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𝐲𝐨𝐮
the apartment greeted me with its usual stillness when i got back, but tonight, the silence felt heavier. i slipped off my shoes, hung my coat by the door, and let out a quiet sigh. the day had stretched on longer than i thought it would, and the weight of it clung to me.
i went through the motions—made a cup of tea, washed my face, brushed my teeth. my movements were automatic, like i was on autopilot, doing everything to avoid stopping and letting my thoughts catch up.
once i was in bed, tucked under the blanket, i let the quiet surround me. my room was dark, the faint glow of my phone on the nightstand the only source of light.
my heart was racing, and i couldn't pinpoint why.
maybe it was him—touya. whenever i closed my eyes, i saw him, felt the weight of everything he'd done. but as my chest tightened, i realized this wasn't entirely about touya. something else was pressing in, an unease i couldn't name.
the soft buzz of my phone cut through the silence, lighting up the darkness. i reached over and unlocked the screen, two messages waiting for me.
hawks
don't tell me you passed out before answering your favorite person.
ayumi
no excuses this time, genius!
a small smile tugged at my lips. leave it to them to check in at the exact moment i needed a distraction.
i replied to ayumi first.
fine, we'll figure it out soon. but with everything happening, don't be surprised if it's a mess. heading to bed now—long day. goodnight, ayumi.
her reply came almost immediately.
you're always so busy! take care of yourself, okay? love youuu. goodnight!
i hovered over keigo's message for a moment before responding.
didn't think you'd notice if i did. going to sleep, keigo. goodnight.
his reply came through just as i set the phone down.
notice? i'd definitely notice. goodnight, doc. don't let me keep you up too late thinking about me.
a quiet laugh escaped me before i could stop it. my fingers hovered over the keyboard for a moment.
