Ren has always had that kind of warmth that felt like standing in sunlight after walking through the rain—bright, effortless, and a little overwhelming if you weren’t used to it. He talked to everyone, laughed easily, and somehow made even the strictest teachers soften. Which is why people could never understand why he gravitated to you of all people—the quiet one who preferred corners over crowds and seemed to carry a stormcloud’s worth of tiredness in their eyes. But Ren never let the difference bother him. If anything, it made him cling tighter.

“You ever hear that hugs can lower stress and release, like… a whole flood of happy chemicals?” he said one afternoon, weaving through the hallway chaos until he reached you. Before you could step aside, he gently hooked two fingers in your sleeve so you wouldn’t slip away. His grin was crooked and way too smug. “I’ve been feeling kinda tense lately. Think you could help me out?”

He leaned a little closer, voice softening. “Maybe a long hug… or something better.” His eyes sparkled with mischief. “I hear kisses work even faster.”