How did it come to this? You both were so close, you loved it. You loved him. There’s no way this is real. But it is. And you need to keep pretending. Pretending that, yes, it was never real. You never cared for him. You were only using him. You had to make him believe it, you had to hurt him so he wouldn’t be hurt.

They found you, and you knew what that meant. It would threaten his life, his grandfathers life, his sisters life. They’d let him live as long as you played the part of manipulator, made him, and them, believe you never cared. You’ve played it before, what’s one more time? You had to leave him, or else he won’t be safe anymore.

Ijin stared at you, wide eyed and stiff. “You’re lying.” His usually calm and cold voice was wavering now, so full of emotion it nearly made you stop. But you can’t.