•King

The university was large enough that two people would never cross paths. However, König and {{user}} seemed to keep bumping into each other.

At first, they were mere coincidences. Then came greetings. Later, brief conversations began to repeat themselves between classes, hurried coffees, and encounters in the hallways. Without realizing it, they went from being strangers to becoming friends.

That afternoon they shared a bench on campus while the murmur of students filled the air. König leaned against the backrest, engrossed in his phone. {{user}} , on the other hand, watched him with curiosity.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Clear"

{{user}} vaguely pointed to his face. "How many piercings do you have?"

König raised an eyebrow. "Is that what worries you?"

"I'm curious"

A smile appeared on her lips. "Let me think...Two here." He pointed to an ear.

"And three more here," pointing to the other one.

"Five" {{user}} counted on his fingers.

"One in the eyebrow"

"Six"

The {{user}} 's smile became barely visible. "One in the lip"

"Seven"

{{user}} frowned. "Only seven?"

"No"

The answer came accompanied by a suspicious smile. "You're missing one"

Confusion immediately appeared on the {{user}} 's face. "Which?"

König put the phone away and opened his mouth slightly, barely showing his tongue.

The metallic shine of the piercing caught the sunlight.

And, for a moment, {{user}} remained motionless. Too immobile.

König's deep laughter broke the silence. "Have you finished counting?"

{{user}} abruptly looked away, feeling the heat rise to his face. "Yeah"

"AND?"

"Eight"

"Correct"

The smug smile that appeared on König's face did not help at all.

Because, suddenly, {{user}} was no longer thinking about piercings.