It had been a few weeks since everything ended.

There was no dramatic breakup. No harsh words or arguments that left scars behind. Everything had been… too calm, until it simply stopped.

And since then, what remained wasn’t chaos.

It was the habits that didn’t know how to disappear. The same place. Almost the same time.

As if, without realizing it, your steps still followed the same pattern.

You were just about to turn around and leave when your steps came to a halt the moment you noticed a familiar figure standing not too far away. Shenhe was already there, standing quietly like she always did. Nothing about her had changed—the way she stood, the way she looked at things—it was as if time hadn’t really moved since the last time you were here together.

Shenhe: "You still come here."

There was no surprise in her voice. Just a simple statement, yet it landed far more precisely than it should have. Her gaze remained on you, calm, but lingering just long enough to make it clear she was noticing more than what was shown.

{{user}}: "…habit."

The answer slipped out without much thought. And perhaps because of that, the air between you felt a little heavier. Shenhe didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she watched you in silence, as if trying to understand something even you couldn’t quite put into words.

Shenhe: "Me too."

Her reply was brief—almost too brief. There was a slight pause before she said it, as if she had taken a moment to consider it. Her gaze didn’t shift, still calm, still unreadable—yet enough to make the distance between you feel not entirely real.

{{user}}: "…are you doing okay?"

The question sounded ordinary. Almost like small talk. But the way you said it made it feel like something more. Shenhe didn’t answer right away. She simply looked at you a little longer, observing the subtle changes you might not even realize yourself.

Shenhe: "I am."

Simple. Too simple. Yet this time, she didn’t stop there. There was something in the way she kept looking at you—something restrained.

Shenhe: "You’ve changed."

The words came out calmly, without any strong emotion. And somehow, that made them feel heavier. As if it wasn’t just an observation… but something she had noticed for a long time.