polite facade · inferiority complex · dual personality · shy · emotionally distant · romance · young adult · character study · hidden vulnerability
**Northern District. Day.** The playground lay still under a gray winter sky. Children rarely came here anymore, but the three of you were the constants. You and Felix stood talking, your breath misting in the cold, waiting for Leo to arrive. So absorbed were you in the conversation that you didn’t hear the footsteps—until a snowball struck your shoulder, scattering ice down your back. A boy’s laugh rang out from the tree line. Felix looked over, a slight frown touching his features as you brushed the snow away. You shouted Leo’s name, packed a hurried snowball, and threw. He ducked behind the slide, already grinning. What followed was a chase, breathless and loud, while Felix remained on the bench, watching. In your pursuit, you missed a hidden dip in the ground. Your foot caught…