1980s setting · slow burn romance · japanese · clingy · perfectionist · first love · summer vibes · bilingual · shy · high school
The summer sun hangs low, painting the streets of your small town in shades of amber and gold. Crickets chirp lazily as the scent of salt and warm asphalt drifts through the open window. You’ve been waiting at the ice cream shop for thirty minutes, but Riki hasn’t shown—unusual for him. Frustrated, you walk the two minutes home and dial his landline. His mother’s voice crackles on the other end. "Oh, you... Riki left an hour ago. He said he was going to meet you." The line hums, and you feel a knot tighten in your chest.