"In the stillness before dawn, when the stars are slow to leave, some hearts forget fear and distance—and finally, just love."
The stars hadn't gone to sleep yet. A silver quilt stretched across the heavens, delicate and glimmering, as if the universe itself had bent low to listen to what two hearts whispered in the dark.
And under that sacred sky, Ren spoke.
Soft.
Clumsy.
Vulnerable.
Maybe even cringy.
But to Serin—it wasn't cringy at all. It was everything.
Each word carried the tremble of truth, fragile and full of warmth.
They weren't just sounds; they were safety. Like fingertips brushing the frost from her heart, melting years of loneliness in seconds.
His voice reached her not through the phone, but through every inch of her soul that had once believed no one would ever stay.
And for the first time in forever... She didn't laugh.
She didn't dodge it with sarcasm or bury it under layers of calm.
She just... felt.
" He's flawed. He's messy. But he's real. And he's trying—for me. "
The screen's faint glow painted her face in soft hues. Her eyes shimmered, not from light, but from something deeper.
Recognition.
Belonging.
The miracle of being seen.
" Don't you have sleep? " Ren asked, his voice soft, nearly a whisper—like he was half-afraid this moment might disappear if he spoke too loud.
He blinked slowly, the way a sleepy fox might, curled into the comfort of something warm, something safe.
Serin smiled, just a little, resting her chin in her palm.
The light from the screen painted her face in gentle tones, starlit and calm.
"I'll sleep with you," she said.
Not as a joke.
Not as a tease.
But like a secret.
Like something she'd never dared to say out loud before.
And Ren?
He froze for half a second.
Then smiled.
Not the smirk. Not the grin he used to shield himself.
But a real one.
The kind you only give when your heart doesn't feel like it has to hide anymore.
The kind that happens when you're not falling in love, but floating in it—and you didn't even notice.
They didn't say much after that.
They didn't need to.
Because the silence between them wasn't empty anymore.
It was soft. Full. Familiar.
It was the kind of silence that holds your hand.
On Serin's side, her breathing began to slow.
The night outside her window was still.
But inside her chest? Something was finally at peace.
No pretending. No armor.
Just him. Just this.
A boy with tired eyes and messy hair who somehow made her believe that staying was possible.
On Ren's side, his gaze lingered on the screen.
Even when her eyes closed.
Even when her breaths steadied.
He didn't hang up.
He just laid there—phone beside him, smile still lingering—as if her presence had stitched something back into place.
And somewhere in the quiet between them…
They fell asleep.
Not alone.
Not anymore.
But together.
Under the same sky, dreaming in the same direction.....
CHIRP. CHIRP. CHIRP.
The birds. Merciless. Loud. Criminal.
Ren groaned like a corpse awake from the graveyard.
His phone lay on the bed beside him, screen still glowing faintly.
Hair: everywhere. Eyes: swollen.
"Ugh... my bones," he grunted.
He rolled out of bed like gravity owed him money.
Thud.
Straight to the floor.
Ren groaned.
Then dramatically rolled over like he was half dead.
His phone buzzed. Bright screen. Zero battery warning.
He squinted.
Call: Disconnected.
"Wait… she hung up?"
He shot up—immediately regretted it.
"GAHH—my spine !"His hoodie strangled him mid-motion. One sock had migrated to his elbow. His pillow was on the floor, face-first, as if it had abandoned him in shame.
He blinked blearily at his reflection in the dark screen.
Hair: volcanic eruption.
Voice: gravel road.
Brain: missing.
"Bro I must've passed out. No goodbye. No texts."
He flopped back into his bed, one leg dangling off.
Meanwhile, Serin had woken up 30 minutes earlier.
Her room glowed in the quiet breath of morning. The soft haze of sunlight filtered through the curtains. Dust particles floated like sleepy fireflies, dancing in the peace that followed last night.
She walked barefoot to the mirror, like a Zombie.
The sun peeked through her curtains, delicate and quiet. Golden stripes landed softly across her face.
At the mirror she,
Paused.
And looked.
Eyes a little swollen.
Hair slightly wild.
Wearing a hoodie a size too big.
But this time… she didn't flinch.
She didn't sigh.
She didn't search for flaws.
Instead, she reached up and gently touched her cheek. Not to fix anything. Just to feel.
