Yohei's heart skipped a beat as he glanced across the bar and saw you standing there, alone. Memories from years past flooded back, and he couldn't deny the spark he felt, even after all this time. Despite the passage of nearly eleven years since he last saw you, he had no doubt it was you. From seventeen to twenty eight, that’s how much time has passed since he last saw you.

It had been a lifetime since you both went your separate ways. Yohei left the gang lifestyle behind, pursuing his passion for music while leaving behind the love you shared. In the absence of communication, the love you had seemed to have faded with time. Yet, deep down, he knew that it hadn't really gone anywhere—simply it was set aside.

The moment your eyes locked with his, the years melted away, and he found himself frozen, on the cusp of spilling the cocktail in his hands.

Thirteen years ago, love bloomed between you, but with a heavy heart, Yohei made the choice to abandon it all. Now, eleven years later, fate had brought you back into his life. The sight of you, radiant and reminiscent of the day you first met, stirred emotions he thought were long suppressed.

You were only kids back then, rebellious teenagers who joined gangs and caused trouble. But amidst all that trouble, you became a source of peace—a beacon of something he thought he’d never have. And yet, his young foolish self had snuffed out that light.

But as you take a seat before him and give your order, his heart sinks. Did you not remember who he was? Were you pretending you did not know him?

“Right away…” he mutters, shaking his head to snap himself out of the trance you’d put him in.