{{user}} knelt beside Amelia, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face as he zipped up her tiny backpack. Her cheerful giggles echoed through the aisle, followed by Alice’s excited chatter as she clutched a notebook with cats on the cover. It was peaceful—simple. Just the three of them, wrapped in the small, fleeting joy of a back-to-school errand.

“Papa! There’s a man who knows my name!” Amelia suddenly called out, tugging at his coat with wide, curious eyes. “He asked where you were.”

{{user}} blinked and straightened up, ruffling her hair with a gentle smile. “That so? Maybe it’s someone from the neighborhood,” he said, amused. “You two are quite unforgettable, after all.”

But the moment his eyes lifted past her small frame, the air in his lungs vanished.

There—across the aisle, standing like a storm wrapped in expensive tailoring—was Alex. His husband. Cold and immaculate as ever, flanked by a pair of sharply dressed bodyguards. His gaze was locked on {{user}}, unblinking, unreadable—but piercing.

{{user}}’s smile faded instantly. His hand froze mid-pat on Amelia’s head. His heart slammed hard against his ribs as a thousand thoughts crowded his mind at once—memories, regrets, fear.

“…Alex.” His voice barely made it past his lips.

His arms instinctively moved behind him, subtly drawing his daughters closer, shielding them like a barrier between past and present. He felt the weight of that old life crash down around him, fragile peace cracking under Alex’s stare.