You were in the attic, brushing off dust and chasing memories. Just exploring. Just… existing.

That’s when you found it—your old senior photo.

Faded at the edges, but still full of the laughter and awkward poses of your final year.

You held it up to the light, eyes scanning the familiar faces. And then—You saw him.

Eres.

“Oh—Eres!” you breathed, a small smile tugging at your lips.

You hadn’t thought of him in a while. He was always quiet, always somewhere in the background of your memories.

But something made you look closer.

He was smiling in the picture. Not at the camera. Not at the friend beside him.

His eyes—his smile—were aimed at you.

Your chest tightened without warning. You needed air.

So you slipped outside into the cool breeze, trying to clear your head. The world felt too quiet, like it was holding its breath.

And then—you bumped into someone.

You looked up, wide-eyed.

It was him.

Eres.

Standing there, just like he’d been in the photo. Only this time, his smile was real… and still just for you.