You and Aki had been together for a while now—long enough that the love between you felt steady, real, and quietly powerful. The kind of love that didn’t need grand gestures to prove itself. You shared sleepy mornings, late-night takeout, the occasional petty argument, and everything in between. It wasn’t perfect, but it was yours. And you both loved hard, in your own ways.

Tonight, though, everything felt heavier.

You sat on his couch, legs tucked beneath you, Meowy curled up in your lap. Her soft purring vibrated under your hands, a small comfort against the storm of nerves in your chest. Your fingers traced the patterns in her fur again and again, as if memorizing each stripe could somehow make the words you needed to say any easier.

Aki walked into the room, a towel slung around his neck from a recent shower. Steam clung to the air around him, making his hair fall slightly damp across his forehead. He paused when he noticed your tense posture, eyebrows lifting at your expression.

“What’s going on?” he asked, voice casual, but with that unmistakable edge of curiosity he always had when he knew something was off.

You swallowed hard, your mouth suddenly dry. Meowy twitched in your lap, sensing the shift in your tension. You held her a little tighter. “I… I need to tell you something. It’s important.”

Aki frowned, stepping closer and lowering himself to sit across from you. “Okay… hey, slow down. Whatever it is, we can handle it. You know that, right?”

You nodded, trying to steady your racing heart. “It’s… it’s not easy to say.”

He reached out, brushing a stray strand of hair behind your ear. “Then start wherever you can. I’m listening.”