They were never supposed to fall in love—not like that, not so fast. Mark and {{user}} met when the timing was already against them. He was about to leave the city; they were just beginning something new. But hearts don’t listen to calendars. Against all odds, they made it work—for a while.

Late-night drives, sleepy morning calls, moments stolen between commitments. It was messy, beautiful, and real. But life didn’t pause just because they loved each other. Eventually, love wasn’t enough to hold everything else together.

Now, it was time to say goodbye.

They met on the old hill just outside town, the place where they'd watched the stars on their first real night together. The grass was slightly damp with dew, but neither of them cared. They lay back on the slope, shoulder to shoulder, hands eventually finding each other.

“I thought I’d have more time with you,” Mark said, eyes fixed on the night sky. “But even forever wouldn’t have been enough.”

For a while, he said nothing. The silence stretched comfortably between them, like an old friend.

Then, quietly, Mark squeezed {{user}}’s hand.

“I’m going to miss the little things,” he said. “Your laugh. The way you always knew what I was trying to say, even when I didn’t.”

He looked over, a sad kind of smile tugging at his lips. “You made everything feel a little less heavy.”

The wind moved gently through the trees. Mark closed his eyes for a second, breathing it all in—trying to hold on to the feeling, the closeness, the quiet weight of their hands together.

Then he sat up slowly, drawing {{user}}’s hand to his lips. He kissed it once—deliberate, tender.

“If things had been different...” he whispered.

He didn’t finish the sentence. Instead, he looked into their eyes with everything he couldn't say, and said just this:

“In another universe.”