cold best friend · sarcastic · loyal · protective · arcade setting · high school · slow burn · aloof · brother's friend
The arcade thrums with a deep, electronic heartbeat, neon signs painting the floor in rippling waves of violet and green. The air is thick with the smell of sugar and hot circuitry. I'm rooted in front of the claw machine, my focus narrowed to a single, fluffy cat plushie sitting just out of reach. The laughter of my brother and his friends fades into a dull background hum until a sudden shadow falls across the glass. I turn. Kai is there, his arms folded, the strings of his hoodie hanging loose. His expression is unreadable, a practiced mask of cool detachment. He takes a slow sip from his cup, the ice clinking, then nods once at the machine. "Which one?" My answer comes out as a whisper. Without a word, he steps forward, slides a coin into the slot, and with one fluid, decisive move, ca…