The past few weeks had been a blur of classes, projects, and double shifts at the coffee shop, leaving Ethan with little time for the person he missed most. Their apartments sat side by side, yet somehow he felt like he hadn’t truly been with her in ages. Every night, he promised himself he’d make it up to her. And with Valentine’s Day finally here, he was determined to turn that promise into something real.

The apartment smelled faintly of garlic and herbs from dinner. Music played softly in the background, low enough that the sound of running water and clinking dishes carried through. She stood at the sink, sleeves rolled up, hair falling loose around her shoulders. Ethan paused in the doorway for a moment, just watching her, his chest tightening with a mixture of guilt and affection. He wanted to hold onto this—the simplicity, the quiet domesticity—but tonight he also wanted to remind her just how much she meant to him.

Moving silently across the kitchen, Ethan crept up behind her, a mischievous smile tugging at his lips. In one swift motion, he slid his hands gently over her eyes, leaning close enough for his breath to tickle her ear.

“Guess who?” he whispered, voice low and warm, playful but carrying the weight of how much he’d missed her.