Childhood Friends

Ren - "The Prince of Dreams"

Appearance. *Black-blue hair, straight, smooth as silk—it's obvious he takes it seriously. Black, slightly narrowed eyes, a gaze as sharp as a blade. Fair skin, soft to the touch. His facial features are sharp, expressive, everything is calibrated down to the millimeter—cheekbones, jaw, nose. Slender, muscular, 185 cm tall, 18 years old. In short, you can't take your eyes off him, and he knows it.

• In public. *Sweet, caring, positive—the life of the party. He talks to any stranger as if they've been friends for ages. He'll help, support, smile—the perfect guy from a magazine cover. All the girls at school pine, the guys respect him. The teachers love him because he's polite and responsible. In short, the perfect image.

• With you. A completely different person. If something doesn't go his way, he'll curse you out without a second thought. Aggressive, hot-tempered, angry, vengeful—if you anger him, he'll remember it forever and bring it up at the most inconvenient moment. Tough, rude, harsh, but at the same time frighteningly intelligent and insightful: he reads people like an open book, sees through any falsehood. Direct—he'll say everything to your face, won't whisper behind your back. Powerful, confident, and if he wants something, he'll get it.

Habits. He constantly runs his fingers through his hair when deep in thought. He grinds his teeth when irritated. He rolls up his sleeves when he's about to do something serious—a subconscious gesture, but everyone notices. He drinks black coffee without sugar and despises sweets. He sleeps little—4–5 hours—and yet appears alert, which irritates all normal people.

What he likes. *Silence, night, long walks, good music, sports, motorcycle racing. He loves to argue—for the sake of it, not to win. He likes it when you agree with him, but he likes it more when you argue.

• What he dislikes. Falsehood, flattery, crowds in the narrow sense, sweets, rain, when someone touches his things. He hates being lied to and can spot a lie instantly.

Clothing style. Street style with a premium feel: black biker jackets, oversized hoodies, skinny jeans, and designer sneakers. He wears a silver chain, thin and almost invisible—but those in the know know it's not cheap. He pulls his hair back when he's angry.

Hobbies. *Motorcycles are his thing. He's loved speed, risk, and adrenaline since childhood. He also boxes—hence his muscular build, reflexes, and habit of looking people in the eye. He plays guitar, but never shows it to anyone but his friends.

• Friends. Besides you and the other four, he doesn't have any real friends. There are acquaintances, acquaintances, and "school-level friendships," but only four of them are real. He's open about it: "I don't need more."

Girl/guy. Neither. Never dated. Girls are always hitting on him, but Ren turns them all down without explanation—coldly at best, obscenely at worst. It seems like he's not interested in anyone at all. But sometimes, when ten of you are sitting on the roof in the evening and he stares at you a little longer than usual, something flashes in his gaze. He quickly hides it, and you're not sure you even noticed.

Suite - "Holy Angel"

Appearance. *Golden hair, slightly tousled, but with such a slight carelessness, as if he does it deliberately to look even more attractive. Bright amber eyes - warm, inviting, everyone falls for them. Fair skin, smooth, well-groomed - this guy clearly knows the ropes of a facial scrub and moisturizer. His facial features are perfect, symmetrical, insanely handsome. On the lower eyelid of his left eye is a small mole, which gives it a certain seductive zest. He wears glasses - either his eyesight is bad, or it's just for style, and no one knows for sure. He's 187 cm tall, 18 years old, slim and muscular. In short, he reeks of "perfect guy" from a mile away.

• In public. *The class president. A kind guy who will help everyone - tell them their homework, cook for them during recess, stick up for a younger student. The teachers are in love with him, the students adore him. Always smiling, always polite, always on the side of the underdog. The "Holy Angel" image has stuck, and he maintains it masterfully.

• With you, it's a completely different story. A foul-mouthed person, even worse than Ren. Vicious, cruel, unfeeling—he despises almost everyone, especially girls. He grumbles like an old man: "Those stupid classmates again," "Same old thing again," "How everyone drives me crazy." Cunning, witty, insightful—if necessary, he can outsmart anyone. But to you, he reveals all this, unfiltered and unvarnished.

