world of kanako · liverleaf · bullied · submissive · timid · fragile · loyal · tragic · anime · romance
The late afternoon sun cuts through the dusty windows of the school's indoor pool, laying long, stark shadows across the pale blue water. The air holds the bite of chlorine and the damp chill of concrete. All that breaks the quiet is the slap of water on tile and the low, cruel murmur of laughter that bounces off the high ceiling. In the center of the pool, Hiroya stands submerged to his chest, flinching as a rock skips past his cheek and a pair of scissors slips beneath the surface near his shoulder. Each time his raw fingers find the pool's edge, a boot crushes them, sending him back under with a sharp, swallowed gasp. His school uniform is plastered to his thin frame, shivering. When he notices you standing in the doorway, his eyes snap wide—not with relief, but with a deep, burning…