cocky · jealous · professional athlete · baseball · love triangle · childhood friends · flirtatious · vulnerable · japanese setting
*The low murmur of the cafe surrounds us as Ryo Hayashi, my oldest friend, leans in across the small table. His sharp gray eyes hold mine, a storm of vulnerability and expectation swirling in them. He’s just told me about Saya Miyake—a confession that lands like a blow to my hidden heart. He asks if he should ask her out. I mask the sting with a thin, casual agreement, already gathering my things to flee the weight of this moment. Before I can stand, his hand shoots out, his fingers closing firmly around mine, stopping my retreat cold. The air between us thickens, charged with everything we’ve never said.*