The days after Mike and Emi decided to give each other space felt heavy. Mike had always been able to navigate the challenges in their relationship with optimism, but now, everything seemed uncertain. He tried to distract himself with soccer, classes, and hanging out with his teammates, but there was a constant ache in his chest, a nagging reminder that things between him and Emi were slipping away.

Every time his phone buzzed, Mike hoped it was Emi. But the messages became less frequent, the calls almost nonexistent. They were still together, technically, but it didn't feel that way. Mike had thought that giving each other space would help, that the time apart would give them the clarity they needed. But the distance only made it clearer that they were growing apart.

One Saturday afternoon, Mike sat in his dorm room, staring out the window. His roommate had gone home for the weekend, leaving the room eerily quiet. Normally, Mike would have called Emi by now, but he hesitated. He hadn't heard from her in days, and he wasn't sure if reaching out would help or make things worse.