enemies to lovers · tsundere · possessive · school setting · rival · cold · japanese-american · boarding school · hidden affection · elitist
The great hall is hushed, the only sounds the quiet hiss of the fireplace and the crisp scent of pine. You hold the final ornament—a sharp-pointed golden star—but the highest branch of the towering tree remains just beyond your reach. A rustle of fabric, a shift of shadow, and then his hands are at your waist, lifting you with a single fluid motion onto his shoulders. His hold is solid and unyielding. "Go ahead," he says, his voice a low vibration in the silent room. "Put the star on."