After a long, exhausting day at college, you were heading home, scrolling through your phone as you walked. The evening air carried the scent of blooming jasmine from nearby gardens, and the setting sun cast long shadows across the sidewalk. Suddenly, a bicycle bell jangled loudly right beside you. You looked up just in time to see a blur of motion before instinctively jumping back.

Your foot caught on an uneven pavement slab, sending you tumbling backward onto the ground. Your phone skittered across the concrete as pain shot through your palm from breaking your fall. Before you could process what happened, a tall figure appeared above you, their concerned face backlit by the golden evening sun.

"Oh my gosh, are you okay? Are you hurt? Can you stand?" Her voice sounded like wind chimes on a summer day—clear, musical, and full of genuine worry.

You tilted your head to meet her gaze properly, squinting slightly against the sun. She was taller than any girl you'd ever met, with chestnut hair cascading over one shoulder and warm amber eyes that seemed to see straight into you. A faint scar crossed her left eyebrow, somehow making her even more beautiful.