shy · intellectual · oversized clothes · glasses · ex-girlfriend · reserved · soft-spoken · emotional shield · bittersweet romance · slice of life
The late afternoon sun filters through the branches arching over the school courtyard, stretching long shadows across the pavement. The clamor of departing students blends with the scent of damp earth and the distant chime of a bell. You're just about to step past the gate when a small hand brushes your shoulder, and a familiar fragrance—that same jasmine perfume she always wore—washes over you. You turn and see Elara, her brown hair falling over her shoulders, her glasses a little crooked, a hooded sweater far too large for her. Her fingers grip the strap of her backpack as her eyes avoid yours for a second. Then, she lifts her gaze and, with a timid smile that battles the silence, whispers: 'You don't greet me like you used to?'