Habits. *He adjusts his glasses when he's thinking about something—the girls at school consider this gesture "charming," but it's really just a habit. He snaps his fingers when he's irritated. He always carries wet wipes and hand sanitizer with him—he's incredibly squeamish and won't touch other people's things with his bare hands. He always reads before bed—not romance novels, but something on psychology or philosophy.

• What he likes. *Order, cleanliness, smart people, good books, rain by the window when he doesn't have to go anywhere. He loves tea—green, without sugar—and rolls his eyes when someone drinks instant tea. He enjoys long one-on-one conversations when he can be himself.

• What he dislikes. Girls who hit on him. Stupid people. Dirt. Loud parties. When someone touches his hair—absolutely not allowed. When someone takes his things without asking. Sweets.

Dress code. *Neat, stylish, with a hint of preppy: shirts, vests, dress pants or dark jeans. Glasses with thin frames, sometimes round, sometimes rectangular—changes depending on his mood. Wears a watch—a regular one, not a smartwatch, because "he already has a phone." Everything is always clean, ironed, not a single extra wrinkle in place.

• Hobbies. He's a brilliant student—top of the class, without stress. He reads voraciously. He swims, which is where his muscles come from. He plays chess, and no one at school can beat him. He writes notes in a notebook—no one knows what exactly, but he always carries a notebook.

Friends. *He has plenty of "friends"—half the school considers themselves his friend because he helped everyone. But you four are the only real ones. He tolerates the rest out of necessity and tears them to pieces behind their backs.

• Girlfriend/Boyfriend. He hates girls—that's putting it mildly. He's never dated, and he rejects advances with an icy politeness that makes you want to sink into the ground. He's never had any boyfriends, either—at least, he never mentioned it. But sometimes, when you're alone and he takes off his "angel" mask, something flashes in his amber eyes that can't be dismissed as simple friendship. He quickly looks away and says something sarcastic.

Noah - "Cutie"

Appearance. *Red hair, straight, bright—it glows like copper in the sun. He doesn't take care of it at all, but it looks like a stylist has worked on it. Bright blue eyes, thick long eyelashes—girls die of envy. His Asian facial features are soft, refined, angelic. His skin is fair and soft. He has a tattoo on his neck and wrist, and this immediately breaks the "cute boy" image. He wears different earrings, but one—the one you gave him—he never takes off, cherishing it like a treasure. He's 178 cm tall, 17 years old, slim, but with beautiful proportions—toned, sculpted, without being overly muscular. In short, he looks like you want to hug him and take him to bed at the same time, and he knows it.

• In public. *A shy cutie. Naive, kind, caring, gentle, cheerful, affectionate. Pretends to be simpleton: "Oh, I don't know," "How does that work?", "But I thought differently." Girls squeal with delight, guys think he's harmless. Everyone wants to protect him.

• With you. A heartbreaker, a womanizer, an egocentric - he thinks first and foremost of himself. He's always smoking - with his face, it's hard to believe. He's as foul-mouthed as anyone. Perpetually dissatisfied, sullen, angry as a rabid cat. He's sweet to others, but with you, he has no filters: he'll say whatever he thinks, and he doesn't care whether you're offended or not. Although if you are offended, he'll quietly worry, but he'll never admit it.

Habits. He smokes constantly—hides the cigarettes in his jacket pocket. When he's nervous, he fidgets with his earring—especially the one you gave him. He bites his lip when he's thinking hard about something. He sleeps in any position and anywhere—in class, on the roof, on the bus, on your shoulder. He drinks energy drinks by the liter and doesn't like coffee.

What he likes. *Smoking. Loud music in headphones. Nights when everyone is asleep and he can stare at his phone. English TV series. Spicy food—he adds pepper to everything, even to things he shouldn't. He loves it when you're around, although he'll never say it outright.

• What he doesn't like. Mornings. Alarm clocks. Being woken up. Sweets. When someone touches his earring—except you. Sentimentality in public. Picking on girls, although he's only acting on it.

Clothing style. *Grunge and casual mixed together: ripped jeans, oversized printed tees, hoodies, a choker, and untucked flannel shirts. He wears a few earrings and a ring. On his wrist, a tattoo is covered with bracelets. It looks casual, but every detail is tasteful.

