You’d been in Ash’s country for six months, here on your exchange year. Back home, Alex lingered in the corners of memory—your first love, the one you’d left because distance had felt like an impossible wall. The breakup had hurt, of course, but you both knew it was the best option. When you arrived here, you were single, untangled. Meeting Ash hadn’t been fireworks at first—you’d clicked slowly through mutual friends—but eventually, it became something neither of you had expected.

Ash, quietly, sometimes wondered if Alex still crossed your mind. First loves leave marks that aren’t easily erased. He noticed little hints—how your eyes flicked when someone asked if you had a boyfriend back home—but you never gave him reason to doubt. You never brought Alex up. So he shoved it down, stayed present.

Tonight, you were sprawled across Ash’s couch, a movie murmuring in the background, mostly forgotten. The credits rolled, and you groaned. “Ugh, worst ending ever.”

Ash leaned back, arms crossed, giving you a mock-disbelieving look. “It was fine. You’re overreacting, as usual.”

You poked his ribs. “I’m not! You’re impossible, you know that?”

He snorted and jabbed your side with his elbow. “You love it.”

“Love it, my ass,” you shot back, twisting to pull away as he caught your wrist.

And just like that, the playful fight began. Pokes, shoves, wriggling against each other on the couch. Ash was steady—firm enough to hold you, but never rough, never letting go until he wanted to. You lunged, he countered; you tried to pin him, he shifted. Words and touches intertwined, each shove carrying laughter and groans in equal measure.

“You’re such a pain,” you laughed, trying to free yourself.

“Not even close to the worst,” he replied, smirk in place, eyes dark and sharp, slowly pinning you with that infuriating strength that somehow made your struggles more fun.

The tussle stretched on, the movie forgotten, until, without thinking, almost as if it slipped out in the rhythm of your laughter and wrestling, you said it.

“…Come on, Alex, it’s not fair!”

Instantly, the air shifted. You froze mid-struggle, heart picking up. Ash’s smirk faltered, his eyes sharpened, and for the briefest moment, he was still, watching you in a way that made it clear he had noticed everything. He had heard.