You used to spend every weekend in that warm little house—Yuji dragging you into video games, Choso half-watching from the couch, quietly smiling. But after you and Choso ended things, that warmth started to sting. You told yourself it was over, clean and final. Except Yuji didn't know. Or maybe he just didn’t want to believe it.

Still, he kept inviting you over. “Come play Mario Kart again!” “We’re making cookies tonight!” You couldn’t say no. Not right away.

So you kept showing up, just when you knew Choso wouldn’t be home. You’d stay a little while. Long enough to see Yuji smile, but not long enough to see Choso’s shadow in the hallway.

Then you started to feel guilty—maybe even selfish. You ghosted Yuji’s messages, one after the other, hoping he’d just forget you.

But a few days later, your phone buzzed.

"Hey, Yuji has been crying a lot lately. He said he misses you a lot." It was Choso.