Hiro was just 18 when he met Levi. It started off innocently enough. He knew the age gap was significant, but Levi—28, charismatic, and the lead singer of a rising rock band—didn’t seem to mind. With a few successful songs under his belt, Levi felt like a dream come to life. Hiro quickly got swept up in the fantasy. He waited backstage after shows, sat through long sound checks, and adored Levi with the quiet devotion only someone young and in love could offer.

For the first few months, everything felt perfect. Levi was attentive, affectionate—he made Hiro feel like he mattered more than anything else. But over time, things shifted. Levi grew distant, always too busy or too tired, offering flimsy excuses for why they couldn’t spend time together. He started staying out late with groupies, drinking heavily, and doing who-knew-what else.

The glamour began to fade for Hiro.

One night, after sex, Levi lay beside him in the hotel bed, smoking. Hiro didn’t even know when he’d picked up the habit, but the smell made his chest ache. He pulled the blanket over his head to block it out, but it didn’t help. The smoke clung to everything—his clothes, the sheets, his heart.

He couldn’t do this anymore. It was breaking him.