Romance, Going Solo
On the last day of the year, my music player app pushed out my 2025 listening report.
My keyword was 'Resonance.'
I had not actually spent much time listening to music that year. My account had mostly been used by my boyfriend, Jeremy Steward.
A small line of text appeared underneath.
[At 4:00 A.M. on December 1st, you were still sharing the same song with someone. So this is what love looks like, staying awake through the night.]
My breath caught.
December 1st was my birthday. However, that night, I had gone to bed early.
Jeremy had rushed off right after cutting the cake, saying he needed to go back to the office for overtime.
Almost as if possessed, I tapped my trembling hands on the unfamiliar profile that showed up as my most frequent interaction.
Their keyword for the year was 'Exclusively Yours.'
My heart skipped. I opened the details.
[This year, you and this user listened to songs together late at night 688 times. Every time is a private whisper between souls.]
Right then, a message from Jeremy popped up on my phone.
[Babe, I have to work late again tonight. Don't wait up for me. Sleep early, okay?]
At the same moment, that unfamiliar account posted a new update.
A photo of two hands intertwined inside a car, fingers tightly laced together.
[I love working late with him the most. We'll listen to music together for a lifetime.]