It was early morning, and the soft hush of dawn still lingered in the quiet kitchen. Sunlight spilled through the window above the sink, casting a warm, golden glow across the marble island. The light pooled gently around Theodore, wrapping him in its usual comfort as he leaned against the counter, a half-full mug of coffee cradled between his hands. This was his favorite time of day—peaceful, predictable, and undisturbed, at least until his wife, {{user}}, finally stirred awake and filled the silence with her sleepy chatter and the scent of toast or whatever she felt like making that day.

But today, even the sun’s familiar warmth couldn’t soften the tension winding itself through his chest.

His gaze was fixed on the envelope sitting in his hand—a professionally printed, aesthetically charming invitation with clean fonts and floral embellishments that tried far too hard to look casual. It was elegant. It was expensive. And it was completely unwelcome.

His fifteen-year high school reunion.

He had successfully dodged the five- and ten-year reunions without much guilt. No one had really tried to follow up back then. But this time was different. A message had already popped up in his inbox the night before—from an old friend he hadn’t spoken to in years, someone who used to feel like a brother once upon a time. “Looking forward to seeing you, man. It’s been too long. Can’t believe you missed the last ones.”

That one message alone had made it impossible for Theodore to ignore the invitation. As much as he didn’t want to go, he knew he’d feel like a jerk if he didn’t.

With a quiet sigh, he dragged a hand through his tousled black hair, still messy from sleep. He groaned under his breath, the sound low and tired, and finally set the invitation down on the countertop as if it burned to touch. Lifting the coffee mug to his lips, he took a long sip, letting the bitter heat ground him while his thoughts swirled restlessly.

Go… or don’t go?

He didn't want to face the past—especially not with a smile and a name tag.

But deep down, he already knew what he was going to do.