan first! it’s the best one, so don’t worry.”

”i don’t know about that,” maki scoffs. ”we can’t ask mai. best case scenario, she’ll laugh at us a little and say no.”

inumaki hums. he rips out a part of the notebook he’s been tasked with carrying, doodling a little face and showing it to the rest of his friends.

yuuta leans in close. it’s a cute doodle, charming. and he can tell who it’s supposed to depict. miwa kasumi.

”yeah, she’s our best bet,” maki sighs, brushing some specks of dust off her jeans. ”she seems like the nicest one in that group.”

yuuta tilts his head, brows furrowed in confusion. he plays with the ring hanging around his neck, a nervous tick he’s never managed to get rid of. ”wait, so…” he trails off, unsure. ”what are we doing, exactly?”

panda tugs him closer, a friendly smile on his face. ”we’re going to their friends for help!” he beams. ”that’ll be easier for you, right?”

a blink. yuuta gazes into the eyes of his friend, something soft blooming in his eyes.

they can be a chaotic bunch — but they’re still so considerate. considerate enough to know asking for your number straight out would be too much for him. considerate enough to think of his comfort, in a way no one else has bothered to before.

(faced with such immense understanding, such genuine friendship, how could he ever bear to let them down?)

”… alright,” yuuta gulps, clutching his ring as if to give him courage. managing a smile. ”let’s do this, then!”

with newfound determination, the four of them seek out miwa kasumi. it doesn’t take too long — she’s studying, going over legal codes in the library, eyes narrowed in concentration. and she isn’t alone.

”hey, miwa. muta.”

the pair look up from their respective textbooks and laptop, meeting the gaze of a certain maki zenin, waltzing over to their table. miwa smiles, but kokichi doesn’t say anything.

”hi, maki! how are you?”

”i’m good,” she answers, straight to the point; but her eyes soften a little. then she gestures towards yuuta with a tilt of her head. ”sorry, but this guy needs your help.” 

”hm?” miwa shifts in her seat, meeting yuuta’s nervous gaze, as he steps forward. ”ah, you’re… okkotsu, right?”

”ah, yeah! sorry for interrupting you two…”

”no, no! please, don’t worry about it,” she grins. sweet and soft, twirling a lock of her hair between her fingers. ”we don't mind. right?”

kokichi still doesn’t say anything. but he nods, when miwa meets his eyes — and yuuta notices that they seem a lot softer when she does.

”so, here’s how it is…”

panda explains the situation to the pair. yuuta looks down at the floor, face flushed as he shifts from foot to foot. by the time he’s finished, miwa looks wholly invested, and kokichi looks a little less like all he wants is for them to leave him and miwa be.

”awww, that’s so sweet!!” she gushes, clasping her hands together. eyes glimmering with excitement.

”right,” maki hums. already a little impatient. ”so, basically — we need their number.”

”… ah. well, um —” miwa trails off, averting her gaze. she looks over at kokichi, but he only shrugs, going back to his coding. ”see, here’s the thing…”

with an apologetic look in her eyes, she turns to yuuta. ”i support you 100% — but i dunno if it’d feel right to just… give away their number like that, you know?” she mumbles, sheepishly. ”i think you should ask them, yourself. that’d be way more romantic!”

”yeah, but that’s a tall hurdle for a socially anxious guy…” panda mutters, patting yuuta’s back.

”still! i’m sure they’d appreciate you being direct.” miwa closes her eyes, a dreamy expression painted on her face. ”i’d be elated if someone asked for my number like that!! all stuttering and shy… it’d be so cute!”

(if anyone notices kokichi stiffening beside her, they don’t mention it.)

maki sighs, resigned. ”well, i don’t think we’re getting any numbers here. good. what kind of creep just texts someone out of nowhere, anyway?”

”i thought it was a good plan!” panda protests, pouting a little. maki shoots him a look.

”it was an awful plan. what were you planning to say? hey, i forced your friend to give me your number, but would you want to hang out sometime?” she crosses her arms with a sharp scoff. ”i’d beat your ass!”

panda grumbles a little under his breath, but doesn’t say anything. 

”sorry i couldn’t be of more help,” miwa mumbles, sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head. ”good luck, though! i hope they say yes!”

”thanks, miwa,” yuuta smiles, already in the process of being tugged away by his friends. ”i really appreciate it!”

plan a

plan b

”alright, inumaki’s turn. what’s your take on the situation, mister?”

the boy in question sits up straight, back resting against a tree trunk. he writes something down, and yuuta waits, patiently — absentmindedly staring at the white petals of the apricot trees on campus. pure, fleeting, sweet blossoms unfurling before him.

when he’s finished, inumaki presents the page to yuuta, and everyone gathers round. reading the writing, eyes trailing over his little doodles. panda grins, and maki strokes her chin in contemplation.

”you’re a genius, inu!”

”well, it’s probably the easiest way to go about it…”

yuuta purses his lips. it’s a good plan, he thinks; writing out a note, and passing it to you in the middle of class. that way, he won’t have to turn his feelings into sounds, won’t have to speak them out loud. there’s a safety to it, the trickling of ink across blank papers. one that’s never failed him.

”… that should work,” he mumbles, and inumaki visibly brightens. ”what am i supposed to write, though?”

”just be straightforward.”

”not seconded!” panda huffs, crossing his legs. ”you need to be dramatic. heartfelt. that’ll catch their attention!” he stops to think for a moment, a hum buzzing loudly in his throat. ”hey — why not write them a love poem? put those skills to good use!”

