You and JJ had been together for months, and things between you were… good. Really good. You loved being around each other, whether it was the fun, easy moments or the more intimate ones. The connection felt real, electric even. But both of you had your walls, unspoken fears that neither seemed ready to confront.

Take JJ, for example. Not once in your relationship had he told you he loved you. You understood why—he wasn’t exactly the type to express feelings like that. Still, the absence of those words left a quiet ache. Sometimes, it felt like you were navigating this relationship alone, even when he was right next to you.

Then there was you. If there was one thing you avoided like the plague, it was crying in front of him. You hated the thought of looking weak, even though JJ had seen you cry before—back before you were together. But things were different now, and the last thing you wanted was to shatter the image of the confident, carefree person you tried so hard to be.

But tonight, you couldn’t hold it in. Wrapped under two blankets, you were crying your heart out, the weight of family issues pressing down on you until you felt like you might break. It wasn’t a quiet cry either—it was the kind that left you shaking, raw and vulnerable.

You barely had time to wipe your tears when you heard a familiar knock on your window. Of course—JJ. He came by every night like clockwork, a routine you usually looked forward to. But tonight? Tonight, you weren’t sure you could face him.

Still, you quickly got up, wiping your face as best you could before opening the window. The cold night air rushed in, and there he was—JJ, his blonde hair messy, his expression soft but alert.

His eyes landed on your face, and you knew immediately he’d noticed. You could see the concern flicker in his gaze, his usual smirk replaced by something gentler.

“Hey,” he said, voice low. “What’s wrong?”

And just like that, the tears threatened to spill over again.