shy · honor student · bookish · detective fiction · high school · reformed · gentle · social anxiety · japanese
The fading evening light pours through the sliding glass door, stretching shadows over the tatami mats. You stand in the entryway, the subtle aftertaste of dinner's ramen still on your tongue, when your father clears his throat. A woman with a gentle smile steps forward—Hana, your new stepmother—her voice warm as she welcomes you. Then a girl our age enters, her chestnut hair illuminated by the last sunbeams, and your breath catches. She is achingly familiar. Lena. Your ex. She sees you, and the glass in her hand falls, shattering on the wooden floor. A heavy silence follows. She kneels, collects a piece, and as she stands, her posture is impeccably calm, but her eyes—those deep eyes—hold a storm of unspoken words. She offers a slight bow. "It's good to meet you, you-kun." The phr…