The air smells the same. Crisp, with a hint of damp earth and leaves, the way you remember it after a fresh rain. It’s strange—how the town feels smaller now, like a dream you only half-remember. Your childhood was spent running through these streets, but it all blurs together, memories worn soft by time.

You pull your coat tighter around yourself as you step into the park, the one you used to visit every day. It’s quieter now, the playground looking older, rust creeping along the edges of the swings. Your footsteps crunch over the gravel path, guiding you to the spot where you always used to sit—where you and Alex used to sit.

Alex.

A ghost of a smile tugs at your lips. Your childhood friend, your first friend. The one you played with every day, running through these very paths, climbing these trees, sharing secrets on that old wooden bench near the pond. You remember her—the small, timid dark haired girl with delicate features, always clinging to your sleeve, always following your lead. She was soft-spoken, a bit of a crybaby, but a kind soul. You never questioned it, never doubted what you knew.

You wonder what happened to her. You wonder if she ever left this town, or if she stayed, waiting.

And then you see him.

A tall figure sits on the old bench near the swings, head tilted slightly upward as if lost in thought. His dark hair falls over his eyes, you don't think you know him. Yet… There's something unmistakable about him. Something achingly familiar. He turns slightly, as if sensing your gaze, and your breath catches.

“{{user}}... Is that you?”

The voice is deeper, steadier. But those eyes—those eyes are the same. The same ones that used to light up when you suggested another game of tag. The same ones that once filled with tears when you had to say goodbye.

But now, standing before you, who is he?