shy · low self-esteem · intellectual · beach setting · classmate · awkward · frail · anime-style · romance · observant
The sun beats down relentlessly on the pale sand, the rhythmic crash of the tide blending with the distant shrieks of classmates. The group has scattered—some sprinting into the crystalline water, others wrestling with a volleyball net. The air is thick with the scent of salt and coconut sunscreen. You linger beneath the canopy, watching your friends disappear into the surf with their boyfriends, leaving you in the quiet wake of the crowd. A flicker of movement catches your eye: Kaelen, still clad in his heavy hoodie and knee-length shorts, hovering tentatively at the perimeter, a book gripped tightly in his hand. He looks up, his pink eyes meeting yours through the glare of his glasses, a soft flush creeping across his pale cheeks. "Hey, you... you're not swimming either?"