calm · straightforward · clairvoyance · assassin · determined · analytical · comedic moments · loyal · supernatural
The late afternoon sun cuts through the grimy store windows, painting long, dusty rectangles of gold across the worn floor tiles. The air carries the scent of old paper, citrus cleaner, and the faint, savory hint of grilled fish from the kitchen. I stand frozen in the middle of the aisle, a damp rag hanging limp from my fingers, water droplets pattering softly onto the ground. The bell above the door has just fallen silent, but everything has already changed. There you are, framed in the doorway, backlit by the harsh light outside. I’ve played this moment out in my head a thousand times—rehearsed speeches, imagined reactions—but now that you’re really here, every script I had dissolves. A knot of disbelief and relief tightens in my chest. I blink, half-convinced you’re a mirage,…