”a love poem?” yuuta squeaks, a slight heat rising to the tips of his ears. ”there’s no way i could do that! and i’m not skilled, i —”

a pause. yuuta bites his lip.

”… it’d just be embarrassing,” he finally mutters, playing with his ring.

(he wonders what rika would think, if she were here. what she’d advise him to do — would she like the love poem idea? probably.)

”well, you could at least try. who knows, maybe they’ll like it,” maki attempts to reassure him, chewing at a piece of gum. ”if they’re anything like miwa, it’ll be easy.”

gnawing at his bottom lip, yuuta emits an anxious hum. deep in thought. maybe you would like it, but… what if you just think it’s cheesy?

maki observes him, intently. listening to the emotions behind his silence. tapping the pads of her fingers on her knee, in a rhythmic motion. ”… at least try writing something out,” she says. ”if you can’t think of anything, then just copy some random old guy. what was his name, uh — catallas? or something?”

yuuta’s gaze snaps up, eyes gone wide. ”catullus?” he gapes, in disbelief. ”are you insane? do you even know what kind of poems he wrote?”

maki shoots him a confused look, and a tilt of her head. ”isn’t he the ’give me a thousand kisses’ guy?”

”he is, but that’s —” a sigh, exasperated. flustered, as it flows from his parted lips. then he shakes his head. ”nevermind. it doesn’t matter.”

”tuna…” inumaki mumbles, nudging yuuta’s shoulder with his head. a silent encouragement. and even with no words, yuuta knows what he’s trying to say.

just be yourself. this is your specialty, right? 

write from your heart.

”inumaki…” yuuta meets his gaze, and is met with a pair of warm eyes. a friendly punch meets his shoulder, soft and delicate. kind.

”… alright. i’ll write it!”

”that’s the spirit!” panda grins. ”just give it to them during tomorrow’s lecture.”

”yeah,” yuuta nods, mustering the courage to smile. ”i will!”

when yuuta gets home that night, he makes himself a cup of coffee with too much sugar, and gets ready to write.

he listens to maki’s acoustic guitar covers through his headphones, curled up with the fluffy blanket panda gave him, and munches on a hastily made onigiri to give himself much-needed energy.

(writing with a certain pumpkin-themed pencil, basking in the scratching of lead against blank pages.)

his hands are shaking.

it’s barely noticeable, but it’s there. that nervous shiver of his bones, the rattling of his skeleton. you’re sitting right next to him, so close he can smell the shampoo you use, the mint off your breath —

and yuuta can’t seem to hand you the note.

he spent all last night writing it. putting every single little drop of his love into every single little word. but that fear of rejection still remains, rendering him useless, unable to act.

you’re listening to the lecture, but only halfheartedly, absentmindedly doodling in your notebook. out of boredom, he assumes.

it’s the perfect moment to strike.

yuuta’s hands are shaking, and his heartbeat is stuttering, crawling up his throat. he takes a sip of water, hoping it’ll make the dry sensation go away, but it doesn’t work.

(just be yourself.)

with a deep intake of breath, he pushes the note over to you — not daring to look your way.

his eyes remain glued on the laptop screen in front of him, but he hears you pick it up, hears the rustling of paper as you unfold it. his heart echoes with a similar rhythm, unstable, borderline erratic. the rest of the lecture passes by slowly, minute by minute, at an agonizing pace.

when it finally ends, yuuta has to restrain the urge to run away — turning towards you slowly, hesitantly, as if just the sight of you could blind him if he isn’t careful. but you’re already looking at him. and you’re smiling.

”that was so good, yuuta!”

….

huh?

”sorry, but i honestly don’t have any feedback,” you mumble, eyes trailing over the note again. ”i like it a lot. i didn’t know you wrote poetry!”

”… ah.”  yuuta stumbles for something to say. staring into your eyes, blankly. dumbly. ”t.. thank you! i’m glad you liked it.”

with a brief shake of your head, you smile, and something sickly sweet unfurls in his chest. ”not at all. thanks for letting me read it! i’m sorry i can’t really help you improve…”

mentally, yuuta falls to his knees. places his palms on the floor and dry heaves, clutching his heart. did you not get it? was he not clear enough? he wrote it with you in mind, so —

”maybe you could show it to professor nanami?” you suggest, unaware of the turmoil within the boy to your right. ”i'm sure he’ll be a great help! he can seem a bit intimidating, but he’s nice.”

”.. yeah,” yuuta smiles, weakly. ”i’ll do that. thanks again.”

for a moment, he isn’t even upset. because you flash him another bright smile, and suddenly, even the frustration of yet another setback doesn’t feel so awful.

(maybe it’s fine, he thinks. maybe this is enough; speaking to you, getting to see your smile up close. maybe he doesn’t need anything else, after all.)

”so?” maki questions, waiting for him outside of class with his other two friends. ”how’d it go?”

shoulders slumped, but still wearing a smile on his face, yuuta chuckles. it comes out sounding a little strangled. ”they… thought i wanted their feedback on my poetry.”

….

”what.”

panda attempt to stifle his laughter, but it doesn’t really work. inumaki elbows him gently, but yuuta sees his eyes crinkle, too. he breathes out a low chuckle. ”they liked the poem, at least. so i’m happy.”

a sigh falls from maki’s lips, and she waltzes over to him, a hand on her hip. the other reaches out for the note in his palm. ”let me see.”

quickly unfolding it, her eyes trail across the words on the pages, the flowery lines of writing —

and then she shoots him an unimpressed look.

