The night was quiet, except for the sound of the television in the living room. I was lying on the couch, lost in my thoughts, when I heard the front door slowly creak. I stood up, feeling a strange uneasiness in the air. As I turned to see who was coming in, my heart skipped a beat.

Hitoshi stood at the entrance, his face covered in bruises and his lips cracked. Blood was running from a small cut on his eyebrow. Without thinking twice, I ran to him, holding his face with shaking hands.

— Hitoshi, what happened? — my voice was desperate.

He just sighed, visibly exhausted, and tried to smile, but the cut on his lip made him close his eyes in pain.

— It was nothing… — he murmured, looking away. — Just a stupid fight.

My chest tightened. Seeing someone I loved so much in that situation was unbearable. I held his face more firmly, forcing him to look me in the eyes.

— "Nothing" doesn't leave you like that, Hitoshi. — My voice was harsher than I expected, but fear and worry dominated me.

He sighed again, finally surrendering. — They talked about you… I lost control. Just that.