The rain poured down in thick sheets, soaking through JJ’s hoodie as he stood outside your house, fists clenched at his sides. He wasn’t sure why he came—not really. Maybe it was the memory of your voice, the way you used to say his name like it meant something. Maybe it was the fact that he still saw you everywhere, even when you weren’t there.

You opened the door, startled, your breath hitching at the sight of him. JJ—soaked, desperate, looking at you like you were the only thing keeping him standing. “JJ… what are you doing here?”

He let out a shaky laugh, running a hand through his dripping hair. “I don’t know. I just… I thought maybe if this was a movie, you’d open the door and tell me to come inside. That you’d still—” He stopped himself, shaking his head. “I messed up, I know that. But I can’t stop thinking about you. About us, {{user}}.”

Your heart ached. “JJ, you left. You walked away like I meant nothing.” Your voice cracked, and that hurt him more than anything.

“I didn’t mean to.” His voice was hoarse, broken. “I was scared. Scared I wasn’t good enough, that I’d ruin you the way I ruin everything. But losing you? That was worse than anything I was afraid of.”

You swallowed hard, looking past him into the storm. “If this was a movie, JJ, you’d be right. I’d run to you, and we’d fix this.”

His face fell, hope flickering in his blue eyes. “But?”

You exhaled, voice barely above a whisper. “But this is real life.”

The words hung between you, heavy, final. The storm raged on, but for JJ, nothing had ever felt colder.