”.. yuuta,” she pinches the bridge of her nose. ”what the hell is this? you didn’t even mention their number.”

panda leans over her shoulder, peeking at the text. eyes glancing over a couple lines, riddled with sugarsweet metaphors. ”uh, wow. you… really got into it, huh?”

a groan leaves yuuta’s lips, the sound muffled as he cradles his head in his hands. ”please don’t say anything else. i just wanna crawl into a hole and die…”

inumaki shakes his head, erratic, pointing at the poem with shining eyes. ”mentaiko!”

”ah, you liked it? thanks, inumaki…”

the boy in question smiles, shooting yuuta a thumbs up. he returns it with a small smile of his own.

surrounded by his friends, all he can do is bask in their warmth — and the memory of the smile you gave him.

plan a plan b

plan c

a groan fills the air, as yuuta slumps over the table. cheek pressed against the cold wood, absently kicking his legs, voice meek and defeated.

”this is never gonna work,” he mutters under his breath. eyes devoid of hope. ” i’m just not cut out for this, guys…”

”aw, c’mon….” panda reaches over to ruffle his hair, palm big and warm. ”don’t give up hope! you want to grow closer to them, don’t you?”

”i do, but…” he sighs. ”this isn’t going very well, is it…?”

inumaki frowns, sending yuuta a sympathetic glance.

”oh, quit moping already!” maki grumbles. ”we just need to keep brainstorming. isn’t it time for my plan, yet?”

”should we really even keep going…?” another sigh, heavy with fatigue. yuuta’s mind spins in circles, tiring him out. rendering him a bit cynical. ”i mean… maybe it’s fine if things stay this way.”

a moment passes. maki looks at him, emitting a soft scoff. ”what, so you’re just gonna keep pining for the rest of the term?”

”that’s the plan.”

”yuuta…” panda pouts, shoes bumping against his beneath the table. ”be more positive! just think about it; with every step you take, you get closer to confessing!”

yet another groan. this one is deep, riddled with exhaustion. muffled into the table. ”that’s the scariest part…”

before either of his friends can begin to persuade him otherwise, encourage him further, a sing-songy voice echoes throughout the air. loud, cheery — a little bit obnoxious.

”oh? did someone just say confess?”

at the same instant the sound reaches their ears, a chill runs down the youths’ spines. in tandem with each other, they raise their heads; gazes falling on a certain satoru gojo.

panda and maki are the first to act, speaking simultaneously as the white haired man inches closer. 

”— no.”

maki closes the notebook containing operation: get yuuta to confess, right before their professor can get close enough to see it. then she turns towards him, shooting him a cold look.

”your hearing’s getting bad,” she hums. ”maybe you should book a doctor’s appointment.”

a pout. gojo takes a seat right beside her, uncomfortably long legs bumping against every single other pair of shoes beneath the table.

”oh, c’mon. you know i heard you.” his hand reaches out to ruffle her hair, but she smacks it away. ”you’re starting to sound just like megumi, y’know that?”

maki grits her teeth. ”guess it’s a genetic thing,” she huffs. ”now can you leave? don’t you have papers to grade?”

”don’t you have papers to write?” gojo smirks, a teasing mirth in his eyes. hidden behind his sunglasses. maki ignores him. 

placing his palms on the table, he leans a little closer, lips curled up into a cheshire grin. foreboding. ”sooo… yuuta’s got himself a little crush, huh?” he teases. ”tell your favorite professor allll about it. maybe i can help!”

”professor geto is our favorite,” maki shoots back, instantaneous.

a soft huff. there’s something sour in gojo’s expression, now. ”that guy? really?”

before the two can argue further, yuuta takes the opportunity to to speak. smiling apologetically, polite and sweet. ”thanks, mr. gojo, but…”

”he doesn't need your help,” maki cuts in. so much for diffusing the tension. ”and do you really expect us to believe you get girls?”

”wha — rude!” gojo scoffs. ”for your information, i’m a natural charmer!”

… 

a moment passes. then another.

”… tough crowd,” he clicks his tongue, met only with four blank stares. ”but, really — let me help! i'm your professor, you know?”

and this time, yuuta thinks that gojo’s smile looks just a little more sincere. something kind and gentle in the way his lips curl up, like a father’s affection for their children. something that makes yuuta falter.

(maki might like mr. geto more — but when it comes to yuuta, his favorite professor is a no-brainer.)

so he speaks up, again. ”we can at least hear him out, right…?” maki shoots him an unimpressed look, but he doesn’t back down. ”we’re stuck, anyway…”

and just like that, gojo brightens. it’s obvious, in the way he sits up, more alert. in the way his grin grows wider. ”right? what you need is the perspective of someone more experienced.”

”have you even talked to a girl before?”

”i see him at ieiri’s office, sometimes.”

”salmon.”

”isn’t she a lesbian? that doesn’t count. i mean, like, in a romantic context.”

”i thought mr. gojo was gay, too?”

”what? no way. have you seen the way he’s dressed —?”

gojo clears his throat, voice loud and grating. demanding attention, cutting his eager students off. ”anyway,” he chirps. ”gather round, children! i’ll tell you exactly how to ask the person you like for their number.”

”wh —” yuuta blinks. ”how’d you…?”

”operation ’get yuuta to confess!’, step 1: ask for their number!” gojo repeats, grinning ear to ear. voice rich with amusement. ”i like the glitter. it’s a nice touch.”

maki huffs. looks like she didn’t close it fast enough.

begrudgingly, the youths quiet down, finally willing to hear their professor out. and gojo seems satisfied, at last, speaking in a hushed whisper; eerily serious all of a sudden. ”ok, so here’s what you do…”

everything goes silent. yuuta strains his ears, and gojo parts his lips. 

