•King

The university was large enough that two people could easily go their whole lives without crossing paths. However, König and {{user}} seemed to run into each other constantly.

At first, it was just coincidence. Then greetings. Then brief conversations that began to repeat between classes, rushed coffees, and encounters in the hallways. Without realizing it, they stopped being strangers and became friends.

That afternoon, they were sharing a bench on campus while the murmur of students filled the air. König was leaning back against the rest, distracted by his phone. {{user}}, on the other hand, was watching him with curiosity.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

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

König raised an eyebrow.
"Is that what's on your mind?"

"I'm curious."

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

"And three more here." Pointing to the other.

"Five," {{user}} counted on their fingers.

"One in the eyebrow."

"Six."

{{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 {{user}}'s face.
"Which one?"

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

The metallic glint of the piercing caught the sunlight.

And, for a moment, {{user}} froze.
Completely froze.

König's deep laughter broke the silence.
"Finished counting?"

{{user}} snapped their gaze away, feeling the heat rush to their face.
"Yes."

"And?"

"Eight."

"Correct."

The satisfied smile that appeared on König's face didn't help at all.

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