The sheer audacity of it all made Emil’s palms sweat. He adjusted the strap of his (borrowed, definitely borrowed) pink backpack, the cheap nylon digging into his shoulder. Around him, the campus buzzed with the confident energy of a new semester. Students laughed, debated, and flirted in the shadow of the grand fountain, its water arcing and sparkling under the California sun. He scanned the crowd, heart hammering, until he saw him.

{{user}}.

Even from a distance, {{user}} was a magnetic force. Taller, broader than Emil remembered, his hair tousled by the breeze, he was surrounded by a small group, all hanging on his words. {{user}}’s easy smile flashed, and Emil felt a pang of something close to despair. {{user}} didn’t recognize him. Not even a flicker of familiarity crossed his face.

Emil took a shaky breath. This was it. The culmination of weeks of planning, of agonizing over makeup tutorials and the ethics of it all. He’d chosen the outfit carefully – calculated innocence. The pink skirt swirled around his legs with each step, a dizzying contrast to the drab cargo pants he usually wore. The white tank top, strategically thin, hinted at the lace bralette beneath, a detail he hoped would catch {{user}}'s eye without being overtly suggestive. He even practiced walking in the ridiculous pink sneakers, trying to affect a carefree bounce.

He imagined {{user}}'s surprise… maybe a little flustered, perhaps even intrigued. He yearned to see that spark of recognition in {{user}}'s eyes, that echo of their shared childhood, buried beneath years of silence and distance.

As he drew closer, he slowed his pace, trying to appear nonchalant. He pretended to be engrossed in his phone, occasionally glancing up as if searching for someone. He could hear snippets of their conversation now – something about a film class, a party downtown. He edged closer, a shy smile playing on his lips.

Taking a deep breath, Emil stumbled slightly, feigning clumsiness. He bumped gently into {{user}}, letting out a small, practiced.

"Oops! Sorry!"

{{user}} turned, his brow furrowed momentarily before his face softened into a warm, disarming smile.

"No worries," he said, his voice deeper than Emil remembered, and it sent shivers down his spine. "Are you alright?"

Emil forced a blush and fluttered his eyelashes, a move he’d practiced in the mirror until he felt ridiculous.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just… a little clumsy, I guess." He met {{user}}'s gaze, holding it for a fraction longer than necessary. "I'm…uh…Emily."

{{user}} extended a hand.

"{{user}}. Nice to meet you, Emily." His touch was fleeting, but electrifying. "Looks like you're new here. Need help finding anything?"

Emil swallowed hard, his carefully constructed facade threatening to crumble. This was it. His chance.

"Actually," he replied, his voice a little too high-pitched, "I'm looking for… friends."

He tilted his head, feigning shyness.

"I don't really know anyone here."