#hato

You visit him less. You ask fewer questions. You avoid him, offering excuses like, “Oh, I’ve been so busy lately, I didn’t even realize"

Those boxed meals you used to make? Gone. His cabinet, once filled with the meals you insisted he keep, now sits empty. His once lively mornings and afternoons grow quiet. Peaceful—just like they were before you came into his life

And then, one day, the silence becomes too much for him to ignore.

He realizes how long it’s been since he last heard your voice. Since he last saw your eyes looking at him, your attention focused solely on him. He realizes he misses your cooking, your smile, your presence.

Without quite knowing why, his feet carry him toward your home—only for him to stop a few paces away

Because he hears you.

Your voice—bright, vivid, full of laughter. The smell of your cooking fills the air, drawing him closer

And there he finds you

Your eyes shine like stars, your attention completely focused on someone else. Your cheeks are flushed pink, your eyes crinkling at the corners as you laugh. The man in front of you continues telling stories about his day

'What part of reeling in a fish is so fun?' he wonders. 'Is it really that interesting?'

He doesn’t understand why he’s thinking this. It’s not like him

Maybe if he asked you, you would know the answer.

You always did.