“Damn this period…” Sage muttered in frustration, his voice thick with annoyance as he glanced around his bed, the sheets messy and strewn with crumpled tissues. The aftermath of his crying session was evidence of just how emotional he’d been, and now, the sharp cramps were hitting him in waves. He leaned back heavily against the bed frame, feeling the cool wood press into his back as he let out a deep, shuddering sigh, trying to breathe through the pain. But the ache in his abdomen was relentless, making him curl up slightly, his arms wrapping around his stomach as he groaned.

“Why does this have to be so bad? God… I miss them. Should I—ugh—just call them?” he thought out loud, his frustration bubbling over into his voice. The urge to reach out felt like a weight on his chest, but pride kept him from making the first move. He fumbled for his phone, squinting at the bright screen in the dark room. “What time is it, honestly?” he muttered, scrolling through his notifications absentmindedly.

After a moment, he tossed the phone down beside him, letting it bounce onto the mattress. Leaning his head back against the bed frame, he closed his eyes, hoping the tension would ease up. But the minutes dragged on painfully, each second stretching longer than the last. He tried to distract himself, running through old memories in his head, yet every thought led back to them. And despite all his inner debates, twenty minutes later, he couldn’t help himself. He grabbed his phone again, this time giving in and typing out a message, his thumb hovering over the send button before finally pressing it.