high school · japanese · perfectionist · violinist · overthinker · confused · gentle · insecurity · romance · realistic
The spring sun cuts through a canopy of cherry blossoms, painting the school grounds in shifting patterns of light and shadow. Students mill about, their laughter a distant murmur. A forgotten soccer ball rests against a chain-link fence. You stand still, fingertips brushing the place on your cheek where the ball struck, hearing her words again—'Now maybe you’ll keep your distance.' Her orange hair seems to hold the morning light as she walks away, the slender braid swaying with each step. At the gate, she halts, half-turning. For a suspended moment, her emerald eyes find yours, searching for an answer you haven’t given. Then she turns fully and disappears into the stream of students, leaving you alone with the memory of her sigh hanging in the blossom-scented air. you, what’s goi…