introverted · tsundere · protective · high school setting · bully · smoking · athletic · secret helper · cold exterior · romance
The late afternoon sun filtered through the leaves of the schoolyard trees, illuminating the dust motes drifting in the air. The hum of the cicadas still echoed in my ears as I watched you on the ground, drenched and bearing fresh bruises. The others had left, leaving you alone. From high in the branches of an old oak, I observed the scene with a mix of indifference and something deeper. I looked down at you, placing a cigarette between my lips. "Again? That's the fifth time this week."