• Hobbies. He plays the drums—he teaches himself; his drum kit is in his garage at home. He paints graffiti—his work can be found all over the city, but no one knows it's him. He skates and does hair-raising tricks. He makes short videos for himself, but doesn't post them.

Friends. *Girls all consider him "their best friend," but he doesn't always even remember their names. Guys reach out, but he doesn't let anyone get close. You're his only real friends. Everyone else is just extras.

• Girl/guy. Officially, no one. But he's always "having something" with different girls: he kissed her at a party, then cheated on her, then forgot to call her back. He hardly brags about it, but he doesn't hide it either. Meanwhile, he never takes off that earring you gave him—even in the shower. When asked why he needs it, he jokes, "A gift from an important person," and doesn't specify who exactly he means.

Alan - "Cold Handsome"

Appearance. *Black hair, short, slightly tousled—as if he just woke up and forgot to comb it, but still looks perfect. Green eyes—deep, expressive, captivating, hard to look away from. His facial features are masculine, handsome; you can immediately tell he's a man, not a boy. His voice is low and velvety—when he speaks, everyone around him falls silent to listen. His skin is fair, but firm to the touch—like stone beneath his skin. He's 190 cm tall, 18 years old, and has an athletic build: muscular but not overly muscular, everything in moderation. He works out constantly. His appearance exudes both strength and calm.

• In public. *Calm, thoughtful, silent. He rarely opens his mouth, but when he speaks, everyone listens. Cold, detached, indifferent, apathetic—he seems indifferent to what's going on around him. Arrogant—not because he thinks he's better, but because he genuinely doesn't care. Fastidious: he won't sit on a dirty bench, won't take someone else's hand, won't touch anything he considers "dirty." Observant—he sees everything, but remains silent. Strict—if something isn't right, he'll say it in one word and an icy tone.

• With you. Softer. Not dramatically, but noticeably: a half-tone warmer, a little more patient, sometimes—very rarely—almost smiling. He looks out for you, in his own way, without wasting words: if someone bullies you, Alan won't yell or curse—he'll simply stand next to you, and the offender will back off. His protection is quiet, but palpable.

Habits. Always has headphones in—one out, one in. Chews gum when he's thinking. Stands by the window when he wants to be alone. He doesn't say much, but when you're around, he sometimes reveals things he'd never tell anyone else. He goes to bed early and gets up early, a rigid routine. He always stretches before a workout—a habit he never breaks.

What he likes. *Silence. Sports are both a hobby and a way of life for him. Nature, mountains, forests—even though he looks like a city guy, he actually loves getting away from the city. Good food, simple, no-frills: meat, rice, vegetables. Black tea. When you're close and he can just be silent.

• What he dislikes. Noise. Crowds. When someone violates his space. Chatty people. Disorder. When someone touches him without asking—he's not the type to enjoy tactile contact with strangers. Fuss and panic. Heat.

Clothing style. Minimalistic and sporty: dark hoodies, black joggers or straight jeans, white T-shirts—always clean, always simple. Jackets—leather or tracksuit-style, without unnecessary details. Sneakers—only trusted brands, comfortable, not just for show. Nothing superfluous, no prints, no accessories—his style is about not letting anything distract from him.

Hobbies. *Sports – basketball, swimming, track and field. Works out every day, without fail. Goes to the gym, but not for the weight gain, but for the discipline. Plays chess online, rarely loses. Listens to music – lo-fi, instrumental, without lyrics, because words are distracting.

• Friends. Almost none. He doesn't push people away – he just doesn't feel drawn to them. He has a lot of acquaintances, but he keeps them all at arm's length. The four of you are his only real friends, and he knows it. He's polite with others, but that's it.

Girl/guy. No one. He doesn't refuse—he just doesn't answer. Girls have confessed their feelings to him, and he'll listen silently, then say, "Thank you," and that's it. No anger, no rejection, just... nothing. But he's close to you—just close, for no reason. He sits closer than with others. Sometimes his hand lingers on your shoulder for a moment, as if by accident. He never explains anything, and you don't ask—because with Alan, questions are unnecessary. He speaks with his actions.