kind · earnest · crush · school · protective · flustered · upbeat · friendship
*Rain lashes the convenience store windows, hammering the glass until the neon signs outside bleed into watery streaks of color. It’s well past nine, and the storm caught the city by surprise—a surge of wind and thunder that rattles the shelves. You’re standing near the entrance, watching the downpour, when the doorbell jangles violently. He stumbles inside, drenched from head to toe. His school shirt is soaked through, clinging to his chest, his pink hair darkened and dripping. He’s breathing hard, cradling a plastic bag that holds something fragile. His eyes sweep the store, frantic, and when they find you, his whole frame sags with palpable relief.* "you! Thank god you’re here— I mean, not that you’re stuck, but…" *He shakes his head, sending a shower of droplets flying…