”— just ask them! easy, right?

….

”let’s go, yuuta.”

”mentaiko.”

”i heard they're serving those sandwiches you like at the cafeteria today! let's hurry before they run out.”

”ah — i was just kidding!” gojo laughs, as his students get up from their seats. ”i have an actual answer!”

maki grabs her bass, inumaki takes the notebook, and panda ushers yuuta away. they begin to walk down the hall, ignoring the pleas of the man behind them. pouting, as his shout echoes throughout the hallway. 

”kids! come back!”

plan a plan b plan c

plan d

”okay, so this is going absolutely nowhere.”

relishing in the shadow cast by the giant campus tree, the four friends sit on their usual table, sandwiches in hand. yuuta takes a bite of his, tentative. a little disheartened.

”really, guys… i appreciate it a lot, but maybe we should stop here.”

maki huffs. reaching across the table, she gently smacks him over the head with her can of sprite. ”no way. we still haven’t tried my plan.”

he leans back, a little further, a hesitant look in his eyes. the sun shines down, relentless, but the air smells like rain. in the distance he sees clouds, dark, approaching at a slow pace.

an omen, he thinks. a reason not to speak out.

rika always liked the rain. she liked the scent that came with it, the puddles she could jump in. she liked shaking the branches of tiny trees, just to see him jolt and squeak as the raindrops hit him.

the ring around his neck weighs heavy on his heart. the promise of it, the oath within the silver.

(when we grow up, let’s get married!)

”earth to yuuta!”

his eyes flutter open.

the sun shines down, embracing the contours of his face. painting his world yellow. from this angle, staring up at the tree, he can see it breaking through; between the gaps of the green leaves, the white blossoms. forcing its way into his line of vision.

a flicker of hope.

”do you want to hear the plan or not?” maki scoffs, crossing her arms and tapping at her elbow. impatient.

yuuta meets her gaze, finding it in him to muster up just a little more determination. ”yeah,” he breathes. ”i do.”

a smile blooms on her face. ”good. alright.”

panda and inumaki inch closer to the pair, careful not to knock over the cans of soda resting on the table. in a mess of limbs and tousled hair, they gather round.

this is it, yuuta thinks — the final plan. if it fails, he’ll just have to keep pining from afar. memorizing your smile, over and over, until you graduate and part ways. 

this is it.

maki parts her lips.

”— just ask them,” she says. ”straight out.”

silence. 

a moment passes. a soft, pleasant breeze flits by, caressing yuuta’s skin. his ring sways with the wind, gently. 

”… huh?!”

panda furrow his brows, leaning closer with his palms on his knees. ”i thought we agreed that was stupid!” inumaki huffs out a low affirmative noise, holding his sketchbook tightly to his chest. but maki only puffs out her chest.

yuuta tilts his head, with a soft furrow of his brows. ”didn’t you just cuss out mr. gojo for suggesting that…?”

”well, it’s dumb when he says it…” she mutters, under her breath. then her gaze turns firm. ”look — yuuta.”

when the two lock eyes, he notices a steadfast determination, glimmering in her irises. something almost burning.

”you aren’t going to get anywhere if you’re too cowardly to even look them in the eye,” she tells him, not allowing him to squirm away from the eye contact. ”you guys can come up with those convoluted plans all you want, but there’s no way you’ll grow closer if you can’t face them.”

tousling her hair, softly, maki lets out a sigh. there’s a kindness to it, distinct. he can tell she’s trying to be tactful. 

”if you really want to get to know them, then you have to be direct. and you have to believe in yourself. you’ve already resigned yourself to the fact that they’ll say no — but that’s just dumb.”

panda winces, under his breath, but doesn’t say anything. maybe this is exactly what yuuta needs to hear.

the boy in question listens, the eyes of his friend boring into his own. determined, confident, sincere — everything he isn’t. everything he wants to be.

”even if you don’t believe it, you’re a charming guy. we all think so,” she continues, matter-of-factly. angered affection overflowing in her voice.

”have some confidence, dammit!”

a moment passes. yuuta feels his lips part, ever so slightly. a little speechless.

panda and inumaki sit shoulder to shoulder, hands over their eyes, shielding themselves from the sight in front of them. comically, as if it’s too bright to look at directly. 

”this… overflowing tough love…!”

”salmon roe…!”

maki grins, all teeth, a little wolfish. but kind. ”the worst thing they can say is no, right? 

yuuta blinks. ”maki…” he mumbles, looking into her eyes, a certain sensation running through his chest. a kind of confidence. passed on from her to him — one friend to another. the most natural exchange in the world.

then he smiles. a little meek, somewhat awkward — but bright. ”yeah. yeah, you’re right!”

the lazy grin on her lips only deepens, as she gets up to her feet, dusting non-existent dirt off her jeans. reaching a hand out for yuuta to take. ”c’mon, loser. shape up. you’re gonna steal their heart, aren’t you?”

a moment passes.

yuuta takes her hand in his. ”i am,” he swallows down a gulp. willing his voice to sound even a little bit self-assured.

and she pulls him up, effortlessly, overflowing with a natural resilience. still grinning cheekily. encouraging him. ”you’re gonna go out there and do your best, right?”

”i — i am!”

another voice chimes in. ”you’re gonna finish my essay for me this week, right?”

”i am!”

…

”wait —”

maki hits panda over the head with a soft thwack. a wince leaves his lips, and inumaki giggles, quieting down when maki sends him a warning glance.

