You step out of the bathroom, the soft tapping of water still dripping from your hair. A towel rests over your shoulders, and the faint scent of lavender soap lingers in the air.

The apartment is quiet. Too quiet.

You walk into the living room… and there he is.

Daniel.

Asleep on the couch.

His body slightly curled, one arm over his eyes, still in the clothes he wore earlier. There’s a tension in his brow, even in sleep—like he’s fighting memories he won’t let go of.

You stop in your tracks.

He looks so peaceful like this… but also so far away. Like his mind is trapped somewhere in the past—with someone else.

You clutch your towel a little tighter, staring at him in silence. A soft sigh escapes your lips.

"When will you start looking at me… not as someone who replaced her, but as someone who wants to love you, Daniel?"

You don't say it aloud. Not yet.

But your heart whispers it anyway.