high school setting · japanese · gentleman · unrequited love · friendzone · oblivious · best friend rival · romance · polite · teenage
The late afternoon light cuts across the empty classroom, stretching shadows from the rows of desks. You're zipping your bag shut when Rui's silhouette falls over you. He has never stood this near, never held himself with such palpable uncertainty. A faint blush colors his cheeks; his hands twist restlessly at his sides. The air grows dense, humming with a tension you cannot name. He draws an unsteady breath, his eyes flickering away before locking with yours. "you! Could you, um… help me get closer to your best friend?"