”don’t throw him off his game,” she huffs. then she turns to yuuta once more. ”let’s go find them. alright, loverboy?”

a smile blooms on his lips. grateful, to be surrounded by such sunny people. ones that make it a little easier to smile each day. ”right.”

— but before either of them can take a step forward, a warm voice spills into the open air.

”um, yuuta?”

the boy in question stops in his tracks. he feels his eyes widen, spinning on his heels, hair ruffled by the breeze — turning to look at the source of the sound. 

it’s you.

you, with your sunkissed smile, that inviting voice. that soothing, soothing presence. one that has his heartbeat picking up in speed, hands growing sweaty, throat running dry. one that makes him feel a little bit feverish. and you’re looking right at him, into his eyes.

”hey!” he sputters, blinking rapidly to convince himself that he isn’t hallucinating. but you just keep smiling, answering his awkward greeting without skipping a beat.

”hi! sorry, could i just… talk to you, for a second?” 

he blinks. the world stops spinning.

(you… want to talk….

to him?)

attempting to find the words, any words, he opens his mouth — but nothing comes out. not a single syllable, no vowels, not even a sound. nothing at all.

he can only stare, star-struck.

it’s not until his friends push him forward that he’s snapped out of it; they surround him, on all sides, wearing matching grins. teasing and excited.

”don’t worry, he’s all yours!”

”have fun, you two!”

”salmon!”

— then they’re off. 

yuuta tries to reach for their sleeves, in a weak attempt to keep them from leaving, but they’re gone before he can even blink. leaving him all alone, with someone he can’t talk to without experiencing intense symptoms of heart failure. 

he stumbles for something to say, again, but thankfully you beat him to it.

”sorry for interrupting you guys,” you say, voice set to a low tilt. apologetic. and his throat unclogs, a little.

”ah, no, it’s fine!” he smiles, maybe a little too giddy. wanting so badly to reassure you, to put you at ease. ”i’m happy to speak to you!”

…

(oh god oh no why did i say that —)

your smile widens, blooming like a flower in the sunlight. unfurling in front of his very eyes. ”me too!” you say, excitedly. ”i feel like you and i have been talking more, recently… it’s nice.”

eyes crinkling, you wringle your hands together, and look at him fondly. yuuta’s surprised he manages to keep his knees from buckling.

”i think so too!” he grins, ears pink and dimples showing. 

both of you smile. the breeze curls around your hair, illuminating the colour of your eyes. yuuta stops breathing, for a moment — just taking it all in.

”so — anyway…” you murmur, fiddling with the fabric of your pants. ”um… haha. sorry, i’m — a little nervous…”

yuuta blinks.

(he knows where this is going. all the signs are there, right in front of him; the flush of your cheeks, the nervous tapping of your fingers, the hesitance in your eyes. he’s read enough shoujo manga — he knows what this means.)

and he almost can’t believe it.

all he can do is keep smiling, hoping it’ll give you even a fraction of the peace that your smile brings him. ”don’t be,” he says, voice soothing. scratching the back of his head. ”whatever it is, i’ll — um. i’ll listen, so…”

he clears his throat. swallowing thickly.

”just — whenever you're ready.”

there’s no mistaking it. your ears are painted pink, and you’re gnawing at your bottom lip. fiddling with your fingers and avoiding his gaze, with a soft inhale, clear air filling your lungs. he wonders if your throat feels as dry as his, if your heart is beating even half as fast.

”um… okay, so…” you mumble, eyes unable to stay in one place for too long. a soft bout of laughter escapes you, and he can tell you’re trying to stave off your own nervosity; it sends a pang of ache running through his chest.

he wants to tell you that there’s no need to be nervous. that he’d listen to anything you have say, absolutely anything, no matter what it is.

he wants to tell you that he’d never let you down, that he’d have to be foolish to even think the thought.

he wants to tell you that he’ll hear you out. whenever, wherever. for as long as you need.

”do you, um…”

a gulp. your eyes find his, and there’s a soft kind of decisiveness in them. 

here it comes, he thinks. here it comes.

yuuta feels the heat on his cheeks, ears burning. and he hears the patter of his heartbeat, loud and heavy, echoing in his muddled mind like a mantra. but his chest feels light; fluttery, butterflies dancing around uncontrollably. 

clutching the ring around his neck, subconsciously, he looks you in the eye.

they’re bright, glimmering like little galaxies — or maybe more like summer skies. painted over with a warm hue, something nostalgic and sweet, so pretty it hurts. if he strains his eyes enough, he’s almost sure he can see the swirling of fluffy clouds in the depths of your irises.

a smile rests on your lips. it's almost overwhelmingly sweet, albeit a little shy, as you part your pretty lips. voice soaked in nervosity, tingly and shaky, and something he knows to be puppy love.

a shallow, dry intake of breath. yuuta braces himself.

here it comes. 

your voice spills out into the air, dripping with honey and magnolias. he thinks to himself that he’d like to hear the melodic lilt of it every single day; before going to bed, right after waking up. walking to campus together, heading back to the dorms when the sky gets dark.

just the sound alone would be enough.

subconsciously, he tugs on the strap of his backpack. thinking of the pencil inside it. his lucky charm, along with the ring around his neck — ordinary objects, both too precious for words.

(when we grow up, let’s get married!

you can keep it, if you want.)

here it comes, yuuta thinks.

a new beginning.

he strains his ears, and purses his lips, and watches your lips move as you finally ask —

”do you have maki’s number?”

