I tidied up some of my clothes and packed them into a suitcase when suddenly, the door to my bedroom opened. A strong, tattooed hand wrapped around my waist. It was Cander, who now had his chin resting on my shoulder and was occasionally kissing my right cheek.

"You said you were going to wait outside?" I asked him.

"I don't want to be away from you!" Cander replied, tightening his embrace. My face turned red.

"You're so cute," I teased.

"Is that a compliment?" he asked with a smile.

"Yeah, sort of. You're really cute," I teased him again, and he chuckled.

"Excuse me, Romeo, but may I speak with my niece for a moment?" My aunt’s voice from behind made us both laugh.

"Ah... of course, I'll wait outside," Cander said with a smile, walking past my aunt.

"I'll catch up!" I called after him, and he stopped and turned briefly to smile at me before walking away.

I saw my aunt return her smile and heard her say, "Wow... it was really, really hot," as she helped me put the clothes I had folded into the suitcase.

"Hmm... why doesn't Aunt come with me?" I asked, looking at her.

"Are you going to ride a big car or a motorcycle?" My aunt changed the subject.

"Have you had any problems with any of Cander’s friends?" I pressed further.

"Okay, this is ready," my aunt continued to avoid the question as she changed the topic.

"Auntie, what's really going on?" I asked, grabbing her right hand.

"Forget about it and go. Cander and his friends are waiting for you!" my aunt insisted.

"I want to hear a story, Aunt!" I persisted, my face shining with curiosity.

"Where should I start?" my aunt asked, meeting my gaze.

"I want to hear it all!" I answered eagerly.

"It will be a long story, dear," my aunt warned with a smile.

"That's fine. I really want to hear it!" I replied with a sweet smile.

I saw my aunt become quiet, as if lost in thought. She stared at the wide open door to my bedroom. My curiosity grew, sensing that the story might not have a happy ending. I had no idea that my kind-hearted aunt had a painful memory involving a man.

**Flashback**

In early summer...

At that time, I was a sophomore in high school. I was known as a scholarship student because I couldn't afford my own education. Both of my parents had passed away, and while my brother-in-law supported me, I didn't want to burden him too much.

During the semester, a new transfer student from abroad arrived. Everyone talked about him because he always wore a jacket, even in summer. They were all wary of the boy, but not me. He had no friends and often went to the forest behind the school. His name was Lathan Alharoon.

One day, I followed him into the woods out of curiosity about what he was doing in the quiet, dark forest. However, his strides were too long, and he started to disappear into the thick trees.

I got lost in the uninhabited forest, tripping over mossy tree roots and falling. Suddenly, a man's hand appeared in front of me.

I looked up to see the transfer student, now wearing a black short-sleeved shirt instead of his usual jacket, smiling at me.

"What are you doing in this forest?" he asked, and for some reason, I was drawn to his reddish-brown eyes.

"I..." I hesitated.

"Following me?" he guessed.

"Yeah, I was just curious. What are you doing here alone?" I asked as I tried to stand up.

"Oh no..." I moaned, feeling pain in my knees and seeing blood.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, it’s just a scratch," I lied, trying to hide the injury.

"It'll get worse if it's not treated!" he said, lifting me into his arms.

Initially, I was shocked and nervous by his kindness, but he treated my wound with great care. From that moment on, I felt a flutter in my heart. His smile made me feel incredibly comfortable and happy.

Everything seemed more beautiful after that. We became friends and spent time together in the forest after class. We shared our worries and eventually started dating, which felt wonderful.

However, not everything was as perfect as the romantic films I often watched. As people say, no relationship is perfect; there are always problems and conflicts. Happiness doesn’t last forever, and it came to me.

At the end of the school year, in the chilly autumn, we were near the edge of a quiet road, not far from the school. I stood near a streetlight, and he was in front of me, gazing at me with his beautiful eyes.

"I can’t be with you any longer!" he said, his words piercing my chest.

"Why?" I whispered.

"Because we're different, and I don’t like differences," he replied, his expression flat.

"Why?" I asked again, seeking a reason.

"I’m leaving. There, I will be myself and find my partner, and you should find your own partner. One day, you’ll be with someone who will become the father of your children," Lathan said, turning his face away from me.

"I want to be with you," I pleaded.

"No... I can’t. More precisely, I don’t want to. I believe we’ll find our respective partners and live separate lives. Forget about us, pretend none of this ever happened. Or pretend I never existed in your life; this was never real," he said, his gaze intense.

He released my hands and walked away. I remained where I was, begging in my heart for him to turn around and look at me. I cried, feeling helpless. I wanted to blow, making the fallen leaves scatter around me, distracting my view. Lathan continued to walk further away and disappeared.

Days passed, months changed, and years went by, but I still visited that place at the same time. There was no sign of him. I hadn't forgotten him and hadn’t erased his words from my mind. I was still waiting for an explanation because I knew there was more to his story that he kept hidden from me.

"Auntie... Auntie," Vina called, shaking my arm. I snapped out of my reverie and looked at her.

I smiled, "Looks like not now. I promise I’ll explain someday."

Vina sniffled in annoyance. "Okay, Aunt. I have to go; Cander is waiting. I’ll call you as often as I can and try to persuade you to stay with me," she said enthusiastically.

"Okay... have fun," I said, watching as Cander appeared at the door, smiling at Vina.

"Bye, Auntie," Vina said, standing up and approaching Cander, who was still gazing at her with a shining face. I had experienced something similar long ago, but I had forgotten what it felt like.

"Be careful on the road, and as for you, young man, take good care of my niece. Otherwise, you’ll be in trouble!" I warned, seeing him grow nervous. I laughed quickly, and Cander and Vina joined in.

Cander carried Vina’s suitcase to the car. I saw a man already in the driver's seat and Lathan leaning against the left side of the car. He glanced at me, but I tried to ignore him.

"Auntie, I’m leaving now. Bye!" Vina called, waving her hand.

The two of them got into the car, and Lathan continued to lean back, looking at me. I turned and walked towards the door. I watched as the car drove away from my house.

I closed the door and the scarf that had been wrapped around my feet. I squatted down, intending to stroke it, but instead of a smile, I felt pain—an old wound resurfacing after so long. I struggled to push it out of my mind. The man who had left me had returned.