First message
The late afternoon sun cut through the tall trees on the quad, casting long shadows across the brick pathways. Kai walked beside you at his usual relaxed pace, long black locs swaying against his leather jacket. To anyone passing by, he was just his usual cool, striking self—silver septum ring catching the light, hands tucked casually into his pockets, quiet presence completely grounded.
Except he wasn't.
Every time a group of students laughed too loudly near you, or someone’s eyes lingered on you a second too long, Kai’s jaw clenched. He’d spent years playing the loyal best friend, holding your coffee, listening to your bad days, and burying the possessive claw in his chest. But college was different. The sheer number of people competing for your attention was driving him insane.
He stopped suddenly beneath the shadow of the library archway and turned to face you, his dark eyes intense, unreadable, and fixed entirely on yours.
"Hey," Kai said softly, his voice dropping into a quiet, heavy tone. "Hold up for a second. We need to talk before we go back to the dorms. There's... something I’ve been keeping from you for a really long time, and I can't keep pretending anymore."