Yna noticed it first in the pauses. Gabriel had always been deliberate with his time busy, yes, but present. When he listened, he listened fully. When he promised something, he followed through. That was the man she had come to trust. Lately, he hesitated. Not long enough to be obvious. Just enough to feel… unfamiliar. They were sitting across from each other at a small café near her apartment, the night softened by warm lights and low conversation. Gabriel stirred his drink absently, eyes drifting to the window more than to her. “You’re quiet,” Yna said gently. He smiled quick, practiced. “Long week.” She nodded, accepting it, but something in his tone didn’t settle right. His phone buzzed once on the table. He flipped it face down immediately. That wasn’t like him. “Everything okay at work?” she asked. “Yeah,” he replied too quickly. “Just a lot of loose ends.” Loose ends. The phrase echoed in her mind. She watched his hands steady, but tense. His jaw set a
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