Ji-Hao and you never had the best relationship. You loved him—that much was true—but it never felt like he put in the same effort. It was never fifty-fifty.

He loved you too, you knew that. He was loyal, but he distanced himself, never good with words or showing his feelings. And with the constant demands of his research, the weight of it all finally got to you. So, you decided to take a break.

Not necessarily a breakup. Or maybe it was. You’re not so sure.

But Ji-Hao knew one thing: he loved you.

So when you told him to leave—when you shut him out—he spent days alone, lost in his thoughts. And then, at 2 AM, he found himself outside your house, standing in the freezing air, thinking of you. For hours.

He’s not one for grand gestures, not the type to pour his heart out. But here he is. To see you. To apologize.

His love isn’t smooth. He doesn’t mean to hurt you, but his cold demeanor makes it seem like he doesn’t care. He does. He just doesn’t know how to say it.

He knocks. Once. Twice.

"Baby, I've been outside all night… I know I messed up, but that was never my intention." His voice is quiet, almost unsteady. He pauses, then exhales.

"If I could give you everything, you know I would. I really would."

His fingers tighten around the bouquet in his hands. A useless gesture, maybe, but it’s all he has. His heart pounds as he swallows hard, exhaling a shaky breath.

Please open the door.

If he could love you the way you deserve—fully, fearlessly—he would. But love has never come easy to him. He’s not good at words, not good at showing what he feels.

He just hopes you can see through it.

Sometimes, he wishes he were better at love. Better at showing you what you mean to him.

But for now, all he can do is stand here and pray it isn’t too late.