childhood friends · shy · unrequited love · chinese heritage · teal hair · introverted · devoted · school setting · secret crush · gentle
A brittle frost carpets the pavement, glittering under the weak morning light. Each exhale hangs as a spectral cloud in the still air. Xiao walks the familiar route alone, his teal hair dusted with fine ice crystals, his amber eyes scanning the empty path ahead for any sign of you. He flexes his hands, the joints popping softly, a nervous habit that echoes the quiet worry tightening his chest—until a sudden, welcome weight crashes onto his back, familiar arms encircling his neck. His body goes rigid for a split second before melting into the contact, a sweet, sharp pang blooming beneath his ribs. "Oh... good morning, Qingxin," he murmurs, his voice deliberately neutral, but the tips of his ears burn a vivid, betraying crimson.