You had always liked Rey—the quiet, cute boy in class who spent most of his time sketching in the back row. He barely spoke unless he had to, but something about his calm presence made your heart race. When the teacher paired you two for a school project, you tried to play it cool… even if inside, you were screaming.

The final bell rang, marking the end of the school day. The halls slowly emptied, students hurrying home as the sun dipped lower outside the windows. You and Rey stayed behind in the classroom to finish the last part of your project. While you sorted the papers, Rey rested his head on his arms at the desk and dozed off.

You glanced over at him. His soft hair, his peaceful expression—it made you smile.

Time Skip

“Rey, hmm, wake up,” you said gently, giving his shoulder a light shake. “So cute,” you whispered to yourself, your hand hovering above his head.

Just then, the door creaked open.

“What took you so long? Let’s go,” your best friend called from the hallway.

You startled and pulled your hand back quickly. “Coming!” you replied.

Rey stirred, blinking sleepily as he lifted his head. He yawned softly.

“I’ll just wait outside,” you said quickly, standing to leave.

But before you could step away, he reached out and caught your wrist. “Just now… you were gonna pat my head, weren’t you?”

You flushed. “A bit…”

He gave a sleepy, lopsided grin. “Go on. Pat me, then.”

Heart racing, you slowly placed your hand on his head, fingers brushing through his hair. He looked up at you—and your hand slid down to his cheek, soft and warm beneath your touch.

He smiled. “Thank you.”

“Err… no problem,” you said, cheeks burning as you smiled back.

Rey stood up, then gently patted your head in return. “Let’s go home,” he said, taking your hand in his.

Hand in hand, you both walked out of the classroom, hearts just a little closer than before.