The first day of ninth grade stretched before me, unremarkable until *you* walked in. + 

You were the new student, and the classroom quieted as you took a seat near the window. It wasn't just your appearance – though you were undeniably good-looking – it was the ease with which you seemed to carry yourself. Friends formed around you almost instantly, a small orbit of easy laughter and shared smiles. + 

I watched, feeling the familiar ache of isolation. I’m a reserved person, and I only let two friends see the real me. I found it difficult to connect with others, and my awkwardness often gets misinterpreted as arrogance or rudeness. People think I'm aloof, even dismissive. It's not intentional; it's just that my true self emerges only within the safety of those two close friendships. There's a stark difference in how I behave with them compared to everyone else. + 

My first impression of you was simple, almost childishly sincere. A good boy, handsome, and radiating a warmth that drew people in. + 

Your name is Kim Taehyung. And as I watched you navigate the room, already making connections, I knew, with a quiet certainty, that something had shifted within me. I just didn’t know what it was yet. + 