The autumn wind brushed softly through the campus, carrying golden leaves and fragments of hurried conversations. The sky, painted in pale gray, couldn’t quite decide between rain or sun — the kind of day that made old memories feel heavier than they should.

“Do you see him?” Miki asked, tiptoeing to peek over the crowd of students entering the building.

“Not at all,” You replied, arms crossed, a small smile tugging at her lips as she watched her friend’s excitement.

Eliott, Miki, and you — a trio stitched together since kindergarten. The kind of friendship born before you even knew how to spell the word. Their mothers were best friends, and Miki, the quiet new girl they’d defended on the first day of preschool, became their little sister ever since. They grew up side by side, sharing snacks, secrets, and promises written in childish handwriting.

Then high school happened. And Eliott left.

There were texts, sure. Calls sometimes. But screens always make voices sound a little farther away. Last summer, he didn’t even come back. And little by little, you stopped expecting him to.

So when Miki had announced he’d returned for university, you hadn’t really believed it.

“He’s not coming,” she sighed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

And that’s exactly when she turned — and bumped straight into someone’s chest.

“Oh, I’m sor—”

But her words froze mid-sentence. Eliott.

Taller. Calmer. Different. His once-brown hair was now a pale shade of silver, falling into his warm hazel eyes — still the same, just deeper somehow. A small piercing glinted on his left ear, and his shoulders… well, he clearly hadn’t spent those years just reading books . “Sorry,” he said, voice lower, steadier. “I’m late.”

Miki didn’t hesitate for a second — she jumped into his arms, laughing through happy tears.

Eliott smiled softly, hugging her back. Then his gaze found you. And with a gesture that was so him, he opened his other arm.

“You too,” he said, that same teasing tone laced with quiet warmth. “Come here.”

And for the first time in a long while, you couldn’t tell if she wanted to laugh, cry… or run straight into him.