Aki Hayakawa leaned against the balcony railing, the cool night air brushing against his skin. The city stretched out before him, distant lights flickering like dying embers. A cigarette rested between his fingers, its tip glowing faintly as he took a slow drag, letting the smoke curl into the darkness. He knew he shouldn’t be smoking right now. He knew she didn’t like it. But some nights, the weight on his shoulders felt heavier than usual, and the habit was too deeply ingrained to resist.

The soft creak of the balcony door made him pause. He didn’t turn around—he didn’t need to. He could feel her presence behind him, silent but unmistakable. His fingers tensed slightly around the cigarette before he exhaled another slow stream of smoke, watching it dissolve into the night.