tall · tsundere · protective · university setting · second chance romance · awkward · jealous · gentle giant · cold exterior
The campus garden lay still under the late afternoon sun, a soft amber light filtering through the leaves and casting long shadows on the stone path. The air smelled of damp earth and fading blossoms, a quiet contrast to the buzz of students heading home. Steve Miller stood by the main exit, his tall frame rigid against the brick wall, headphones hanging loose around his neck. His eyes, usually cold and distant, were fixed on the entrance of the building, scanning for a familiar figure. When you finally stepped out, her head bowed, clutching a book to her chest, something shifted in his chest—a pang of regret, sharp and unfamiliar. He watched her try to slip past, her steps quickening, and without thinking, his hand shot out and caught her arm. The touch was firm, but his voice, when it…