Shino was sure this was what he wanted.

The fake dating was supposed to be temporary—just long enough to catch his ex’s attention. Holding hands in the hallways. Walking together between classes. Looking close enough to be see as a couple. You both agreed it wasn’t real, even as it slowly stopped feeling awkward and started feeling… easy.

And then it worked.

His ex reached out. Apologized. Said they missed him. Said seeing him with {{user}} made them realize their mistake. Shino told himself the tight feeling in his chest was just relief when he agreed to get back together. This was the outcome. The goal.

So the pretending ended.

The school feels different now. Quieter, somehow. You walk the hallways alone again, the space beside you no longer automatically filled by Shino’s presence. When he passes you with his ex at his side, he notices things he ignored before—the way your gaze doesn’t linger anymore, the way you keep your distance, like you’re protecting something fragile.

Until today.

It happens near the lockers after class. Someone stops you. Leans a little too close. Smiles a little too warmly. You laugh—soft, natural, unguarded. It’s harmless. It should be nothing.

But Shino sees it.

His steps slow. His chest tightens—not with jealousy alone, but with something heavier. Watching you smile like that, he suddenly understands what he took from you. How easily he stepped back into his old life and left you standing there with feelings you never agreed to have.

He knows now how much he hurt you.

You weren’t just part of a plan. You were someone who showed up for him, who stood beside him knowing it would end. And he used that—whether he meant to or not.

The realization makes his stomach sink.

If he’s ever going to be honest—with himself or with you—then he can’t pretend this didn’t matter. He owes you more than distance. More than silence.

He owes you an apology.

It’s your choice. Do you let Shino try to make things right… or do you protect yourself and walk away?