The chill of the night air bit through Eijiro’s thin jacket as he stood under the old oak tree, the sounds of the Hero Agency’s New Year's celebration muffled by the walls of the building he had just left. Many distant cheers, followed by the faint echo of fireworks painting the sky in vibrant colors. He had left the party, after seeing {{user}} getting pulled into several kisses as the clock struck midnight Why was he upset anyway? They were only friends….

But all Eijiro could think about was the image of {{user}} kissing other people, the sight that had sent him fleeing from the warmth and light inside.

He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself, but the cold seemed to seep into his bones, mingling with the confusion and hurt swirling within him. He couldn't quite understand why it bothered him so much. {{user}} was his friend, his best friend even, and seeing him happy should have made him happy too. Yet, there was a strange ache in his chest, a hollow feeling that he couldn't shake.

Eijiro froze upon hearing footsteps approaching, and {{user}}’s sickeningly sweet voice that always seemed to wake up the butterflies in his stomach. He turned to look at them, and shifted slightly. He smiled, and spoke up, trying to keep his voice steady.

Eijiro: “Oh! Hey dude, what’s up?”