(somewhere in the distance, from an inconspicuous bush, the muffled screams of three students and one professor resounds.)

[just-null-cult]

he wants kiss, but he doesnt out right ask for one. (he got one.)

[koirazoii]

Couldn't decide on wether or not to add the jacket so I did two versions !

[soapkii]

drew amy as a dog because of the @wayneradiotv subathon jokes RAHHH

[alicorngarfield]

Hey all! Interested in maaaaaybe selling these lil replica Pinkie Cooper heads. Would anyone be interested? Mostly making em for myself, but I am curious.

They come with eyes, front head, back head.

I’d also be happy to do trades for em, if anyone is interested.

Stl by

Currently fresh off the printer and un-sanded, back of head is still printing. Will be sanded soon.

[soldier-poet-king]

Suddenly hysterical (in a bad way????) Okay???

[thesmspoint]

Beyond Marketing: Using Applications of SMS Solutions in Business

You just opened a new business but do not know the convenient tools to create a long-standing relationship with potential clients through communication. Many companies see this as a green light since they can woo potential clients during peak sales such as Black Friday and the holiday season. Fundamentally, Bulk SMS solutions cut through the noise, thus reaching your preferred audience quickly and efficiently. 

How to Use SMS Solutions for Business

Over the years, most companies globally have invested in SMS solutions for various reasons. Some reasons include effective communication with the clients, which boosts customer feedback and business sales. 

So, how can you use SMS Solutions for your business?

Customer Service

Incorporating SMS solutions for your enterprise is ideal for businesses looking to improve their customer service strategies since it opens pathways to better dialogue with clients. Starting a conversation by text makes dialogues feel more personal since the client can ask questions without restriction. 

Additionally, having a conversation by text is quicker for customer service specialists since they can set up new SMS accounts, send PIN codes, confirm refunds, and request feedback.

Order and Delivery Confirmations

Using bulk SMS solutions is quintessential for those with online businesses since they need to be on their toes with delivery updates and order confirmations. These notifications are significant since they assure clients that your services are available and repel unnecessary inquiries. 

Business Pro Tip: SMS has a higher open rate than email, which boosts the chances of potential clients opening and reading your messages.

Sales Promotions

Everyone loves a promising promotional season! Regardless of whether you accept pre-orders on new services or products, offer free delivery, or do sales, let your clients know through bulk SMS solutions. Ongoing research shows that about 90% of people read texts within three minutes, making it a preferred channel for quick messages. 

Internal Communications

Typically, medium- to large businesses delivers messages via phone calls, mail, or word of mouth. However, these modes of conveying messages have their own merits and demerits. For example, most people ignore emails since most are never brief, and most phone calls go unpicked. Therefore, using SMS services is recommended for critical fortes such as security alerts, meeting reminders, and shift scheduling.

SMS Marketing

SMS is one of the most proficient modes of business marketing. They can send critical messages to many clients simultaneously. SMS marketing is a faster method of sending product launches, flash sale notifications, and special offers.

Business Pro Tip: Ensure your SMS does not exceed 160 characters (25-30 words). Keep it concise!

Brand Building

Having a solid brand ensures that your business stands out from the noise. Use SMS marketing to build long-standing relationships with your clients by letting them into the human side of your brand. Also, you can create custom links for your promotional messages to put your business out there.

Conclusion

Most businesses worldwide have chosen to invest in SMS solutions for various reasons. Although there are other marketing strategies in the market, few are as effective as using SMS to reach clients. Note you do not have to be a marketing guru to try SMS marketing. Just tap your screen and create a good message that resonates with your audience!

[sinchindiasms]

Ensuring Deliverability: Strategies to Avoid Spam Filters with Bulk SMS

Use of SMS for business has become quite common today. An increasing number of businesses use this communication channel to send marketing messages, urgent information, and transaction details to customers. However, the number of people using text messages for the wrong reasons has also increased over time.  Spam texts are sent by hackers in an attempt to trick people into sharing personal information, like their credit card number and bank account number. Carries want to protect customers from such nefarious parties, and hence often have spam filters in place.

Carriers basically look for things that would be harmful to their customers or unwanted, and have algorithms in place to stop messages that contain these features from being sent. A lot of these algorithms tend to specifically active for bulk messages, as spam bots usually prey on people in bulk. However, due to this, the text messages send by any company utilizing Bulk SMS Solutions can also get categorized at spam.

Having a couple of your text messages get flagged as spam is fine. However, if too many of your messages trigger spam filters over a long period of time, your number mat get blacklisted. Hence, it is better to prevent your test messages from having common spam triggers before you even send them. Here are a few tips you should follow:

Do not include ALL CAPS anywhere in your message: Customers are unlikely to want to read a message that is in ALL CAPS. Moreover, these messages are typical of spammers who are trying to create a sense of urgency and catch the attention of the readers. Hence, you should avoid such a texting style in both bulk and individual messages.

Limit the use of special characters: Special characters imply to anything that is not a letter or number. They are ideal for one-on-one conversations. However, bulk messages with special characters might get flagged by the carrier. Bulk messages with dollar signs particularly have high odds of triggering spam filters.

Keep the messages personalized and varied: Text messages that are designed for individual customers are likely to deliver the maximum value. Sending the same message to large groups repeatedly will make the carriers suspicious. Hence, it is better to custom messages when using SMS as a communication channel.

It would be prudent for you to keep the tips mentioned above in mind while using Corporate SMS Solutions.

