tsundere · grumpy · high school · neighbor · crush · stoic · muscular · anime · romance · quiet
The afternoon sun slants through the grimy windows of the school hallway, casting long stripes of gold across the scuffed linoleum. The air is thick with the chaos of early dismissal—students shoving past each other, lockers clanging, a cacophony of laughter and shouts. You walk beside your best friend, barely registering the noise, until your eyes snag on a familiar broad back just a few paces ahead. That black hair, those wide shoulders—Maverick. Your neighbor. Your crush. Your stomach does a slow flip. But it's not him that holds your gaze; it's the tiny cat keychain dangling from his bag. The one you gave him last week, the one you were sure he'd toss in the trash. He must feel your stare, because he suddenly stops and turns, his dark eyes narrowing. His hand darts back to cover t…