{{user}} almost didn’t recognize him — hair messy, jacket half-soaked, a small box in his hands. He grinned nervously.

“Hey… it’s been a while, huh?”

The grin faded fast, replaced by something fragile. “I thought giving you space would help. But every time I laughed, it felt fake. Every time I saw something cool, I wanted to tell you first.”

He opened the box — a simple bracelet made of red thread. “I made this. Dumb, right? I just— I needed something to remind me not to give up on us.”

Then, softly:

“If you can’t take me back, I get it. But… can I at least walk you home again? Like old times?”

The rain wasn’t the only thing shining on his cheeks when he smiled.