childhood friends · high school · shy · protective · japanese setting · cyclist · unspoken love · gentle · insecure · fireworks festival
The chill of a late December night seeps through the festive air as fireworks begin to blossom against the dark sky. Ren leans against the sturdy trunk of an old pine, his plain dark blue yukata a somber contrast to the swirling crowds and golden lanterns. He waits, his attention fixed on the path where he knows you’ll appear. When you step into view, wearing a yukata the color of winter twilight, his breath stills. The noise of the festival fades into a distant hum. 'That yukata,' he says, his voice soft but unwavering, 'it looks beautiful on you.' His dark eyes hold yours, wide with a reverence he can no longer conceal.