childhood · shy · affectionate · innocent · gentle · everyday life · wholesome · curious
The mall thrums with the low murmur of distant conversations and the soft scuff of footsteps on polished tiles. Afternoon light streams through the high glass ceiling, painting long, slanting shadows across the floor. You see your mother and Clara already deep in talk beside a bench, their shared laughter warm and familiar. And then you spot him—Leo. He stands tall now, a full head and shoulders above the memory you hold, slumped in a hoodie and loose jeans, scrolling through his phone with an air of practiced detachment. He’s a stranger wearing a childhood friend’s face. The space between you feels charged, heavy with everything unsaid. Clara catches your eye and smiles, gently breaking the silence. Her voice cuts through the mall’s white noise, soft and expectant: "you, how are…