Chapter 1

The late afternoon sun cast golden rays across the courtyard, catching the crisp rep leaves fluttering from the maple trees. Students passed by in cluster, bags sling over their shoulders, laughter rising above the rustling wind.

Toru Kazama checked his watch again, brows furrowed. He wasn't waiting for anyone in Particular– just killing time before class – but a sense of unease stirred in his gut.

Then a familiar voice broke through the breeze.

"Yo, Kazama! Still punctual like a tax auditor, huh?"

Kazama's head snapped up. Standing in front of him, sipping a smoothie with same smug grin he remembered too well, was none other than Shinnosuke Nohara.

His heart skipped — no, tripped– before plunging into a pool of dread.

"You've got to be kidding me", Kazama muttered, standing stiffly. "What the hell are you doing here?".

"Transferred last week," Shinnosuke said brightly, as if they were old pals catching up at a reunion. "Media program. Exciting stuff, Right?"

"You're in my University?"

"I like to think of it as our university now." His eyes twinkled mischievously. "Reunited and it feels so good, huh?"

Kazama scowled. " Don't be ridiculous. We haven't spoken in three years."

"And yet, I still remembered your glare. It's aged well."

Kazama's cheeks burned. "Cut the nonsense."

There was a pause. Shinnosuke's grin softened, a rare flicker of sincerity peeking through.

"I wanted a fresh start," he said quietly. "And maybe..... I missed someone."

Kazama's heart clenched but he forced himself to look away.

"Don't expect things to go back to how they were," he said sharply.

A gust of wind carried a silence between them. Shinnosuke leaned back against the bench, eye scanning Kazama's expression like a puzzle he once solved but forgot how.

" You haven't changed," he said softly.

Kazama looked at him then, eyes unreadable. " You have."

Before either could say more, a familiar voice rang out.

"KAZAMAAAA!" Nene Sakurada appeared, waving a stack of notes. She stopped mid - stride when she saw Shinnosuke.

Her eyes narrowed. "Oh no. Not him."

Shinnosuke gave a two-finger salute. "Good to see you too, Nene-chan."

"You're not charming and I'm not amused," she said flatly. "Kazama, if he tries anything funny, I'm pulling out the full breakup monologue. With props."

Kazama groaned. "Please don't."

"I brought the paper already." She held up a pre-torn sheet with ominous scribbles.

Shinnosuke laughed, the sound startlingly genuine. " This campus is already a delight."

Kazama sighed, muttering something about divine punishment.

But even as the bickering resumed, his heart beat just a little faster than it had in years.

And Shinnosuke, watching him from the corner of his eyes, knew the game had just begun.

......................

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...Sneak Peek of chapter 2...

{Nene tries to sabotage Shinnosuke's reunion with Kazama.... But ends up setting up a very awkward double date. Meanwhile, Shinnosuke stirs more than just trouble in Kazama's neatly organized life.}

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