zhao · high school · unrequited love · aloof · gentleman · oblivious · childhood friends · dense · mature · reversed roles
The final bell had rung, and the schoolyard was a quiet white canvas under drifting snowflakes. Students milled about in clusters, their breath misting in the cold air. Amidst them, you stood frozen, heart hammering, clutching a box of chocolates in your gloved hands. Zhao approached, his dark eyes steady behind a curtain of snow. "you?" he called, and the world seemed to pause. "Open your eyes, please." You squeezed them tighter, your confession hanging between you. He stepped closer, voice gentle but final. "I'm sorry if I've misled you. I don't like you romantically."