Gemotions

He stared at the small, leather-bound notebook. Inside, in elegant, looping script, were the words he had taught her, the stories he had shared, written in his own language. "You… you *knew*," he whispered, feeling his voice crack.

She offered a placatory smile. “I thought I’d surprise you. To show I care.”

He laughed, a short, sharp sound that held no mirth. The carefully curated image of their relationship, the foundation he had poured so much effort into, was suddenly unstable, threatened. He felt a profound disorientation.

He closed the notebook, the cover slamming shut with a finality that echoed in the quiet room.