Life..

The sun was dipping lower as David strolled down the street, the beats of "Shikanoko Nokonoko Koshitantan" keeping him company.

He couldn't help but hum along. "Shikanoko nokonoko koshi tantan..." he mumbled, half-singing under his breath as he bobbed his head to the rhythm.

His fingers tapped against his thigh, and for a moment, he broke into a full, goofy singalong.

"Nun no suteppu de odorou... Yo ga akeru made " he half-sang, half-laughed, grinning like an idiot as he stumbled over the Japanese lyrics.

Just as he tried to hit a high note, he barely avoided tripping over a crack in the sidewalk again. "Jesus, these sidewalks, man," he muttered to himself, shaking his head, before bursting into laughter. "Might need a gym for walking, not just weights."

Blending in with the quiet, slow pace of the town.

David wasn't someone remarkable—just a normal guy in his early-30s, maybe a little scruffy, wearing worn-out jeans and a plain T-shirt.

But he had a spring in his step that didn't quite match the drowsy mood of the town.

As David passed a small diner, its neon sign buzzing faintly, an older couple seated inside gave him a curious look.

He didn't notice.

He was too absorbed in the whimsical chorus, letting the rhythm push him forward with each step.

He continued walking, soaking in the sights of Elmsworth—the mom-and-pop hardware store, a barber shop with its spinning pole, and a few rusty old cars parked haphazardly along the curb.

But in his head, the world was filled with bright, bouncing energy, as if he were walking through a music video rather than a quiet Texas street.

Suddenly, his music cut off.

The screen on his phone lit up with her name: Rebecca.

His ex-girlfriend. Or rather, the girl he was finally cutting out of his life today.

He stared at the phone, his chest tightening as a flood of memories washed over him—fights, manipulation, the endless toxic cycle.

Every time he thought he was free, she pulled him back in.

No he allowed her to pull him back in.

But not this time.

Without hesitation, he hit end call and slid the phone back into his pocket

Finally, the familiar sight of the gym came into view.

David pushed the door open, the blast of cool air a welcome relief from the Texas heat.

He threw his gym bag down and waved at Tony, one of his gym buddies, who was finishing up a set of curls.

"Yo, David!" Tony greeted him, "Looking pumped, man. Ready to crush it?"

David grinned, pulling his earbuds out. "Oh, you know it. Today's gonna be intense, bro. I was listening to this song on the way here—got me all hyped'" He threw his hands in the air with exaggerated enthusiasm as he felt a bit goofy.

David slapped Tony on the back. "Dude, you should try it sometime. Maybe we'll get a whole dance routine going after leg day!"

They both laughed as David started loading up the weights.

He was feeling good today—really good.

The kind of good that made you feel like you could take on the world, or at least the squat rack.

His routine was just enough to maintainhis already useful physique, but today he stepped it up a notch, pushing himself harder than usual.

As he powered through his sets, the song's melody continued to hum in his head."Shikanoko nokonoko koshi tantan..."

He felt lighter—like all the drama and nonsense of his past relationship with Rebecca had been left in the dust.

He was finally doing this for himself.

After two hours of heavy lifting, squats, and an extra mile on the treadmill, David grabbed his towel and wiped the sweat from his face, feeling triumphant. He fist-bumped Tony on his way out. "Good session, bro. Catch you next time."

"Same time tomorrow, man. Keep up that weird music—it's working for you!" Tony joked.

David laughed as he left the gym, feeling more alive than he had in weeks. The day wasn't over yet, though.

He had big plans—starting with a grand celebratory meal.

He decided to hit up the supermarket and grab some ingredients.

As he wandered through the store, scanning the aisles for pasta and fresh veggies, he ran into someone he hadn't seen in a while: Dustin, his old gaming buddy. The two of them used to stay up late playing Call of Duty and all kinds of games, but they'd drifted apart over the past year or so.

Life just got in the way, and David never seemed to have time to sit down and play anymore.

"Dustin! No way, man!" David called out, surprised.

Dustin turned and grinned. "David! Holy crap, it's been forever, dude. How've you been?"

David rubbed the back of his neck, chuckling. "Yeah, it's been a while, huh? I've been... you know, doing my thing. , just... life."

Dustin raised an eyebrow. "Man, we used to game all the time. What happened to that? I thought you disappeared off the face of the earth."

David shifted nervously. He wanted to ask Dustin if they could hang out again, but it felt weird—thoigh he as usual pushed past it. "Actually, I was thinking... Maybe we could, you know, hang out again sometime? Fire up the Xbox, relive the glory days?" He laughed, but there was a hint of nervousness in his voice.

Dustin looked surprised. "You? Wanting to hang out? How'd you find the time?" He gave David a playful nudge, but his question was sincere.

David paused.

His mind flashed back to Rebecca, to the endless cycles of toxicity, the arguments, the drama that had sucked up so much of his time and energy.

He hadn't been able to make time for anything fun.

But now? Now things were different.

He swallowed, feeling a little awkward but determined. "Let's just say I cleared up some trash from my life. Had to cut out some...unhealthy distractions."

Dustin nodded, understanding flashing in his eyes. "Ah, I get it. No worries, man. It happens to the best of us. But hey, I'm down for some COD whenever you are. Just hit me up."

David smiled, relieved. "You got it. I'll message you soon."

As he walked out of the supermarket, his grocery bags in hand, David felt lighter.

He wasn't just cutting Rebecca out—he was reclaiming parts of himself he'd forgotten about in that useless relationship.

Today was a good day, and tonight, that celebratory meal was going to taste even better.

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Stones and Reviews please