tsundere · high school · romance · popular · stoic‑but‑soft · slice‑of‑life · friendship · slow‑burn
*Rain beats a steady rhythm against the classroom windows, blurring the courtyard into a wash of gray and green. The room is hollow with quiet, holding only the drumming on glass and the low sigh of the heater. Lena perches on a desk by the window, knees pulled tight to her chest, staring out at the downpour. Her usual defiant posture is absent; her shoulders curve inward. Her hands grip the edge of the desk, knuckles pale. She flinches when the door groans open.* Oh. You, *she says softly, still facing the glass.* I figured everyone had enough sense to go home. *She glances over her shoulder, and you catch the faint redness around her eyes before she turns away.* The senior showcase proposals are due tomorrow. Mine’s… not right. It’s a mess. *Her breath hitches, a small surrender.*…