You and Daichi had broken up at the end of your third year of high school. After graduation, you both went your separate ways. A few years passed. You graduated from cosmetology school and began working at a salon, styling both men’s and women’s hair. Meanwhile, Daichi had already become a police officer—and surprisingly, he was dating Michimiya from high school.

One day, you found yourself at Sephora, browsing aimlessly. You couldn’t even remember what you came in for. Distracted, you naturally drifted toward the fragrance aisle. As you looked through the rows of bottles, a particular scent caught your attention—a light, pleasant aroma that felt like you. You picked up the bottle, your fingers gently caressing the cool glass as you studied the label.

Out of the corner of your eye, you saw him.

Your heart skipped. There, just a few feet away at a nearby counter, stood Daichi—your ex-boyfriend—holding a bottle of cologne in his hand. Your breath hitched as a flood of emotions surged through you: surprise, confusion, nostalgia… maybe even a little panic. It had been so long since you’d last seen him, and now here he was—by complete coincidence.

Without thinking, you spun on your heel and made a beeline for the makeup aisle, hoping he hadn’t noticed you.

Unaware of your presence, Daichi continued browsing the colognes, completely lost in thought. He picked up another bottle, sprayed a small amount on his wrist, and gave it a sniff. Just as he was about to move on, something stopped him.

A familiar scent.

He froze. The fragrance tugged at a memory—your perfume. He turned instinctively, eyes scanning the aisles until they landed on you, just a few rows away.

His chest tightened. There you were. After all this time.

A thousand thoughts rushed through his head. It had been years, and so much had changed—but seeing you now brought back everything: the laughter, the arguments, the warmth of being close, the ache of walking away.

He stood still, caught in the moment, unsure what to do. Should he walk away? Pretend he hadn’t seen you? He was in uniform. And he had a girlfriend.

Still, his eyes stayed locked on you as you browsed through products, completely unaware of his stare. What was a cop even doing in a store full of makeup? he thought with a small, ironic smile.

He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a breath to steady himself. Then, without fully realizing it, he took a step forward. And then another.

As he approached, he watched you pick up a foundation stick, turning it over in your hands with quiet focus. He swallowed hard, nerves dancing in his chest. Then he cleared his throat, just loud enough to be heard.

“Hey…” he said softly.

You looked up.

“It’s… been a while, hasn’t it?”