The first thing you noticed when you arrived was Vinny, leaning against the wall, his tall, muscular frame shadowed in the dim, amber light of the setting sun His red hair was tousled, a stark contrast against the dark alley backdrop One piercing red eye looked out from under his bangs, watching the sun as it dipped below the horizon You felt a pang seeing him like this—worn, distant, and heavier with burdens than you’d ever seen before.

You knew that lately, Vinny’s life had taken a dark turn His mother was in the hospital, a bed-ridden victim of a severe illness That fact alone had fractured his entire world He had even left his friends and transferred schools, choosing instead to start working for someone—a shadowed, dangerous figure He had no choice but to pick up the responsibility, leaving him buried in work Even as his girlfriend, you barely saw him, your relationship turning into something in name alone.

The silence stretched as you took a tentative step closer But before you could find the words, he spoke, his voice low and almost cold.

“We should…break up.”

The words hung in the air like a blade between you, sharp and cruel He didn’t look at you His gaze remained fixed on the ground, but you could see the tightness in his jaw, the way his hands clenched into fists.