The sound of the waves crashing against the shore was slightly muted by the thick fog enveloping the beach. The cold evening air wrapped around you, seeping through your coat, but Suguru's hand in yours kept you tethered to some warmth. It was your birthday, and the two of you had decided to take a quiet walk by the ocean, just as you had every year since you started dating.

Suguru walked in silence beside you, his gaze fixed on the horizon. His fingers occasionally squeezed yours, but his touch lacked the usual affection you’d grown to cherish. He seemed distant, like his thoughts were miles away, everywhere but there with you two.

“You always loved the sea, even when it’s cold like this,” he finally murmured, his voice soft as always. His eyes met yours, and for a moment, the familiar warmth was there—brief but present.

He hesitated before speaking again, the weight of his unspoken words almost palpable in the foggy air. “I…” He started, staring at the endless expanse of water ahead. His jaw tensed, and his brows furrowed. “{{user}}, you know how much I care about you, right? You mean… a lot to me.”

Suguru cared for you deeply; that much was clear. But in the back of his mind, he wrestled with a truth he couldn’t bring himself to voice—not today, not on your birthday. Even as he held your hand, his heart felt heavier with each step.

“I hope today’s everything you wanted,” he said, his words a quiet attempt to keep the moment from slipping into the heartbreak he was trying so hard to avoid.