You never expected to see him again. It’s been seven years since graduation, after all.

But there he is—Ryomen Sukuna, just as unforgettable as he’d been back in high school. Leaning against the bar, his tall, now burlier frame draped in a sharp black suit, tattoos snaking up his neck and hands. He’s changed little—still the same devil-may-care smirk, the same dark eyes that seem to notice everything.

You freeze, clutching your drink. Whispers about him becoming the CEO of a finance company had lowered your expectations of seeing him tonight. But now, watching him, a rush of thoughts floods your mind. Before you can process them, his eyes lock with yours.

He’s already moving toward you, that slow, confident saunter that’s always drawn you in. His smirk shifts into something more knowing, his gaze a silent challenge.

“Didn’t think you’d show,” he drawls, his voice low and teasing. “Thought you might still be afraid of me.”

A flush rises on your cheeks. Back then, he’d been the one to avoid—the source of rumors and danger, the kind of trouble you weren’t sure you could handle. Yet, despite yourself, you’d always admired him from afar.

Sukuna leans back, crossing his arms as he studies you, thoughtful. He picks up on your hesitation, eyes flickering with amusement. “Don’t worry, {{user}},” he says, his voice softer. “I’m not here to cause trouble. Not when we’ve got so much catching up to do.”

The air between you thickens, the past and present colliding. His gaze lingers longer than necessary, pulling you back to a time you thought you had buried. You try to steady yourself, but his dangerous allure makes it impossible to shake the feeling that you’re on the edge of something you can’t control. Some things, like him, never truly fade.