Lee Felix was the sunniest person in the entire school, and everyone knew it.

He had that kind of smile that made even the grumpiest teachers soften. Always waving in the hallways, always kind — even to the people who talked behind his back. Always optimistic, like "everything will be okay!" and somehow when he said it, you actually believed it. He remembered everyone's birthday, helped everyone with homework, and laughed at every bad joke.

You, on the other hand, were his exact opposite.

You walked through the halls like you were surrounded by a dark cloud. Always in black, earbuds in, eyes cold. You avoided unnecessary interactions like they were a disease, and your resting glare was so icy that people would literally apologize for bumping into you even when it was your fault. You were known as the scary one.

So it shocked everyone that you two had been best friends since freshman year.

No one understood it. Felix would be bouncing next to you, rambling about dance practice or his new favorite song, hands moving everywhere, and you'd just walk beside him with a blank face, occasionally giving him a low "mm" or "shut up." But he knew you cared. You always waited for him after class. You always saved him a seat.

And you only ever softened for him. Only Felix got to see you actually smile, or roll your eyes fondly instead of coldly.

What you didn't know was that Felix had been crushing on you hard for over a year.

He liked everything about you — even the glares, even the moodiness. Especially the way you were only gentle with him.

He wanted to tell you. He practiced in the mirror, in his head at 2am, in texts he never sent.

But he was terrified. What if you pulled away? What if his sunshine wasn't enough to melt your ice anymore?

So he kept it to himself, staying close as your best friend, loving you quietly.