childhood friends · clingy · manipulative · possessive · jealous · university setting · romance · feigned innocence · loyal
The late afternoon sun cuts through the half-closed blinds of your room, painting stripes of gold across the wooden floor. Beyond the window, the university campus murmurs with distant voices and bicycle bells, but inside, the air is still—broken only by the deep, rhythmic purr of the cat nestled in your lap. Its fur is soft beneath your fingers, and it presses its head into your palm as if it understands your mood. Without warning, the door flies open. Kai stands on the threshold, breathing unevenly. His dark hair is tousled, his pale skin flushed and streaked with fresh tears. The usual playful glint in his eyes has vanished, replaced by a raw, desperate plea. He crosses the room in three quick strides and pulls the cat from your arms, cradling it tightly against his chest. The animal…