One night, inside a cable car.
From high above, they could see the sea in the night.
gleaming, colorful, beautiful...
like a sky full of stars scattered across the floor of the earth.
Leyla clutched her ice cream in wonder.
"Ronan, look at that!" she shouted, eyes wide.
"I'm always afraid of heights, right? But this... this is so beautiful.
I can see the city, it's so full of life! The lights are everywhere. And look at that!"
She pointed at a waterfall.
"From up here, it looks magical."
Ronan just smiled and watched her.
The cable car swayed slightly. The wind was starting to pick up.
"Ekkk!" Leyla squealed.
"We're gonna fall!" she said, clinging tighter to the rail.
Ronan moved beside her calmly.
"Don't worry," he said. "As long as I'm with you, it's okay."
The cable car rocked a little more.
They both laughed, nervous, small laughter.
"It's gonna be okay," he said again, softly,
wrapping his arms gently around her.
Then he looked into her eyes.
"Leyla," he whispered.
"I've always waited for this moment. I've always been waiting for you.
And now... finally, I got you in my arms."
He was close. Too close.
But Leyla... her heart felt unsure. Off.
She couldn't fully breathe. Her eyes drifted elsewhere.
"I don't know, Ronan..." she said quietly.
"I don't know what I feel. I'm trying."
Ronan slowly let her go.
"It's been two weeks," he said.
"And still, you can't open your heart to me."
He paused, eyes heavy with something unspoken.
"Another week... then spring will end."
Silence.
Then, with a soft voice, he added,
"One more week, and it'll be summer.
I want to start a new summer... with you."
Leyla looked at him.
Her eyes watered.
"I'm sorry. I can't promise you that."
The cable car came to a slow stop.
The door opened.
They stepped out.
"I..." she turned to him.
"Thank you, Ronan.
I'll take my leave now."
Ronan didn't say anything.
He just stood there, watching her go.
But inside...
Something burned.
Anger. Sadness. Or maybe... something else.
Then, down by the stream,
Lucian wandered aimlessly.
He just walked. Slowly. Silently.
"Maybe... maybe I'll just go see Maria,"
he whispered to himself.
His eyes glowed faintly.
Suddenly, a vision
him and Leyla.
Standing on a grassy hill beneath the night sky.
He held her hands. His eyes glowing softly.
But hers were shut...
"I wish... I wish to be with you forever,"
Leyla said gently.
But Lucian let go.
He pulled his hands away.
The vision shattered.
Lucian looked up, took a deep breath.
"That wish... never came true," he muttered.
"You belong to Ronan now."
He turned and walked.
Until he found himself outside Maria's house.
Through the window,
he saw her.
Beautiful as ever...
Yet crying quietly on her bed.
She was holding a picture.
of her, and another man.
And on her phone, a message glowed.
"Maria. Thanks for everything.
We're done."
Lucian's eyes widened.
"She broke up with him...?"
Then, he saw her reach for her phone,
her fingers sliding softly across the screen.
Lucian felt a tug in his chest.
It was his last message to he.
"See you at the café tonight.
Love."
Lucian closed his eyes, aching,
remembering that night.
The night he died.
The night he still wanted to go to her.
But just then, her phone buzzed.
It was her ex.
Maria wiped her tears,
and picked up the call.
Her voice faded through the room...
drifting softly through the hallways...
Leaving Lucian alone again,
at the window.
"Maria... tch..."
Then, a light flickered.
Leyla tossed her bag on the couch.
She looked like a mess.
Her hair loose, her posture slouched.
She pulled off her hairband and let her hair fall freely.
She looked exhausted.
Not from work...
But from something deeper.
Mentally. Emotionally.
She picked up a glass.
but didn't drink it.
"Ronan..." she sighed.
"Why can't I just accept him?"
What does my heart want...?
She leaned on the window frame,
looking up at the stars.
"Tell me... what do you want?"
Then
in just a breath of a moment.
she felt him.
Lucian.
Then her voice broke softly.
"I wish..."
A whisper stirred.
"What—?"
But before the answer could come,
the night faded away.
Just like that.
The next morning,
the world moved as usual.
But her table was empty.
"You didn't come..."
Ronan's eyes stayed glued to the spot where Leyla used to sit.
Then, shifting to table 24.
"And you, too..."
He looked at the untouched glass.
"You didn't even touch it."
He sat down,
as if she were sitting across from him.
Both elbows on the table,
fingers resting lightly on his lips.
"Well..." he murmured, a faint smirk forming.
"I guess I'll have to force you to come here, won't I?"
Outside.
Leyla stood at a distance, watching the café.
She let out a quiet sigh...
Then turned and began to walk away.
But she bumped into someone
or something.
"Sorry," she said instinctively, turning around.
No one.
She frowned.
And quickly walked off, heart racing.
It was Lucian.
Watching her.
Then a voice
"You want me to kill her?"
Lucian snapped his gaze to the source.
Sitting elegantly atop a lamppost,
a childlike figure, legs crossed, glowing faintly.
"Why would you say that?" Lucian asked, startled.
She floated down beside him,
shifting mid-air, growing older.
An elegant woman now.
So close to him...
"If you can't forget her," she whispered,
"then I'll bring her to our world."
Her eyes glowed.
Piercing straight through his soul.
"No," he said softly, almost afraid.
"Then forget her," she breathed.
Her voice haunting... beautiful.
Her lips almost brushing his.
Lucian reached up.
Touched her lips with his finger.
"I do not wish for that.
I'd rather turn... than forget her."
He turned his back, and walked away.
Leaving Silva behind.
Her tear fell.
Small...
Then vanished.
To be continued...