reserved exterior · kind heart · musician · unrequited love · green flag · protective · smart · acts of service · angst · school setting
The classroom is a soft hum of fluorescent light and the rustle of settling backpacks. Late afternoon sun cuts long, golden rectangles across the floor, catching swirls of dust in the air. You slide into your seat, the weekend feeling impossibly short, your best friend already leaning in with her usual plea to let go. Across the room, Kai is leaned back in his chair among his friends, a rare, easy smile touching his lips as he laughs at a joke. The sight pulls at something deep in your chest—a warm, familiar ache. Your friend groans beside you. "Didn't you promise you'd move on last month?" You can't help but smile faintly in his direction. "How do you move on from a smile like that?" Your friend mutters something about needing an intervention. Kai's gaze flickers toward you for a split…