Ben stood there.
Still.
Frozen.
His body refused to move… as if even taking a step would make everything more real.
Across the street—
Charlotte smiled.
Not the soft smile she used to give him.
Not the one that felt warm.
This one felt… distant.
Different.
And the way she stood close to Ryan—
The way his hand rested so naturally on her waist—
It told everything.
Without a single word.
Ben's fingers slowly curled into a fist.
Not in anger.
But in helplessness.
Ben (thinking):
So this is it…
A hollow feeling spread inside him.
Not loud.
Not dramatic.
Just… empty.
"Ben?"
His mother's voice broke the moment.
He quickly turned.
She was standing near the car, holding a small bag.
Mother: "What happened? You look… pale."
Ben blinked.
Forced himself to breathe.
Forced himself to look normal.
Ben:
"…Nothing, Mom. Just… a little tired."
She looked at him carefully.
Something felt off.
But she didn't push.
Mother: "Let's go. You'll be late."
Ben nodded.
He took one last glance—
But Charlotte had already gone inside.
As if she was never there.
The drive back home felt quiet.
Too quiet.
His mother spoke about small things.
Work.
Neighbors.
Random memories.
Ben responded.
Short answers.
Soft nods.
Pretending.
As if nothing had happened.
As if his world hadn't just collapsed.
Airport – Later That Evening
Ben stood alone.
People around him moved, talked, laughed—
But everything felt distant.
Muted.
Like he wasn't really there.
He checked his phone.
No new messages.
No missed calls.
Nothing.
Ben (thinking):
Four years… and it ended like this…
He let out a slow breath.
Closed his eyes.
And for the first time—
He didn't feel like chasing answers anymore.
Because now—
He had seen the truth.
Back to Himmer
The city lights welcomed him back.
But nothing felt familiar.
Nothing felt comforting.
Ben entered his apartment.
Dropped his bag near the door.
Didn't even bother turning on the lights.
He walked straight to his room—
And lay down on the bed.
Staring into the darkness.
Ben (thinking):
It's really over…
A tear slipped quietly into his hairline.
And this time—
He didn't stop it.
The Next Day
Ben didn't go to university.
His phone rang a few times.
Messages came.
But he ignored all of them.
He didn't have the energy to talk.
Didn't have the strength to pretend.
Evening
The sky was soft.
The air calm.
Luisa walked slowly toward the riverbank.
She hadn't seen Ben all day.
Something felt… off.
Her heart felt uneasy again.
Luisa (thinking):
Why do I feel like something is wrong…?
She stopped.
And then—
She saw him after many days.
Ben.
Standing near the railing.
Looking at the river.
Still.
Silent.
Something about him felt… different.
More broken than before.
Luisa walked closer.
Slow steps.
Luisa:
"…Ben?"
He didn't turn immediately.
As if her voice took time to reach him.
Then slowly—
He looked at her.
And Luisa's heart dropped.
His eyes—
Red.
Empty.
Tired in a way she had never seen before.
Luisa:
"…Are you okay?"
Ben let out a small, broken laugh.
Ben:
"Yeah… I'm fine."
But his voice—
Didn't match his words.
At all.
Luisa stepped closer.
Luisa:
"Ben… what happened?"
There was a long pause.
The wind moved gently between them.
And then—
Ben spoke.
Slowly.
As if every word was heavy.
Ben:
"I saw her."
Luisa's breath hitched slightly.
Ben continued.
Ben:
"At a café… in Aves…"
His gaze dropped.
Ben:
"She wasn't alone."
Luisa felt her chest tighten.
She didn't interrupt.
Didn't say anything.
Just listened.
Ben:
"She was with someone…"
His jaw tightened.
Ben:
"…Ryan."
Luisa's eyes widened slightly.
Ben let out a breath.
A painful one.
Ben:
"My friend."
Silence.
Heavy.
Unbearable.
Ben:
"I saw them together… like everything we had… meant nothing."
His voice cracked.
Slightly.
But enough.
Ben:
"She didn't even try to explain… nothing."
Luisa's hands slowly tightened.
Her heart hurt.
Not just for herself—
But for him.
Ben:
"I kept thinking maybe… maybe there was a reason…"
A faint, broken smile.
Ben:
"But there wasn't."
His eyes glistened.
Ben:
"She just… replaced me."
That was it.
That was the truth.
And it broke him completely.
Luisa stepped closer.
Her voice soft.
Careful.
Luisa:
"…I'm sorry, Ben…"
And for a moment—
He just looked at her.
As if holding himself together—
With the last bit of strength he had.
And then—
He broke.
Ben stepped forward—
And pulled her into a hug.
Tight.
Desperate.
As if he was drowning—
And she was the only thing keeping him afloat.
Luisa froze for a second.
Her eyes widened.
But then slowly—
She relaxed.
Her hands gently lifted—
And rested on his back.
Soft.
Careful.
Ben buried his face near her shoulder.
His grip tightening.
Ben (whispering, broken):
"…It hurts…"
Luisa closed her eyes.
Her heart ached.
Deeply.
Because—
While he cried for someone else—
She was the one holding him.
And somehow—
That hurt just as much.
But still—
She didn't pull away.
Didn't step back.
Instead—
She stayed.
Letting him hold her.
Letting him break.
Because she knew—
Right now—
He needed someone.
And even if it destroyed her—
She would still be there.
Ben's voice came again.
Faint.
Tired.
Ben:
"…Thank you… for staying…"
Luisa swallowed the pain inside her.
And whispered softly—
Luisa:
"It's okay…"
But inside—
Her heart whispered something else.
It's not okay…
That evening—
By the quiet river—
Two broken hearts stood together.
One—
Crying for a love he lost.
The other—
Breaking… while loving him silently.
And without realizing—
Ben started leaning on her more.
Trusting her more.
Holding onto her—
Like she was the only place where his pain felt a little less heavy.
And Luisa—
Stayed.
Even if it meant losing herself in the process.