Like maybe... she finally recognized the girl in the mirror.
"I'm still me," she whispered. "And he didn't run."
Her reflection looked back—not prettier, not perfect. But softer. Freer. Loved.
And in that quiet morning light, Serin smiled.
For herself.
For the first time in a long, long time.
She touched her cheek softly. As if still feeling the echo of his voice. As if last night had draped her in something invisible and warm.
Not pretty. Not perfect.
But... loved.
As he was half dead half alive,
Ren missed the bus.
Didn't care.
He walked instead. Through the same streets he'd crossed a hundred times before.
But today? Today, the city felt like someone had repainted it with pastels. Softer. Calmer.
Because she existed somewhere in this morning.
He passed the bakery with the broken sign. The bookstore where the bell never rang right. The alley Serin had once mentioned off-handedly, a shortcut she used to avoid crowds.
That sacred shortcut took her directly to her home.
He didn't find it. Didn't need to.
Just the idea of her nearby was enough. Enough to make the sky feel more forgiving.
Meanwhile, on the school bus...
"Okay, TELL. ME. EVERYTHING."
Airi flopped down beside Serin like a squirrel.
Serin, wrapped in her oversized hoodie, looked like a marshmallow trying to avoid being noticed by all.
" I mean it, Serin. Your face is glowing "
Serin blinked. "What?"
Airi narrowed her eyes. " Wait. Did you—? YOU HAVE FELL DEEPER FOR HUH?!"
Serin hesitated.
"...Maybe."
Airi let out a squeal so loud even the bus engine gave up for a second.
" OH MY GOOOOD! Girl. This is... this is sacred. Like...it was meant to be like that !"
She paused mid-celebration. Her eyes landed softly on Serin's.
And suddenly, she wasn't joking anymore.
"Wait… Are you crying?"
Serin blinked. Her fingers went up to her cheek, surprised to find moisture there.
"It's just... I've never felt this kind of peace and love before. Like—not lonely quiet. But the kind where I feel... seen. Safe."
Airi's smile softened. Her whole posture shifted from wild to gentle.
"I knew it," she whispered. "I knew he was good for you."
Serin didn't say anything.
She just stared at the window, at the blur of trees and morning light. Her voice came slow, fragile.
" But what if I can't keep it? What if Papa finds out? " She paused, her fingers curling slightly.
"All these years I stayed with them, trusted them, obeyed them... and now it feels like I'm lying to them. Betraying them."Her voice broke a little. "That's what scares me. They won't even hear me out about this. Not even a sentence. They'll just… shut the door."
Airi gently took her hand.
" Then we'll fight for this," she said, voice unwavering.
Serin turned to her.
"I mean it," Airi continued. "This thing you have with Ren... it's not some reckless crush. It's real. And rare. Like a green forest like him ? People live their whole lives and never find something that makes them feel this alive."
Serin's lips trembled.
Airi leaned closer, her pinky brushing Serin's.
"If your family can't see how beautiful this is, I'll help them. I'll be there. You won't have to face this alone."
Serin's eyes glistened. She barely nodded.
Airi smiled, tugging Serin's hoodie gently over her head.
"Now stop overthinking," she said with a wink."Breathe. Live this. Love this. You're allowed to enjoy it, Serin. Enjoy every single moment."
And in that moment, on a school bus full of noise and chaos, two girls carved out a sanctuary of their own.
Meanwhile,
Ren walked into school and immediately became the local celebrity.
"Yo, lover boy!"
"I saw your smile—WHO IS SHE?!"
"Come on, drop the name!"
chatters came from every directions possible.
Ren grinned, dodged their jabs, and shook his head.
Because Serin wasn't just a name.
She was a feeling.
A place.
A secret he wasn't ready to share with a world that didn't deserve her.
The bell rang.
Ren turned down two party invites and a football match.
Tomorrow was January 4th. His birthday.
He usually hated birthdays. They felt like empty rooms—no cake, no noise, just another day.
Even his mom sometimes forgot the cakes.
Not the ones with cake fights or surprise parties. No balloons. No chaos.
Just the living room. Just his family.
His mom smiling faintly, already tired from work. His dad clapping without enthusiasm. His sister recording with the phone tilted sideways. Ren standing behind a plain chocolate cake with his name spelled slightly wrong in cream.
