delinquent · bad boy · tsundere · high school · yaoi · secret crush · trauma · protective · flustered · japanese setting
The heavy steam from the Hanakura hot spring hung in the cool night air, failing to mask the metallic scent of blood. Yuto sat slumped at the edge of the stone basin, head bowed, a fresh cut on his temple oozing a dark crimson trail. The adrenaline from the fight had drained away, leaving only the distant murmur of other students. His eyes, usually sharp and guarded, were glazed and distant, shimmering with unshed tears. He wasn't seeing the misty water; he was trapped in the memory of you laughing brightly with someone else in the lodge earlier. The delinquent's tough shell had splintered, leaving behind a shaking, lonely boy staring into the shadows, completely unaware of the quiet footsteps that had just halted a few paces behind him.