[tanlakarix]

Factors to Consider When Choosing a SMS Messaging Platform for Your Business - Karix

In the digital age, where instant communication is key, businesses are increasingly turning to SMS marketing as an effective way to reach their target audience. Choosing the right SMS messaging platform is crucial for the success of your marketing campaigns. From creating a bulk SMS marketing strategy to complying with legal regulations, there are several factors to consider. Let’s explore the key elements to keep in mind when selecting and utilizing an SMS messaging platform for your business.

Creating a Bulk SMS Marketing Strategy

Before diving into the world of SMS marketing, it’s essential to develop a well-thought-out strategy. Define your goals, target audience, and key performance indicators (KPIs). Consider whether your campaigns will focus on promotions, notifications, or engagement. A clear strategy will guide your choice of SMS messaging platform and help you measure the success of your campaigns.

Choosing the Right Contact List

The success of your SMS marketing campaigns relies heavily on the quality of your contact list. Ensure that your contacts have opted in to receive messages and have a genuine interest in your products or services. Segment your contact list based on demographics, preferences, or past interactions to personalize your messages and improve engagement.

Crafting Engaging Content for Your Message

SMS messages have character limits, so crafting concise and compelling content is crucial. Grab your audience’s attention with a strong opening, convey your message clearly, and include a compelling call to action (CTA). Tailor your content to resonate with your target audience, considering their preferences and behaviours.

Building an Effective Call to Action in Your Messages

A well-crafted CTA can significantly impact the success of your SMS marketing campaigns. Whether it’s driving website visits, making a purchase, or participating in a promotion, your CTA should be clear, actionable, and aligned with your campaign objectives.

Utilizing Targeted Campaigns to Reach Maximum Impact

Segmentation allows you to target specific groups within your audience with tailored messages. Utilize targeted campaigns to deliver personalized content, offers, or promotions to increase relevance and engagement. A good SMS messaging platform should offer robust segmentation and targeting capabilities.

Analysing Your Results and Optimizing Future Campaigns

After each campaign, analyse key metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates. Use this data to understand what worked well and what needs improvement. A reliable SMS messaging platform should provide comprehensive analytics and reporting tools to facilitate data-driven decision-making.

Timing Is Everything: Knowing When to Send Out Messages for Optimal Rates of Engagement

Timing plays a crucial role in SMS marketing success. Consider your audience’s time zone, habits, and preferences when scheduling messages. Experiment with different timings to identify the optimal windows for maximum engagement.

Best Practices for Sending Bulk SMS Messages

Adhere to best practices to ensure your messages are well-received. Avoid excessive messaging, use a recognizable sender name, and provide clear opt-out instructions. Compliance with industry regulations and guidelines is essential to maintain a positive relationship with your audience.

Making Sure You Follow the Law with Your Messaging

Stay informed about legal regulations governing SMS marketing in your region. Obtain explicit consent from recipients, provide opt-out options, and adhere to data protection laws. Failure to comply with regulations can lead to penalties and damage your brand’s reputation.

Avoiding Common Mistakes When Sending Out Messages

Common mistakes, such as sending irrelevant messages, using excessive abbreviations, or neglecting to test your messages, can negatively impact your campaigns. Thoroughly review your messages, conduct testing, and learn from past mistakes to continually improve your SMS marketing efforts.

Leveraging Automation to Streamline Your Processes

Automation can significantly streamline your SMS marketing efforts. Look for a platform that offers automation features for scheduling messages, segmenting contacts, and triggering messages based on user behaviour. Automation not only saves time but also ensures consistency in your campaigns.

Tips for Improving Performance with Bulk SMS Marketing

Stay updated on industry trends and continuously optimize your strategies. Experiment with different message formats, personalize your content, and embrace innovative features offered by your chosen SMS messaging platform. Regularly evaluate and adjust your approach to stay ahead in the competitive landscape.

The Future of Bulk SMS Marketing

As technology evolves, so does SMS marketing. Keep an eye on emerging trends, such as Rich Communication Services (RCS), interactive messaging, and enhanced multimedia capabilities. The future of bulk SMS marketing is likely to involve more interactive and personalized experiences for users.

In conclusion: choosing the right SMS messaging platform requires careful consideration of various factors. From crafting a robust strategy to analysing results and staying compliant with regulations, each step plays a crucial role in the success of your SMS marketing campaigns. By leveraging the right platform and adopting best practices, businesses can harness the power of SMS marketing to effectively engage their audience and drive desired actions.

For more info: https://www.karix.com/products/sms-solutions/

[karix]

Conversational Design For Whatsapp

According to research from Gartner, around 70% of the global workforce will have interactions with a conversational system on a daily basis by 2022.

As a designer of such a conversational platform, you must think of it as putting a puzzle together. You must consider the technological limitations of your platform and craft what you want users to do within the space.

Bit by bit, use-case by use-case, you put the puzzle together with the end goal of creating conversations that feel natural, user-friendly, and intuitive.

In this article, we will discuss briefly how you can best use the tools available to you within the WhatsApp  Business API to bring the conversation design to life.

1. Understanding your business requirements and audience

The most important step in designing a great conversational flow is defining a clear problem statement that the bot is intended to solve.

For example – “I need to design an automated customer support bot for my online shoe store.”

Once you have identified the overall problem statement, you should start to fill in the details by asking questions like

What channels are customers currently using for support queries?

What is the percentage of calls/emails/chat that customers currently use?

What are the most common complaints?

How are we generating leads currently?

How well is our website/social media working for conversions?

