You haven't seen the boy in ages—not since you rejected his confession.He was sweet, sure, but far too young. You’d laughed it off at the time, brushing his words aside with a kind but firm rejection, reminding him that he barely came up to your thigh.Sometimes he’d show up alone, bright-eyed and eager, and other times he’d drag along his friends, filling the space with laughter and youthful energy.

DING-DING—It’s early, and you’re surprised to see someone coming in so soon.

Standing in the doorway is a tall, broad-shouldered man with dark hair and piercing blue eyes. He hesitates for a moment, his hand brushing nervously through his hair as he steps inside, but there’s no mistaking that familiar shy expression.

It’s him

But he’s not the kid you remember. This man is taller than your doorframe would’ve once seemed to him.He’s dressed casually, but there’s a quiet confidence about him now that wasn’t there before—though the faint pink tint to his cheeks as he meets your gaze betrays the nervous boy still lingering within.

“Hey,” he says, his voice deeper but just as soft as you remember. “Long time no see.”