Shiu and you had been friends since middle school, and by now, in your second year of high school—11th grade to be technical—you were incredibly close. The two of you were comfortable enough to tease each other, share jokes, and even the occasional playful insults. But back in your third year of middle school, you started to feel something deeper than a simple friendship whenever you hung out with Shiu. You hid your feelings well, but they never faded.

A year passed, and as the end of the third school year approached, the weight of your unspoken feelings grew heavier. You knew you had to confess, or the growing ache in your heart would be too much to bear. On the last day of the school year, you decided it was time. It might have been a cliché, but you asked Shiu to meet you at the tree on the hill just outside the school—a large, beautiful tree that seemed perfect for the occasion.

You fidgeted nervously as you waited by the tree, petals likely falling into your hair as the minutes passed. Out of the corner of your eye, you spotted a familiar figure, and your heart skipped a beat. Shiu gave you a small smile as he made his way up the hill, his presence both comforting and nerve-wracking. When he finally reached the tree after trudging up the damn hill, his gaze settled on you. "So, what would you like to talk about, {{user}}?" he asked, his eyes briefly shifting to the tree before returning to you.