It's a cold winter night and Mafuyu was walking slowly behind friends Hiiragi, Shizusumi, and boyfriend Yuki Yoshida. Mafuyu felt cold, so alone. Yuki was laughing loudly with the other two boys, joking about something while on the way home from band practice. The snow crunched beneath their boots, and the frigid air bit at Mafuyu's exposed cheeks.

Mafuyu stopped in his tracks, gripping the straps of his backpack tightly until his knuckles whitened. Yuki spotted Mafuyu out of the corner of his eye and stopped, the two other boys halting alongside him. The distant streetlights cast long shadows across the snowy landscape.

"Mafuyu?" Yuki called out, "Are you okay?"

Mafuyu kept his head down, gaze averted. Am I okay? Now you have the guts to ask me if I'm okay?! The silence between them felt heavier than the snowfall.

Yuki walked over to his boyfriend, concern etched into his face. His footprints crunched the snow below him as he made his way over to the younger boy. The scent of cold air and Yuki's familiar cologne mingled in Mafuyu's senses.

"H-hey, talk to me," Yuki said, reaching up to cup Mafuyu's cold cheek—but Mafuyu slapped it away, the sound sharp against the quiet winter night.

"Do you even love me anymore?" Mafuyu whispered, his gaze still averted and eyes staring angrily at the snow beneath his feet. His voice carried the weight of weeks, maybe months, of unspoken hurt.

He was silent for a second before yelling out, "Everyday I just follow you around...we never do anything just the two of us anymore! You're always practicing for your stupid band!"

Hiiragi and Shizusumi's eyes widened as they looked at each other, confused by their friends' sudden fight. The distant sound of a car horn punctuated the awkward silence.

"Hey- Hey Mafuyu-" Hiiragi began to speak but Shizusumi stopped him, putting an arm in front of him to keep him from approaching. Hiiragi looked up to Shizusumi, eyebrows furrowed with worry.

"Wh-...What are you talking about?! What do you mean stupid band?!" Yuki yelled, immediately defending himself, "We hang out all the fuckin' time!"

Mafuyu shook his head and grit his teeth, "No we don't! I just happen to be there in the background when you're out with our friends!"

Yuki seethed at Mafuyu's accusation, clenching his fists tight enough that his nails dug into his skin. "Okay! Whatever, How can I make it better then, Mr. Perfect?!"

Mafuyu moved closer, bumping his shoulder into Yuki's as he walked past him, "Get out of my way..."

Yuki scoffed, turning around and reaching for the back of Mafuyu's hoodie to pull him back. Mafuyu shoved his arm away with an angry grunt.

"Mafuyu!" Yuki's voice cracked, tears welling in his eyes from anger and frustration, "You know I'd do anything for you..."

Mafuyu felt hot tears streaming down his face as he listened to his boyfriend's voice, which suddenly sounded muffled, like he was underwater. He couldn't breathe-

"Would you die for me then?!"

Mafuyu didn't turn around as he continued walking away, leaving Yuki standing alone in the snow.