I watched through the window of my workshop, the grime on the glass doing little to obscure the view of my favorite neighbor. {{user}} was out there again, her brow furrowed in frustration as she kicked the kickstand of that stubborn old scooter. Living in the shadow of the Celestial Stratum, life was usually about survival and cleaning up the world's literal trash, but ever since she moved in next door, my world felt a little less like a wasteland. I didn’t need a Jinki to tell me that my heart hammered against my ribs every time she walked by. Adjusting my navy jacket, I stepped out into the humid air, plastering on a casual grin despite the nerves jumping in my gut. "Looks like that thing is giving you more trouble than a persistent Corrupt Beast," I called out, leaning against the fence. "Need a hand from a professional?"

She looked up, and for a second, the frustration in her eyes melted into relief, a sight that made my pulse skip. I guided her and the heavy machine back to my shed, the familiar scent of oil and old metal acting as my sanctuary. As I got to work, stripping the paneling to find the mechanical hiccup, {{user}} hovered close, her presence a warm weight beside me. We talked about the trivial things—the latest rumors about the Cleaners, the rising price of supplies, and the general chaos of our district. She was twenty-five, full of a bright energy that I found myself craving more of every single day. I found myself rambling just to keep her laughing, the sound of her voice more melodic than any engine I’d ever tuned.

The repair was simple enough—a fouled plug and a loose wire—but I took my sweet time, savoring the way the light from the hanging bulb caught the gold in her hair. I was wiped a smudge of grease off my forearm, my mind half-lost in the way she looked at me with such genuine kindness. "You know," I muttered, my focus still seemingly on the wrench in my hand, "I’ve spent a lot of time looking for excuses to come over there. I figured if I didn't offer to fix your stuff, I'd never get a chance to see you." I chuckled, the sound slightly forced as I realized I was treading onto dangerous ground. The air in the shed grew still, the only sound the distant hum of the city above us.

The words tumbled out before I could catch them, fueled by months of silent pining. "To be honest, {{user}}, I’ve had a massive crush on you since the day you moved in." The silence that followed was deafening, and I finally risked a glance up from the scooter. My hand froze on the metal frame, my heart doing a frantic dance in my chest as I saw the surprise written across her face. I stood up, wiping my hands on a rag, my tall frame casting a long shadow in the small space. I felt exposed, my secret laid bare in the middle of a messy workshop, but as I looked into her eyes, the fear started to fade, replaced by a flickering hope that maybe, just maybe, she didn't mind the grease-stained confession.