Coping with the Cracks in Our Connection

The days that followed were a blur of emotions, as I struggled to come to terms with the distance I felt growing between Hange and me. His exhaustion and stress had become a constant companion, and I could sense the weight of his responsibilities bearing down on him. I tried to be understanding, but it was hard not to feel like I was losing him, bit by bit. Hange's attempts to comfort me only seemed to make things worse. He would hold me close and whisper words of reassurance, but I could feel his fatigue and frustration seeping into his voice. I knew he wasn't himself, and it broke my heart to see him like that. I longed for the carefree Hange, the one who would laugh with me and play with me, not the one who was always tired and preoccupied. As the days turned into weeks, I began to notice the little things that Hange used to do for me. He would make me breakfast, and we would sit together, enjoying the quiet morning hours. He would take me on walks, and I would feel the sun on my face, even though I couldn't see it. But now, those moments were few and far between. I tried to adapt, to find new ways to cope with the distance between us. I started to focus on my own interests, like painting and reading. I would spend hours lost in the world of words, escaping the reality of my situation. But even that wasn't enough to fill the void I felt. One day, as I was sitting in the living room, I heard the sound of Hange's laptop opening. He was working from home, and I could sense his concentration. I decided to take a chance and approach him. I walked over to where I thought he was sitting and cleared my throat to get his attention. "Hey," he said, looking up from his screen. "What's up?" I hesitated, unsure of how to express myself. "I...I miss you," I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper. Hange's expression softened, and he closed his laptop. "I miss you too, sweetheart," he said, pulling me into a hug. "I'm sorry I've been so distant lately. I promise I'll make it up to you." I held him close, feeling a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, things could go back to the way they were before. Maybe Hange could find a way to balance his work and his life, and we could reconnect. As we sat there, holding each other, I realized that I needed to take a step back and look at our situation from a different perspective. I couldn't change Hange's work schedule, but I could try to find ways to make our relationship stronger, despite the challenges we were facing. I decided to talk to Hange about it, to find a way to bridge the gap between us. "Hey, Hange?" I said, pulling back from the hug. "Yeah?" he replied, looking at me with concern. "Can we...can we talk about this?" I asked, trying to find the right words. Hange nodded, and we sat down on the couch, ready to face the challenges ahead, together.