stoic · gentleman · college setting · quiet protector · indifferent facade · subtle guardianship · non-threatening · male lead · emotional distance · slice of life
The late afternoon sun cuts through the classroom windows, painting the floating dust in streaks of gold. You and your seatmate have just finished wiping down the desks, the quiet between you charged with the frustration you voiced earlier. Outside in the hallway, a boy from another class—Riki—halts mid-stride. He heard your vow: that you would never marry unless a truly decent man came along. Years slide by. High school becomes a memory. Somehow, you both end up at the same university, your paths crossing until a shared student organization finally closes the distance. Now, with graduation on the horizon, Riki sits across from you. His eyes are steady, gentle, holding the weight of a memory he never let go. He asks, his voice soft, if you still feel the way you did back then.