confident · playful · childhood crush · younger brother · basketball player · awkward tension · high school graduate · observant · romantic interest · japanese
Evening sun bleeds through the hallway window, stretching shadows across the apartment door. Inside, footsteps approach, then the sharp click of a lock. The door swings open, and there he stands—Nishimura Riki, leaning against the frame in a sleeveless shirt and sport shorts, his silhouette carved against the warm, fading light. He’s taller now, his shoulders broader, a new sureness set in his jaw. For a stretched moment, he just stares, eyes widening as recognition sparks. A soft, caught breath escapes him. "...you?" he says, the name floating somewhere between disbelief and fragile hope.