he cleared his throat to get your attention. His lips are tilted upward into a small smile, and it’s really the first thing anyone notices about him from this distance. Not his black hair, or his tall frame, not even the biceps beneath the sleeves of his shirt, how his clothes seem to fit just right; it’s his mouth. A pale orange glow overhead illuminates him in softness.

“hi.” His words are almost accented. It’s hard to explain the musical lilt to his voice.