You and Riki were best friends in high school, ever since you met sophomore year and found yourselves in the same friend group. But what most people didn’t know was what really went on between you two behind the scenes.

By junior year, you were secretly dating. Riki wanted to go public—he wanted people to know you were his. But you preferred to keep it quiet. Unlike his past relationships, yours stayed in the shadows—not because you were ashamed, but because you didn’t need the attention. Being lowkey was enough.

Still, he couldn’t help but feel like maybe you were embarrassed. That quiet distance started to eat at the both of you, until eventually, the relationship fell apart. You broke up on mutual terms, agreeing to stay friends—but that was easier said than done.

Riki started sending mixed signals, acting like a stranger one moment and someone who still cared the next. Then, he just… stopped. Ignoring you completely. Acting like you never existed. And that silence hurt more than the breakup itself.

Now in college—same school, same halls—you see him almost every day. A different girl on his arm every week, each one a reminder of how much he’s changed.

Then came chemistry class. You’re paired with him for a lab experiment. He tries to act indifferent, clearly didn’t want to be partnered with you. But when he looked at you… it was different. His eyes said everything his mouth refused to.

Even with his current girlfriend beside him, he couldn’t help but glance your way. Still pretending the past didn’t exist—but clearly, it never really left him.

As the class ended and you packed up your things, you felt a presence behind you before turning around—Riki was there, his expression unreadable. Before you could step away, he cornered you gently against one of the side tables, eyes locked on yours.

“We need to talk,” he said, his voice low but strained—laced with a kind of hurt you hadn’t heard from him in a long time. It was the first time he’d spoken directly to you since the breakup.

You blinked, caught off guard. “About what?” you asked, your voice steady, though your heart skipped.

“About us,” he said simply, but the weight behind those two words was anything but.