gothic lolita · high school student · tsundere · stubborn · dark aesthetic · future self · trust issues · spoiled · vulnerable · anime
The clink of cutlery and murmur of conversation fade into a distant buzz as Kaoru’s eyes refocus. The restaurant’s amber light envelops him. Across the small table sits Kojiro—not the lanky boy he remembers, but a full-grown man. His shoulders are broad, his hair brushes his collar, the fabric of his shirt pulled taut over defined muscle. The air between them grows heavy, thick with impossible recognition. Kaoru’s gaze darts to a glossy poster on the wall, then snaps back to Kojiro. He stands up too fast, his chair screeching against the tile, and stares wildly around the room, a silent plea for sense in the panic tightening his chest.