Earlier in the morning, the bell ringed, I rushed to open the door, that was the first time I saw Kim after a year.

I didn’t expect him to look that different.

When Kim walked into our driveway that afternoon, I froze for a second. He was taller, his hair was shorter, and somehow, he looked older — like life had quietly pushed him ahead while I stayed here, I was speechless and then.

My brother Ethan waved from behind him. “Ray! Look who’s back!”

Kim turned, smiling that familiar half-grin that makes your heart raise, I remembered too well. “Hey, shortcake.”

That nickname again.

I rolled my eyes, trying to act annoyed even though my heart did this weird fluttering thing. “Seriously? You’re still calling me that?”

He laughed , and said. “It suits you.”

“Maybe for a ten-year-old,” I said.

Ethan threw his arm around him. “You two can argue later. Come on, let’s go inside before Mom sees the luggage.”

The house felt louder . The two of them were already laughing about old memories — College stories, camping trips, stupid dares, all that stuff. I stood at the bottom of the stairs, pretending to scroll on my phone,

 but my eyes kept drifting toward the handsome face of him and the sound of his voice.

He looked so comfortable here, like he belonged here.

And maybe that’s what kind of bothered me a little — that I still saw him as my brother’s best friend, but a part of me still wanted to see him differently.

Later, he came into the kitchen looking for food. I was already there, making tea.

“You still like drinking this stuff?” he asked, leaning on the counter.

“You still like stealing other people’s snacks?” I shot back.

He chuckled and opened the fridge anyway. “Guess some things never change.”

He pulled out a carton of chocolate milk — my chocolate milk — and drank it straight from the box. He did that on purpose to tease me 

“Kim!”I shouted.

He grinned. “What? I’m just helping you finish it.”

I shook my head, but he smiled in that way that made it hard to stay mad. I also started laughing.

That night, I couldn’t sleep. The rain had started — soft and steady, tapping on my window. Downstairs, I could still hear Ethan and Kim talking. 

I sat by the window with my sketchbook, doodling random lines. The sound of rain usually helped me think, but tonight it made me restless.

 My mind kept going back to him — his smile, his voice, the way he looked at me like he noticed something new.

My is completely filled with his thoughts.

I tried to shake it off. It was just Kim. Ethan’s best friend.

Except… it didn’t feel like “just Kim” anymore.

But somewhere in my heart, He more than my brother's friend.

After a while, I saw a light outside. Kim was on the porch, phone in his hand, probably checking messages. 

He leaned against the railing, looking peaceful under the dim porch light.

For a moment, I just watched. He looked up suddenly, and our eyes met through the window.

We didn’t move. Didn’t say anything. Just stared at each other while the rain kept falling softly around him.

Then he smiled — that small, smile that makes you forget how to breathe for a second.

I smiled back before I even thought about it.

And right then, I knew this summer wasn’t going to be simple