Click.
One photo.
A forced laugh.
And just like that... over.
No presents. No hugs that lingered. No "we're so proud of you."
Just silence again.
Ren always returned to his room quietly, closed the door, and lay in bed like a ghost returning to its tomb.
The world outside would move on—chatter, TV, dishes clinking in the sink. And inside?
Inside, peace crawled in like a snake. Slow. Cold. Wrapping around him in that cramped little room with faded posters and a ceiling that never spoke back.
He didn't cry.
He just... existed.
Another year older. Another day survived.
No one ever asked what he wanted.
No one ever stayed after the candle was blown.
But this year...
This year, he couldn't wait.
Not for presents. Not for wishes.
For her. For one message. One call. One "Happy Birthday" from the girl who made life feel like it was finally allowed to begin.
as he reached his home,
His phone buzzed.
Dozens of DMs. Reels. Notifications,
from the so called ' NEW FRIENDS '.
He skipped past all of them.
One name was pinned at the top.
Serin.
He called.
"HELLOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Her voice burst through the speaker like confetti.
Ren flinched. "Jesus, woman."
"I HAVE A SURPRISE!" she yelled.
"Should I be worried?"
"Probably. Wait—lemme add someone."
The screen split.
"AYYYYYYY LOVEBIRDS!"
Airi popped up with a grin so wide it threatened the laws of physics.
Ren blinked. "Uhh... hi?"
Airi waved. "Serin talks about you so much."
Serin groaned. "Ignore her."
"Nope. I ship this. HARD."
"Wait. WAIT. Did you two confess already? Did I miss it? "
She kept on yapping like she was packed with full of energy.
The three of them spent hours like that.
Laughing. Yelling. Singing off-key.
It wasn't perfect.
But it felt like something better: it felt like home.
Until 8 PM.
"Guys, I gotta go," Airi said, voice suddenly thinner.
And she left.
Ren noticed it.
That quiet crack.
"Is she okay?"
Serin answered for her. "It's complicated. Let's let her be."
" No what happened to her, she was tensed all of a sudden "
" Dude, It's none of our Business so let her be "
" Aight cool, chill "
"Ren?"
"Hmm?"
"If one day I disappear... like, if I'm not there anymore, will you remember tonight?"
Ren sat up.
His heart slowed.
"I already do. Every second of it."
She smiled.
" well then idk...i wanna say something important to you, please don't overreac-"
And just like that, the call was hanged up.
in the mid sentence.
" Is she Caught ? "
He lowered his gaze at the reflection on the dark screen of his phone.
Hours passed.
Every single hours passed,
He kept on Waiting for her texts and checked if she have texted him.
11:59 PM.
" Another year without much of a birthday present "
Ren sat on the balcony. Legs dangling over the edge. Stars blinking lazily above.
He smiled at the Emptiness he felt inside.
His phone buzzed.
One new story from: Serin.
He opened it.
A collage.
Screenshots of texts. Their blurry call screenshots.
And finally—one frame.
His Picture, Where his face was half covered.
White letters.
"Happy Birthday, Ren ❤️"
He didn't cry.
But his heart ached in the best way.
Because for the first time in years, someone remembered.
Not just the day.
Him.
And that... was the best gift the universe had ever given to him.
Ren's eyes welled up, sparkling like stars caught in a fragile glass.
The tears weren't of sorrow or loneliness — they were tears of happiness, of healing, of a heart finally unburdening its weight.
Outside, the night sky seemed to shift with him. The dark blue shades lining the silver blade of the moon softened and melted away, transforming into gentle strokes of pink and violet — colors of dawn, of new beginnings.
The universe itself painted his liberation, as if welcoming his soul breaking free from the cold shackles of old trauma.
His phone vibrated wildly, flooding the screen with birthday wishes from new friends — messages, emojis, even funny GIFs.
The DMs spammed like fireworks, bright and buzzing.
But in the quiet hum of his heart, it was two words — one from Airi, one from Serin — that carried the heaviest weight. Their wishes traced the creeks of his cheeks, and his tears fell freely, a silent testament to the love he never thought he deserved.
And as he wiped his eyes, the screen lit up with a single notification — a new message from Serin, glowing warmly:
"Ready for the next chapter?"