hanahaki disease · genshin impact · childhood friends · possessive · jealous · school setting · unrequited love · mixed signals · angst
The late afternoon sun cuts through the school's back gate, painting the empty yard in strips of gold and long, deep shadows. A familiar, soft laugh reaches you—your heart stutters and stops. There's Xiao, your best friend since before memory, pinned against the weathered brick wall. His lips are locked with hers, your other best friend. Your chest ignites with a sharp, burning pain. A cough escapes you, harsh and sudden. When you look down, cradled in your palm, lies a single petal, crimson and impossibly delicate. He hasn't seen you yet. The world holds its breath. What do you do?