“What do you mean we can’t see each other today?”

“I mean I can’t, babe. I have to study all night for tomorrow’s exam.”

“Not even for half an hour?”

“Julia, come on. We both know it’s never just half an hour…”

Julia stared at the screen, frozen, as if her eyes could extract from the message a hidden tenderness that wasn’t really there. She wondered what words she could possibly type to untangle that dull ache inside her —a chain of syllables that might make her feel wanted again.

“Don’t you love me anymore? U_U”

“Pff… we’re not having this argument again.”

“But you keep avoiding me! It’s already the third day you don’t want to see me, and you barely talk to me.”

“Because it’s finals week, babe. Once I’m done, we’ll hang out again.”

“But I want to see you now, Lulu…”

“I want to see you too, my love. I’m sorry. But once this is over, I promise I’ll take you somewhere really nice —and afterward we’ll grab burgers at the best place in the city.”

“Well… UwU. If you keep that promise, I might forgive you. But just so you know, the moment I see you, I’m going to eat those sexy lips of yours.”

“You’re such a dork. I’m the one who’s going to eat that adorable little bread-face of yours.”

“O///O Only my face?”

Julia smiled faintly at the screen.
For a moment, the small word typing… appeared beneath her boyfriend’s name —a fragile promise that he was still there, still thinking of her.

But the message never arrived.

Only the time of his last connection remained, silent and ordinary, like a door closing somewhere far away.

“Lulu…?”