Cinematic indie ballad, 74 BPM, A minor, melancholic and tender. Male vocals: intimate, breathy, close-mic in verses, rising to emotional, aching chorus. Female backing vocals can appear in the bridge as a distant echo. Instruments: soft piano, acoustic guitar, warm bass, strings, subtle atmospheric pads, light drums entering in the chorus. Verses: sparse, piano and voice. Pre-chorus: strings and soft kick build. Chorus: fuller, emotional, layered harmonies. Bridge: stripped to piano and voice, then building. Final chorus: maximum warmth, raw and breaking. Outro: fading piano, whispered last line. Mood: unrequited love, longing, quiet ache, hope. No auto-tune. Tape saturation.