Love in the Void

The sun was already climbing high in the sky by the time Elian finished getting ready. He took a moment to stand in front of the mirror, fixing his hair and making sure his hoodie was straight. It wasn't anything special, just another day of school, but he was feeling unusually energized.

With his bag slung over his shoulder, Elian headed out of his dorm, walking through the familiar streets of the city. As he passed the usual corner store, he waved at the old man behind the counter, who was always working early mornings. It was these little things, these simple connections, that made Elian feel grounded. He liked the routine of his life, the steady pace. Today was no different, and that was perfectly fine with him.

When he arrived at school, he immediately ran into his group of friends outside the campus gates. There was his friend Marco and Rhea.

"Yo, Elian! You ready for today's lab?" Marco called, clapping him on the back.

Elian laughed, rubbing his neck. "I'm always ready, man. Just hope we don't blow anything up this time."

Rhea chimed in with a smirk. "Only if you stop trying to fix things that aren't broken, Marco."

They all chuckled, making their way into the building. It was always the same kind of banter, but it was the kind of easy conversation that made Elian feel at home. He didn't have to try hard with these people. They all understood each other in a way that made their friendships effortless.

The first class of the day was a lab session, and Elian dove right into the work. He was quick to get things done, his mind sharp as always, and before long, the group had already finished setting up their experiment. He worked well with Marco and Rhea, each of them contributing in their own way, but it was clear that Elian's hands-on approach made the difference. He was in his element.

By noon, the group was heading out for lunch. They usually grabbed a bite at a nearby café, and today was no different. As they walked, Rhea was talking about the latest episode of a show she'd been watching, while Marco was telling an exaggerated story about his last trip to the mall.

"And then—get this—some kid came up to me and said I looked like the Hulk!" Marco laughed, rubbing his arms dramatically. "I mean, I guess I do work out, but still..."

"You probably scared the kid half to death," Elian joked, nudging him.

"Oh please, I'm a teddy bear," Marco replied, grinning. "You should have seen the way he ran off!"

The conversation was light, the group's laughter filling the air as they made their way to the café. Elian ordered a sandwich, munching on it as he listened to his friends argue over whether or not pineapple belonged on pizza. It was the kind of typical lunch break, and Elian couldn't help but appreciate the small moments like these.

After lunch, Elian had a few hours of free time before his next class, so he decided to head to the park near campus to relax. It was a spot he often went to when he needed a break. He liked the quietness, the feeling of being surrounded by nature, even if it was just a small patch of green in the middle of the city.

As he walked through the park, he noticed the usual sights the joggers, the dog walkers, and the people simply enjoying the warmth of the sun. Elian was about to pull out his phone to check for any messages when he saw someone sitting under one of the large oak trees. The person's head was tilted back, and their eyes were fixed on the sky, as if they were lost in thought.

It was Rei.

Elian blinked, tilting his head, a curious feeling washing over him. He wasn't the type to leave things unanswered, so, without thinking too much about it, he walked over.

"Hey, Rei?" Elian called out casually, his tone friendly.

Rei slowly turned his head, his expression neutral, but he gave Elian a nod.

"Hey too," Rei answered, his voice calm but not unfriendly.

Elian took a few steps closer and sat down on the grass, stretching his legs out in front of him. "We meet again huh"

Rei glanced over at him, his lips twitching slightly, as if he was considering something. "yeah," he said, shrugging lightly. "You're an engineering, student?"

"Yep," Elian replied, adjusting his position. "3rd year. How about you? Still in high school?"

Rei nodded. "Senior year. Just passing through." He glanced back up at the sky, and there was a moment of quiet between them. Elian didn't mind the silence; it was rare, but sometimes it was nice to just let things be.

"So, what's up? You just staring at the clouds or something?" Elian asked, raising an eyebrow. He didn't mind getting to know Rei, but he wasn't going to pretend to know exactly what was going on in his head. Rei seemed pretty laid back, but Elian was curious all the same.

Rei let out a soft laugh, shaking his head. "Not really. Just... thinking."

Elian chuckled, glancing around. "I guess I can relate. Sometimes I need a break from all the noise. This place is nice for that."

"Yeah," Rei agreed. "It's peaceful here. Helps clear my mind."

They both sat in silence for a moment, each of them lost in their own thoughts. Elian didn't feel the need to push for more conversation. It was enough just being there, talking about nothing in particular, enjoying the quiet of the park.

"You know," Elian said after a while, "if you ever need someone to talk to or just grab lunch with, I'm around. You seem like you could use a break from everything, too."

Rei turned his head, his gaze meeting Elian's for a second. There was a flicker of something in his eyes, but it quickly disappeared. "Thanks," Rei said simply. "I appreciate it."

Elian stood up, brushing off his jeans. "No problem. I'll catch you around, then."

Rei nodded, his attention drifting back to the sky, his fingers playing absentmindedly with the grass beneath him.

As Elian walked away, he couldn't help but feel like today had been more interesting than usual. Meeting someone new, even in the most casual way, always had a way of shifting things in small but significant ways. Elian wasn't sure where things would go with Rei, but he wasn't in a hurry to figure it out. For now, he was content to leave it at that.