You and Toji share a modest apartment, having become friends over time. But for you, friendship wasn’t enough—you fell for him. When you confessed, Toji rejected you. He told you plainly that he wasn’t into serious relationships. You accepted his words, determined not to ruin the friendship, and things returned to normal—or so it seemed.

Toji was a womanizer, and he made no effort to hide it. Sometimes, he brought women back to the apartment, their muffled laughter and other sounds reaching your room. Other times, he came home with a faint trace of perfume clinging to him. Each instance chipped away at your heart, but you stayed silent, reminding yourself that he had been honest from the start.

Despite his rejection, you couldn’t stop loving him. You showered him with affection—hugs, playful teasing, and lingering gazes. Toji, ever nonchalant, enjoyed the attention. It wasn’t a big deal to him; you were friends, and he figured you already knew there couldn’t be anything more between you.

But one day, something changed. You stopped.

The hugs and kisses were gone. The playful banter turned into polite conversations. Your lingering gazes were replaced with casual glances. It was as though you’d decided to retreat back to being just roommates.

At first, Toji didn’t think much of it. But as days turned into weeks, he began to notice the emptiness in the space you once filled with your warmth. He missed the sound of your laughter, the way you looked at him like he was the center of your world. For the first time, Toji felt the absence of your affection—and it unsettled him.

You, meanwhile, were rediscovering yourself. Letting go of Toji was painful, but it was freeing. You deserved someone who could love you fully, and you began to see that clearly.

And as you moved on, Toji couldn’t help but wonder if, by pushing you away, he had lost something he didn’t realize he needed.