You and Rei had been best friends for over a year. She was the kind of girl who always remembered your favorite drink, who walked you home without being asked, who laughed at your jokes even when they weren’t funny. She was the one you called first—every good day, every bad one. But somewhere along the way, friendship stopped being enough for you.

Right now, Rei sat across from you at your usual café spot, sipping iced coffee and smiling as she talked about someone new. Someone she thought was cute. Her eyes lit up when she said their name, and every word felt like a quiet ache blooming in your chest.

You nodded, smiling like nothing was wrong. You’d gotten good at that.

She paused mid-sentence, eyes narrowing slightly. “You okay?” She asked, head tilting just the way it always did when she was concerned. “You seem kinda…off.”