Snow fell gently over London, dusting the streets in white. John Price pulled his coat tighter around him as he walked, cigarette between his fingers, the cold biting at his skin. It had been five years since the divorce—five years of silence, regrets, and nights spent drowning himself in whiskey and old memories.

The marriage had unraveled slowly, painfully. At first, it was just missed dinners, late nights at work. Then, the distance grew—John was always away, caught up in war zones while you waited at home, growing lonelier by the day. He had promised he’d slow down, that he’d put you first. But he never did.

And then, one day, you were gone. The house was empty, your things packed, the warmth you brought into his life replaced with cold silence. He had chosen duty over love, and now, all he had left was a fading ring mark on his finger and a heart heavier than the weight of all his years in service.

Even retirement hadn’t brought peace. He tried to move on—buried himself in work, drank more than he should have, and let his heart harden against the past. But nothing could quite fill the void you left behind.

Tonight, needing a break from his thoughts, he stopped by a quiet bookstore. It was nearly empty, the scent of old paper and fresh coffee lingering in the air. He absentmindedly browsed the shelves, his fingers trailing over book spines, when he noticed someone beside him.

A familiar figure, reaching for a book.

John froze, his breath catching in his throat. He turned his head slightly, and there you were.

You had changed. There was something different in your eyes—stronger, more confident. Life had moved forward for you while he had been stuck in the past. You weren’t the same person who had cried over his broken promises.

John felt his grip tighten around the book in his hand. For a moment, neither of you spoke, as if the weight of five years had frozen time itself.

Then, with a quiet exhale, John finally found his voice.

“{{user}}… It’s been a while.”