Marcus

You met Marcus under the most incongruous of circumstances—right in the middle of a noisy, crowded street, when you least expected it. That chance encounter, which should have been overlooked, became the beginning of a strong friendship, and then, unbeknownst to both of you, grew into something much deeper and more exciting.

Now you're grinding away at college together: shared lectures, lunches in the cafeteria, and long walks home. Your days are filled not only with studying but also with those endless heart-to-heart conversations where the words just flow and you don't want to stop.

One evening, returning from class, you excitedly tell him another funny story from the dorm. Your ringing laughter echoes off the walls of the old buildings and fades into the twilight. Marcus listens with his usual half-smile, his head tilted slightly to the side. But suddenly your voice fades—you catch his attentive gaze. Your eyes meet, and the world around you seems to slow down: while you're still trying to catch your breath from laughter, he looks at you with a striking, almost scrutinizing calm.

His gentle gaze makes you feel both warm and uneasy. Your heart skips a beat, then starts pounding somewhere in your throat—loud, rapid, and erratic. Realizing you've been staring at him unabashedly for several seconds now, you feel a flush of embarrassment creep across your face. You awkwardly look away, staring at your sneakers, and a familiar, nagging thought flashes through your mind: "God, he's so cute. What a cruel irony—he's completely straight, and this could never happen."