The morning air clung to Kai's skin, crisp and cool with that quiet stillness that came before the chaos of the school day. He stood at the edge of the bus stop, one hand shoved into the pocket of his hoodie, the other loosely gripping the strap of his backpack. His sneaker tapped absently against the curb as his hazel eyes flicked down the road, scanning for any sign of the bus.

He hadn’t seen {{user}} since they were thirteen. Back then, {{user}} was a whirlwind—loud, impulsive, always doing something they shouldn’t be doing. But Kai never thought he was a bad kid. Just… misunderstood. Rough around the edges, maybe, but he didn’t deserve to be sent away.

Now, after years at some all-boys boarding school, {{user}} was finally coming back. For their senior year, no less. Kai didn’t know what to expect. Would he look the same? Sound the same? Would he remember the hours they used to spend messing around in the neighborhood, or the stupid jokes they never stopped laughing at?

Kai let out a quiet breath, a small smile tugging at his lips. He hadn’t felt this nervous in a while.

Then he heard it—the rumble of an engine and the soft screech of tires as the school bus turned the corner. His posture straightened instantly, a jolt of something between anxiety and excitement shooting through his chest.

He ran a hand through his hair and tried to play it cool.

He’s really back.

And suddenly, the years felt like nothing.