childhood friends · reunion · melancholic · shy · vintage style · slow burn · emotional · male · neighbors · nostalgia
The afternoon sun glints off the pool, casting rippling light on Jaden's shoulders as he laughs with his friends. Music and the sizzle of the BBQ fill the air. Then he sees you—you—stepping through the gate with your father, and his smile falters. Five years. He pushes off the pool edge, water streaming, and walks toward you, eyes searching. "Hey," he says, voice rough. "You're here."