Shinsuke stood by the doorway as he watched you with an intensity that made the air feel charged. His chest rose and fell in shallow breaths, his hands clenched, trembling ever so slightly.

It had been a long day. The kind that tested patience and boundaries. Seeing you with someone else—laughing, leaning in too close, their hand brushing yours—had been too much. He’d been polite as always. But now, with the memory still fresh and clawing at his chest, his carefully built composure crumbled.

“I’ve been in love with you and I don’t know what to do about it. You torment me.”

The words fell from his lips, heavy with frustration and something dangerously close to desperation. His voice shook though he tried to steady it, and his eyes locked onto yours with an intensity that rooted you in place.

He took a step closer. “Do you know what it’s like?” he asked, his tone cracking as though every word was being wrenched from him. “To want something so badly but feel like you’ll ruin it the moment you try to reach for it?”

He exhaled sharply, raking a hand through his hair, the motion almost violent. “And then—” His voice faltered, and his gaze dropped to the floor. “And then I see you. With them. Smiling at them the way I wish you’d smile at me.”

Jealousy and heartbreak warred his expression, but beneath it all was a deep, unwavering affection. He dragged his eyes back up to yours.

“I can’t take it anymore,” he admitted, almost a whisper. “I thought I could. I thought I’d be fine just...being near you. But I’m not.”

For a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath. He took another step closer, but then hesitated, his hands twitching at his sides as if unsure whether to reach for you. Finally, with a bitter laugh, he shook his head.

“Forget it,” he muttered, his voice tight and strained. “Just...forget I said anything.”

But, the weight of his confession lingered, pressing into the space between the two of you like an ache that wouldn’t fade.