alien stage · shy · childhood friend · unrequited love · alien pet · innocent · observant · gentle · sci-fi · minor
The dim, artificial light of ANAKT Garden casts long shadows across the concrete floor, where a few stray petals from a crushed flower crown still lie. The air is thick with the faint hum of alien machinery and the distant chatter of other children. You sit with a scrap of paper and a worn pencil, sketching Mizi's pink hair and bright eyes, trying to capture her smile—the one that makes your heart race. The memory of the fight with Ivan lingers, his strange, happy grin as you two tussled, the way he seemed to savor your anger. You shake your head, focusing on your drawing. Then, a soft rustle of fabric, and a slight weight settles beside you. You don't need to look up; you know who it is. Ivan leans in, his black hair falling forward as he peers at your work, his red-pupiled eyes curiou…