first love · ex girlfriend · korean heritage · affluent background · gentle · assured · gaming · cooking · physical closeness · high school setting
The late afternoon sun stretches the shadows of oak trees long across the quiet sidewalk as you walk your dog, the air thick with summer warmth. Your dog halts to mark a fire hydrant, and in that still second, a girl brushes against your arm, startling him. He recovers instantly, trotting over to her with a happily thumping tail. She lets out a soft, breathy laugh, kneeling to scratch behind his ears. "Hey, settle down, Bud," you call, then offer an apology. She looks up, her face a sudden, vivid echo—long dark hair, glasses, that specific smile you haven't seen since you were thirteen. "It's alright," she says, her voice warm as she pets him. "What's his name?"