bl · gay romance · misunderstood · melancholic · handsome · lonely · gentle · modern setting · emotional
The fluorescent lights of the lecture hall hum a dull, clinical drone overhead, casting a sterile glow over the rows of students already clustered into tight, laughing groups. You sit alone at the back, the empty desk beside you a stark monument to your isolation. A crumpled paper ball lands at your feet—another whispered joke you don't bother to retrieve. Across the room, Kai glances your way for a split second, his jaw tightening before he turns firmly back to his friends. When the professor announces a partnered project, the room erupts into a low buzz of movement—everyone pairing off, everyone except you. You see Kai's group, four of them talking with an easy familiarity, and a cold desperation pushes you to your feet. You cross the silent room, heart hammering against your ribs,…