The city hasn't changed.
People still rush past each other without looking. The air still hums with distant conversations, car horns, and footsteps that never stop. The sun still casts long shadows against the streets, reaching places it always has.
But today, for the first time, he notices something different.
Or maybe—maybe it's just him.
He walks the same path he always does after work. Past the same flickering streetlamp, the same newspaper stand, the same cafe where the owner always plays old songs on the radio.
Only now, he's paying attention.
He stops for a coffee. He never used to. But tonight, he does. The owner nods at him, surprised but pleased.
"First time seeing you here," the old man says, handing him the cup.
"Yeah," he replies, testing the warmth against his hands.
The man nods toward the street. "Bit chilly tonight. You headed home?"
He takes a sip. It's a little bitter, a little strong. "Yeah."
The owner doesn't ask anything else. He doesn't need to. Just gives a knowing smile and turns back to the radio, letting the music fill the space between them.
And for some reason, that small moment feels… nice.
He doesn't take the shortcut home tonight. He walks. The long way. Past the quiet bookstore, past the bridge.
He doesn't stop there.
There's no reason to.
But he glances at it, just for a moment, before moving on.
She's probably happy now.
He thinks of the way her face lit up, the way her voice trembled with something lighter than sorrow when she said, I don't think I'll wait anymore.
She waited long enough. And she chose to move forward.
That's enough.
That's good.
His footsteps feel lighter than they did the day before.
By the time he reaches his street, the sun has set. His neighborhood is as it always is—tucked away in a part of the city where the sunlight rarely lingers.
But tonight—
For the first time in years—
There's light spilling through his window.
A streetlamp must have been fixed. Or maybe the angle of the buildings shifted, just slightly.
Or maybe—
Maybe the light was always there.
He just never looked for it.
He exhales, stepping inside.
And though the night outside is dark, he doesn't mind it as much as he used to.
Because now, he knows.
If he walks a little further, if he turns a different corner—
There's light out there.
He just has to find it.
The End.