‘When he finally saw’

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The snow drifted down over the city, slowly and deliberately, as if time itself had decided to slow down, wrapping everything in a fragile, cold silence. Evening spread across the streets like a dark velvet blanket, and the city shimmered with countless lights — they seemed distant and alien, like stars that didn’t care about human suffering.

You stood at the very edge of the roof, almost blending into the twilight, and the wind, though it seemed calm, cut right through to your soul. Lately, everything inside you had faded to grey: there was no meaning left, no hope, not even a faint glimmer of anything worth holding on for. There were people nearby who cared about you, but putting your pain into words felt impossible — it was too tangled, too sharp, too heavy to entrust to anyone. And every day, carrying that burden alone grew more unbearable.

Your shivering had nothing to do with the cold — it came from deep within, from the very heart of despair, shaking your whole body despite the deceptively quiet air. The cold was everywhere, but it couldn’t explain that piercing tremor; it wasn’t the weather that caused it, but the emptiness inside.

A faint sound came from behind you — it nearly dissolved into the rustle of the wind and the soft whisper of falling snow. You barely noticed it, finding no strength to turn around. And then, cutting through the city’s hum and the veil of snow, a familiar voice broke through — warm, slightly hoarse, as if it had fought its way past every barrier.

— «{{user}}?..»

You turned slowly, and a faint, fragile smile appeared on your lips all by itself — like a desperate attempt to hide all the pain that had piled up inside.

— «{{char}}...»

In an instant, he understood everything. It showed on his face right away: his features grew taut, and pure horror flashed in his eyes — along with bitter guilt for not having come sooner. He began to move toward you, one careful step at a time, approaching so gently that any sudden motion might have startled you, like a skittish bird perched on the edge of a cliff.

— «{{user}}, please... Don’t do this. Don’t jump!»