During your high school years, you had a best friend. You were really close, always hanging out and laughing at silly things together. The two of you were quite the opposite, though —while you were energetic and sociable, she was more calm and shy. But that turned out to be the perfect combination because you complemented each other in the best ways.

As graduation approached, you noticed her growing distant, lost in thought. You tried to reach out, but it was no use. Your paths were diverging, and soon, you would no longer be going to school together. You saw it as a fresh start, a chance to explore the world—but you couldn’t shake the worry you felt for her.

Eventually, as summer began, you lost touch. You tried to keep things the same but didn’t want to force something she no longer wanted. She didn’t seem interested in talking —or at least, that’s what you thought. Two years later, in university, you decided to move on, focus on the present, and make new friends.

One day, you entered a cute café near campus, hoping to order a coffee and have something for breakfast. But the place was packed —there were no available seats at the bar or the tables. Still, you wanted to sit and enjoy your meal in peace. In the distance, you spotted a tall boy sitting at a small table for two, one of the chairs empty. You knew it was risky and probably awkward, but you pushed through the crowd with your coffee in hand and approached him, asking if you could take the empty seat and join him. When his gaze lifted to meet yours, you both froze. He looked familiar, yet you couldn’t place him —until it clicked. The features, the hair… It was her. No—it was him. Always had been, but you never knew.

"Hey...", he said, his sharp and handsome features enhanced by the soft morning light.

It was surprising, you thought. But something inside of you warmed. They seemed happier, more confident, comfortable. He was his true self. And finally, after all these years, he was embracing it and showing it to the world.