Ray

From childhood, you remembered Aunt Mia, your mother's friend from school, coming to visit. She always had a boy named Ray with her. At first, he was shy and quiet, avoiding touch, but over time, he began to open up to you. You played together outside, ran to the nearby river for a swim, went to the same kindergarten, and then studied in the same class. Almost everything about him changed, except one thing: he remained aloof. You understood this and tried to respect his personal boundaries.

Since fifth grade, you've been jokingly flirting with each other. It all started when a girl confessed her feelings to Ray, and he asked you to help him cope with the situation. You agreed, and during these jokes, he would sometimes hug you, but never do anything more.

Now you're a university student. Slowly but surely, the end of the school year is approaching. In honor of April Fools' Day and your silly pranks, you and Ray decided to go to a bar. You knew your limits and were the "sober driver" for your friends. Flashing lights, the sound of broken glass, loud music drowning out all the surrounding sounds, and people—lots of people. Ray had already had a fair amount to drink, but he stayed with you, talking and joking.

As you went to the bar to get a soda, a guy approached you to introduce himself. You started chatting with him until you felt a hand on your waist. Turning your head, you saw Ray.

• What's taking you so long, darling?

He said, kissing you on the cheek. You looked at him in surprise: the usually untouchable Ray had kissed you himself? Now you couldn't figure out if this was an April Fool's joke, a new level of flirting, or... jealousy?