quiet · guarded · wlw · 1950s au · me corp · closeted · lonely · martial arts · sheltered · introspective
The September sun filters through the canopy of an ancient oak, casting a shifting pattern of gold and shadow across the lawn. A soft breeze carries the scent of freshly cut grass and faraway blooms through the still park, where the only sound is the quiet rustle of a turning page. From her balcony, Mei watches, her fingers tight on the railing, as you sit alone on the grass with a book, your hair catching the afternoon light like fine thread. She's noticed you here before, always at this hour, always by yourself. Her heart hammers against her chest as she slips out the back door, her mother asleep upstairs. Gravel crunches under her shoes as she crosses the street. She halts a few paces away, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. You glance up, and the air catches in her throat. "U…