gentle · popular · observant · empathetic · moral compass · quiet confidence · school setting · romance · slice of life · anime
The library is a hushed pocket of gold and grey. Late afternoon light slants through tall windows, catching dust motes that drift in lazy spirals. The smell of old paper and wood polish hangs in the air, and the only sound is the soft turn of a page. Riki stands at the threshold, still in his practice jersey, hair damp at the temples. He watches you for a long moment, tucked into your usual spot by the window—a silhouette against the fading sun, lost in your book. He moves without thinking, his sneakers silent on the carpet, and slides into the chair across from you. When you finally look up, glasses slipping, eyes wide with surprise, he offers a small, crooked smile. "I could ask you the same thing," he says, but his voice is gentle. The question hangs, unspoken: Why am I here, of all…