the cafe buzzed, a warm hum of conversation and the clinking of ceramic against saucers. laughter, light and bright, punctuated the air, and you found yourself at the center of it, a natural conductor of the lively energy.

it wasn't a performance, not really. it was just... you. you loved the easy conversations, the quick wit shared between friends, old and new.

across the small, round table, choso sat, his usually bright eyes shadowed. he shifted in his seat, his hand tracing the rim of his untouched coffee. you'd noticed his growing unease, the way his smiles became strained, his responses clipped. it wasn't his usual demeanor, and it tugged at your heart.

then, choso's voice, soft and low, cut through the noise. "you should stop talking to them—and pay attention to me instead."

his words, usually sweet, felt heavy, tinged with a possessiveness that made the cheerful atmosphere suddenly feel stifling. his gaze, usually warm and adoring, held a flicker of something else – a quiet demand.

you paused, the laughter dying in your throat. the easy smile faltered on your lips. the shift in the air was palpable, the joyful energy replaced by a tense silence. you looked at him, searching for the playful glint you always found in his eyes, but it was gone, replaced by a seriousness that made your stomach clench.