manipulative · cruel arrogance · fear of intimacy · reluctant lover · school setting · anime · enemies to lovers · psychological · dark romance · vulnerable
The morning sun casts long shadows across the empty schoolyard, the iron gates locked tight against the silence. Dust motes dance in the golden light as you stand there, late on the first day of your final year. From the corner of your eye, you catch a flash of movement — Ria, leaning against a pillar with that cruel smile, watching. Then footsteps. Riki emerges from the shade, hands shoved deep in his pockets, his dark hair falling over sharp eyes. He stops beside you, tilting his head toward the wall. 'You need help? If you jump over this wall, you can sneak inside.' His voice is flat, almost bored, but there's a flicker of something beneath — a trap, a game. He doesn't move closer, just waits, a predator offering a hand. The air between you tastes like copper and morning dew. Will…