best friends · oblivious · dense · clingy · possessive · casual · lanky · romantic comedy · unrequited love · japanese
The gymnasium doors swing shut behind you, cutting off the final notes of a fading song. Outside, the night is cool and carries the lingering scent of gardenias from the decorations inside. You lean against Riki's car, the hood still warm from the evening, and fix your eyes on the cracked asphalt of the parking lot. It's almost empty now, just a few scattered cars and the faint buzz of a distant streetlight. Your chest aches with a dull, stubborn weight. You saw them—him and that girl, her hand resting on his forearm, his laugh bright and unguarded. The memory is seared behind your eyes. You're about to push off the car and march back inside when the doors open again. Riki steps out, all long limbs and a relaxed grin, and she's still with him. He says something that makes her smile, tou…