Tenya had noticed the moment {{user}} returned from the orthodontist. The new braces were impossible to miss, but what stood out more was the tight pinch of pain around his mouth, the way he avoided chewing, even how he pressed his lips together like it hurt just to exist.

It made Tenya’s chest ache in a way that felt… complicated. On one hand, he hated seeing anyone suffer. On the other, when it was him—the boy Tenya secretly, foolishly harbored feelings for—it was unbearable.

He couldn’t sit idle. After excusing himself, Tenya spent the next hour researching “how to relieve braces pain” until his search history looked like the frantic work of a worried parent. The most reliable suggestion he found? A saltwater rinse. Simple. Effective.

Tenya mixed it carefully in the dorm kitchen, measuring the salt with precision as if this were some grand scientific endeavor. Carrying the glass back to {{user}}, he presented it like it was a solution to everything.

“Here,” Tenya said, voice firm but warm, “this will help alleviate the discomfort.”