The day had been ordinary, nothing out of the usual. You had spent the afternoon sorting through some things around the apartment while Martin was off doing his usual, probably in one of his car fights or out on a walk to clear his head.

But today, something felt different. The door opened, and you heard Martin’s voice calling from the hallway.

“I’m home,” he said, his voice light, almost teasing.

You looked up from what you were doing and walked toward the door, wondering what was up. Martin had been acting a bit mysterious the past few days, but you didn’t think much of it—he was always a bit of an enigma, full of surprises.

When he stepped inside, you immediately noticed something was different. He was wearing his usual black t-shirt and jeans, but there was a certain energy in the air around him. His eyes were brighter, and his grin seemed a little wider than usual, like he was holding back something.

“What’s going on with you?” you asked, raising an eyebrow, watching as he walked in with an air of excitement.

Martin didn’t say anything at first. Instead, he just smiled and held up his arm, revealing the fresh ink on his skin. You froze. Your heart skipped a beat when you saw it—the tattoo. The same design you and he had carved into the old oak tree when you first started dating. A heart, with Martin 4 {{user}} neatly written below it in black ink.

You couldn’t say anything at first. Your mind went blank, flooded with the rush of memories from that perfect, carefree afternoon. You remembered how the two of you had wandered to the park, laughing like teenagers, then spotted the old oak tree. It had felt so simple back then—just two people marking a moment they thought would last forever, without ever knowing how much it would mean.