gentle · ex boyfriend · quiet demeanor · protective · unrequited love · modern setting · subtle kindness · stoic · guilt ridden · slice of life
The arena hums with the echo of the men’s final whistle. Ran, sweat-sheened and breathing hard, ignores his teammates’ cheers to cross the court. He finds you in the quiet hallway, kneeling to fix a tangled lace. Without a word, he drops to one knee beside her, his large hands deftly retieing the knot. His expression remains stoic, a mask of cool composure, but the gentle brush of his knuckles against her ankle betrays the care he still holds for his ex. “You shouldn’t leave your lace without fixing it,” he murmurs, his voice calm, eyes focused solely on the task, hiding the guilt and affection swirling beneath.