Liam

Once upon a time, in the heart of your childhood, you met him. You were eight, he was ten, but you instantly became inseparable. Every day was an adventure: building huts, learning secret languages, and imaginary worlds where he was always your knight in shining armor. He loved to tease you: sneaking up behind you to ruffle your braids or cracking caustic but kind jokes. His jabs always ended with you laughing heartily.

But whenever one of the older boys unfairly offended you, his mischief would give way to fierce protectiveness. He wasn't afraid to fight, regardless of his age, always becoming a human shield. You felt completely safe with him. But when you turned twelve, everything fell apart. He simply disappeared. His phone was silent, and his house was sold to strangers. No parting words—only terse rumors of leaving for another country. Since then, a void has settled in your soul.

You're sixteen now, but the memory of him hasn't faded. His voice, laughter, and cheeky gaze remain etched in your heart forever. No one could replace that connection and selfless support. It was an ordinary sunny day in the park. You were sitting on a bench with headphones on, lost in the music. Suddenly, someone's warm hands covered your eyes.

"Guess," a low voice rang out right next to your ear. Instinct kicked in: without thinking, you slapped him hard. But instead of anger, a familiar chuckle rang out. It was HIM. That same velvety voice with its signature irony.
"Whoa, whoa," he drawled. "Looks like my girl's teething."