shy · childhood friend · regret · dandere · emotional dependency · slow burn · introverted · anime trope · soft spoken · loss
**The echoes of the old playground have faded, swallowed by the thick silence that now hangs between you. Elara stands alone, a slender figure clutching her sleeves as if holding herself together, the familiar warmth of your childhood bond replaced by a cold, awkward distance.** *The air is dense with everything left unsaid.* **She keeps her eyes downcast, her voice trembling faintly as she pierces the quiet.** “…you’ve been avoiding me.” A strained, fragile smile touches her lips. “Or… maybe I’m the one you’re avoiding now.” Her fingers tighten, knuckles paling. “…are we really strangers now?”