maybe in her forever<

Here’s a more The next morning

Reyn woke up first. The early light slipped through the curtains, casting a soft warmth across the room. He quietly washed his face, and as he turned, his eyes fell on her.

She was glowing—more flushed than the night before. Her cheeks were pink, her bare body curled delicately in the tangled sheets. Her strawberry-colored lips were slightly bruised, kissed to a deep crimson, yet still soft and inviting.

He sat beside her, just watching—his heart both full and aching. She slowly opened her eyes, dazed and tender. As she tried to rise, her body gave in; too fragile, too sore. Without a word, Reyn gently lifted her into his arms, cradled her like she was something breakable, something precious.

He wrapped her in his oversized T-shirt—it drowned her frame, but she looked perfect in it. Then, like she was a child again, he made her coffee, brushed her teeth, even ran a warm bath and helped her through every step.

Later, with their stomachs rumbling, they walked—slowly, carefully—to a nearby shop for food. She leaned on him the whole way, barely able to stand. Returning, he massaged her limbs gently, coaxing comfort back into her body, and let her rest in silence.

When he finally turned on his phone, it vibrated violently—calls, messages, reminders. The tournament. The biggest day for the sports club. But none of that mattered now.

He looked at her.

This girl—this fragile, trusting soul—had given herself to him, not just her body but her belief. Her *heart*.

“I can’t go,” he whispered to himself, and shut off the phone.

He let her sleep on his lap, her fingers tangled in his.

By noon, he had made lunch. By evening, dinner. And snacks for the in-between.

He didn’t leave her side.

Because in this moment, he was no longer just *with* her.

He was *in* her—in her days, her care, her quiet.

And maybe… in her forever.

After a few days of rest and gentle care, her pain had nearly faded. He patiently taught her how to walk again—step by step, holding her hand, smiling through the process. By the third day, they returned to the city, and he walked her up to her house.

As they reached the gate, he noticed a sleek red Ferrari parked in the driveway. Curious, he asked, “Who’s that?”

With a small grin, she replied, “That’s my brother’s. Anyway… thank you for everything. I love you. Byeee.” She leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips—warm and sweet—before suddenly pulling back.

Up on the balcony, her brother stood watching. His eyes locked with hers the moment she walked in.

“Who was that?” he asked casually. “Your boyfriend?”

She smiled and nodded. “Yes, he is.”

“Did you tell mom and dad?”

“Not yet… but soon,” she promised, brushing it off with a playful shrug. “Anyway, is there anything to eat?”

“Maybe something in the kitchen. I’m heading to the office. Bye,” he said as he grabbed his keys and walked out.

Meanwhile, Reyn sat alone in his car, scrolling through the photos they had taken in the treehouse—candid moments, her laughing unexpectedly, her sleepy face, the way she looked at him like he was the only person in the world. He hugged his phone to his chest, missing her more than he could admit.

The silence hit him too hard.

So he ended up at a bar.

One drink turned into many. Her absence haunted him—he couldn’t spend a second without thinking of her. Later, drunk and exhausted, he fell asleep near the beach, waves whispering in the background like her voice in his memories.

The next morning, with puffy eyes and a stubborn ache in his heart, he went home.

That evening, he sat down with his family and told them about Gazelle. About how she changed him. About how real it felt.

They listened, smiled, and supported him. “She should come visit,” his mother said. “We’d love to meet her.”

But Reyn didn’t go to college for the next two or three days. He couldn’t. Seeing her again would shake him too much, break the fragile strength he was barely holding on to.

Gazelle, meanwhile, had her semester exams. So Reyn kept his distance, waiting patiently.

And finally—after what felt like forever—her exams were over.

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