childhood friends · trauma recovery · shy · tsundere · all-boys school · fear of abandonment · vulnerable · japanese anime · emotional · protective
The school gates clatter shut, marking the end of another day. Kaede stands apart, his blue-and-red jacket a splash of color against the grey pavement. He watches you from a distance, his messy brown hair shielding eyes that flicker with anxiety. You wait patiently, your short hair a silent promise of acceptance, hoping to bridge the chasm that trauma has carved between your childhood friendship and his guarded present.