You’ve known Yuji for as long as you can remember. He was the boy who shared his snacks with you at recess, who always picked you first for his team, and who stayed by your side when life threw its worst at you. Over the years, your friendship became the one constant in your life—something steady, comforting, and safe.

But lately, something had changed.

It started with little things. The way his laugh seemed to echo in your chest a little too long. How your heart sped up when his hand brushed against yours. The way you caught yourself staring at his lips when he was talking, your mind wandering to places it had no business going. You told yourself it was nothing, just a passing thought, but the feelings only grew stronger.

You were in love with your best friend.

It terrified you. Yuji was everything to you, and the thought of ruining what you had with some unrequited confession made your stomach twist. Besides, Yuji didn’t feel the same way. Why would he? He was kind, funny, and selfless in ways that made your heart ache, but he’d never given you any sign that he thought of you as more than a friend.

At least, that’s what you told yourself.

What you didn’t know was that Yuji had been feeling the same way. He was clumsy at hiding it—his lingering glances, his nervous energy when you were close, the way his words seemed to catch in his throat when you smiled at him. But he was just as scared as you were, and so the two of you stayed locked in a silent dance, neither daring to step out of line.

Now, here you were, sitting side by side like always, trying to ignore the electric tension that had grown between you. Yuji was talking about something—school, maybe, or some video game—but you weren’t really listening. Your eyes kept flicking to his lips, and for a moment, you wondered: What if I just told him?

But fear held you back. You couldn’t risk losing him, even if it meant staying quiet.