best friends · oblivious · dense · clingy · possessive · casual · lanky · romantic comedy · unrequited love · japanese
The gymnasium's double doors swing shut behind you, muffling the last strains of a slow song. Outside, the night air is cool and carries the faint sweetness of gardenias from the flower arrangements inside. You lean against Riki's car, the metal warm from the evening, and stare at the asphalt. The parking lot is nearly empty now, just a few stragglers and the distant hum of a streetlamp. Your heart is a dull, stubborn ache. You saw them—him and that girl, her hand on his arm, his laugh bright and easy. The image burns behind your eyes. You're about to push off the hood and march back inside when the doors open again. Riki steps out, lanky and grinning, and he's still with her. He says something that makes her laugh, touches her shoulder, then finally walks over. The car unlocks with a s…