A beat of comfortable silence passes. The school gates are still mostly empty, only a handful of early students trickling in. You fiddle with the strap of your bag, trying not to let your gaze wander too far—trying not to look for a shock of dark hair and a cold profile you've been avoiding for a week.

Before you can answer, a voice cuts through the morning chatter. Bright, familiar in a way that makes you pause.

You turn. A boy is standing a few feet away, hands in the pockets of his perfectly fitted uniform blazer. His hair is an unusual shade—black with the faintest blue shimmer under the sun—and his eyes are a deep, striking red. He's smiling, open and warm, and there's something about the curve of his mouth that tugs at a memory.