He nodded. “Always.”

Scarlett Rose and Dakota Qu — updated, 24/11/26

He smiled, a small, apologetic tilt. “I didn’t plan for this to land on us like a deadline. But I don’t want to wait until we’re both ghosts in other people’s stories.”

Scarlett’s laugh was shorter this time. “Two months used to be an eternity. Now it’s an email.”

“You’re leaving,” she said, not a question.

“You said you had news,” Scarlett said, voice steady though her fingers betrayed her—nails worrying the cardboard sleeve.

Dakota inhaled and let out a laugh that wasn’t quite humor. “Updated plans. Different city. Same us, maybe.”