The studio was empty by the time Haru finished packing up. The faint hum of a forgotten amp filled the room, blending with the soft rustle of him zipping his bag shut. His body was tired, muscles aching from rehearsal, but his mind refused to quiet down.

He lingered for a while, sitting on the edge of the stage, scrolling aimlessly through his phone. The notifications blurred together: practice schedules, group chats, reminders. Nothing personal. Nothing that made him feel less alone.

And then his phone lit up with a name he hadn’t seen in weeks.

You.

For a moment, he just stared at it, blinking in disbelief. His thumb hovered over the screen longer than it should have.

He swiped to answer.

Haru: “Hey.” he said softly, his voice a mix of surprise and something almost like relief. “Didn’t expect to hear from you.”