2. Building a bot persona (researching your buyer)

To create the persona that the bot will communicate as, you must undertake comprehensive research to understand the practical details of what your customers really want. You should go to internet forums, app store reviews, the comments section on your social media and your reviews to understand what language your customers are using and what their questions are.

If you are already using a CRM, you need to know what the average turnaround time is for currently resolving tickets. How many customer agents do you currently have, and when are they active? Once you collate this information, you can start creating a bot persona.

For example, if you are a fitness brand your average customer might be young, financially independent individuals. To cater to them, your brand persona should be that of a young, enthusiastic fitness guru rather than an old, world-weary advisor.

Use this persona to role-play conversations with your customers. You will see that there is a lot of different conversational situations that could come up and the bot must be able to deal with emotions, technical jargon, and even separate languages. It should be able to speak to the angriest and the shyest customer and guide them towards a conversion.

3. Picking the right words (affirmations, ice breakers, sign off phrases)

To keep the conversation flowing and natural, it is important that you pick the right words and phrases to move the user along their journey.

Broadly speaking, your bot persona will fall into one of these three categories

Formal (Professional, minimalistic, and helpful tone)

Casual (Friendly and helpful)

Quirky (Energetic, funny, and niche-specific)

Conversations are inherently very contextual, so consider these as guidelines and not strict rules when you are designing your bot. Let us consider a few use-cases.

1. Acknowledgement of user query

Formal response – “Definitely / Understood” Casual response – “Happy to help / Glad you asked!” Quirky response – “Gotcha / Sure thing”

2. After user information has been collected

Formal response – “Noted / Thank You” Casual response – “Perfect / All set!” Quirky response – “Okay cool / Mission accomplished”

3. When you want to collect information, engage the user and move the conversation along

Formal response – “Before we begin / Next step” Casual response – “We’re almost there / Just one more step” Quirky response – “I’d like to know you better”

4. Asking the user to wait

Formal response – “Give me a minute / One moment” Casual response – “Hang on… / Hold up a second” Quirky response – “Stay right here / On it, boss”

5. Ending the conversation

Formal response – “Happy to have helped / Is there anything else I can help with?” Casual response – “I’ll be here if you need me / You know where to find me if you need help” Quirky response – “Toodles / Twas a pleasure helping you!”

4. Choosing the right elements (QR/Buttons/Carousels/Location picker etc.)

Depending on the context and where you are in the conversation, you might pick a textual or a graphical response such as images or buttons.

Let us take a look at some of the elements you can use while designing your conversation.

1. Quick Replies

These are tappable buttons that the user can use to reply instead of typing out a whole sentence or phrase. These are extremely common and should be used to lead the user into the next phase of the conversation.

For example, for your online shoe store, you might have quick replies like “Browse Products” or “Why do I need special running shoes?”

2. Away messages

Away messages can be used to convey that you are busy or currently out of office. You can set your business hours within the WhatsApp Business API and choose to send the messages either all the time, or outside of your specified business hours.

3. Greeting messages

These are used when a user first initiates a conversation with you. These need to be representative of the vibe you want to project as a brand (business-casual/ friendly/ quirky).

To give the user an optimal experience, make sure these greetings match the overall tone you are going for and convey wit and personality.

4. List Messages

Text-only messages can devolve into a wall of text if you are using them to convey a long list of options. This is where List Messages come in to provide a quick and easy bridge for customers to move to the next step of their journey.

List messages can be used in situations where you want to present the user with several options, such as

They need to book an appointment

They need to choose specific seats for an event they are attending

Menu options depending on user input

They need to locate the closest outlet or store

5. FAQs

Adding the most commonly asked questions to your bot is a great way to ensure that most people will have their questions answered without needing to involve an actual customer service agent.

Make sure that all of the FAQ sections move the user forward naturally in the conversation. If a particular answer is too lengthy, consider creating a video or image that can convey a majority of the information.

Always begin with the end in mind and prioritize the most common use cases. Once you have your brand persona set, you should begin testing and mapping out different variations of user journeys with the bot. By testing the bot in distinct scenarios, you will be able to iron out edge cases and roadblocks.

Designing an intuitive conversational flow can mean the difference between a massively successful campaign and a mediocre one. To learn more about building memorable user experiences with WhatsApp, make sure you bookmark our blog  karix.com/blog and visit regularly!

For more details click on karix.com

[miffysrambles]

rab-bot screenshot edit !!!

their spotify playlist and non-shaded version is under the cut !!!

[blluespirit]

Zuko is gruff and imperfect in his attempts to show kindness, and yet fighting comes as easy as breathing. I love fics that tackle that awkwardness, that stumbling kindness, but don’t portray it in that way that makes Zuko just seem hopeless, and actually explore it. He wants to be kind. He wants to care, but he’s lived a life where that is few and far between.

We’ve seen zuko fight in all different ways, with bending, with swords, with knives, hell, even hand to hand. And yet, he stumbles over his words when Jin flirts with him, offers Li only a knife - a tool of violence - to show he’s thankful, pushes Jet away the second he reaches out when they meet on the boat. He steels that man’s swords from him out of revenge and selfishness and steals Song’s ostrich horse rather than face her and the truth. He robs the rich man on the highway, and lures a secret police officer into an ally to frighten him into spilling information.

Yet, he blanched at Song’s easy compassion and at Li’s parents offer to let him stay. It’s the easiest thing in the world to leave Jin behind, to leave Li behind, to fight Jet in the streats in Ba Sing Se. It’s easier to steal and fight and scream. It’s easier to fight for survival than ask for someone’s kindness. After all, he wouldn’t know what to do with that.