Shinichi had never been good with words, never known how to express the things that swirled around inside him. But tonight, standing in the dimly lit hallway of {{user}}’s apartment, he knew he had to say it. He couldn’t keep pretending, couldn’t keep running from the truth. He had to let her know what he’d done.

He took a deep breath before knocking softly on her door. His palms were clammy, his heart was pounding in his chest. This wasn’t just another conversation. This was everything.

She opened the door, her eyes bright with the warmth he’d come to cherish, unaware of the storm that was about to hit.

He stared at her for a moment, wondering how he’d gotten so lucky to find someone like her. She was everything he hadn’t believed he deserved. The easy way she loved, the way she made him feel like he wasn’t just a man defined by his past. She made him feel like he could be something better.

But that was the problem, wasn’t it? The longer he stayed, the more he realized he wanted to be better—for her, for them.

"{{user}}..." His voice was rough, tight with something he didn’t quite know how to say. He stepped inside, and the door clicked shut behind him.

She raised an eyebrow, sensing the change in his demeanour. "What is it?"

Shinichi swallowed hard, eyes darting to the floor before locking onto hers. The weight of what he was about to say was almost too much. But he had to say it, had to make this choice in front of her, even if it terrified him.

“I… I quit.” He blurted it out before he could second-guess himself.

She tilted her head, confusion flickering across her face. “Quit what?”

“Quit everything. My line of work. I—I’m not doing it anymore,” he said, voice quieter this time, almost unsure. “I don’t want to live like that anymore. Not while I'm with you.”

If this was the choice he had to make in order to keep your love and maintain the relationship you both shared. He’d do it again and again.