I tried to reach for Sophia’s hand, but the moment I touched her, she flinched away like I was something dangerous.
Just like that, I saw it in her eyes—a kind of unfamiliar distance, as if suddenly there was this invisible wall between us.
It hit me hard—maybe everything she said was true.
Maybe, to her, I was just some fleeting outlet for loneliness.
Someone to use when she was upset.
A stand-in, not a person.
“Sophia, ever since you left, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.
It’s like you showed up out of nowhere, like this beautiful ghost, and just took over my mind.
You became a part of my everyday thoughts.
I tried so hard to forget you, to tell myself you were just a temporary spark…
but then you came back, and the hope I buried suddenly lit up again.”
“Andrew, that’s just how you feel.
I never saw you that way.
I never had feelings for you.
To me, you’ve always been like…
a younger brother,” she said, her eyes darting everywhere but mine.
I wasn’t ready to give up.
“No, that’s not it.
I’m not just some ‘little brother.’ You once said I was your little man.
You even said you’d never forget your little man.”
“Yeah, you are my little man—my naive little man.
The kind who still believes in the fairy tales told by a woman who gave up on love a long time ago.
Andrew, trust me on this—forget what happened between us.
Pretend none of it ever happened.
I’m still happy to have you as a friend, a brother.”
“Sophia, you left a scar on me.
But you also woke something up in me—a kind of raw emotion.
I’ve never longed for someone like I do for you.
And now, you’re pulling away again, right when I thought there might be something real.”
“I didn’t mean to hurt you, not on purpose.
I’m just scared…
scared of feelings and scared of being hurt again.”
“I get it—I really do.
maybe that was just fate messing with me.”
“Now that you know where I stand, would you still come work for my company?
Could you still be my friend?”
“Of course I’ll come.
I want to prove to you that not all men hurt women.
Some can bring comfort, safety…
even happiness.”
“Then I hope when you join the company, you give it your all.
Don’t let your emotions get in the way of what you’re capable of.”
“I will, Sophia.
From now on, I’ll treat you with the same respect I give any boss.
I’ll let go of those feelings.
Learn to move on.”
“Thank you.
I really am glad I met you,” she said quietly.
We walked down the street, and her words echoed in my head, making me uneasy.
Was it true she really felt nothing for me?
I used to have so much I wanted to tell her—how much I missed her, how badly I craved just standing close, holding her hand, walking together under the night sky.
I still remembered that night, when I held her in my arms, kissed her like she was the air I needed to breathe.But now, I just don’t have the guts anymore.
Sophia’s words made it pretty clear—what happened between us was just a one-night slip between two lonely people, nothing more, no feelings involved.
I quietly walked next to her, stealing glances under the streetlights.
Even now, her beauty still got to me, tugging at my heartstrings when the night got quiet.
That scent of hers, carried by the breeze, drifted right into my nose and just settled there.
In the soft moonlight, her smile somehow looked even more radiant.
She walked slowly, pointing at the tall buildings along the sidewalk, chatting casually.
I could tell she was enjoying the night.
But she’d never know that the guy walking beside her—the one she saw as just a younger brother—was far from relaxed.
My heart was full of hope, craving again that kind of tenderness she’d shown me that night.
“Sophia, the night’s really beautiful, isn’t it.”
“Yeah, nights like this are perfect for couples to fall in love.
Andrew, can I ask—what was your last relationship like?” she suddenly stopped and turned to face me, standing pretty close.
Her nearness had my thoughts in disarray.
Her every move messed with my mood.
Sophia didn’t seem to notice my flustered look.
She stayed calm, smiling at me, clearly expecting some story about my dating past.
“If I told you I’ve never been in a serious relationship, would you believe me?”
She looked surprised—couldn’t hide it.
The doubt was all over her face.
“Come on, Andrew, you must be kidding.”
“I’m not.
I’m serious.
I’ve just never met anyone like you.
It wasn’t until I met you that I realized—love is that sudden flutter, that constant pull.”
Sophia let out a laugh.
“Andrew, don’t tell me you’ve fallen for me.”
“What if I have?
What if I say I really like you?”
She shook her head, smiling like she didn’t buy it.
“You’re younger, it’s probably not real.
If you think you’ve caught feelings for me, maybe what you’re actually feeling is just loneliness.
I was just there when your heart was empty, so your mind made me into something more.”
Still, she couldn’t accept that what I felt was real.
She was clearly scared of getting hurt again, of letting someone in.
“Sophia, I really wish I could be the first man you ever truly fell for.”
“Andrew, don’t overthink things.
I’m not the woman for you.
Come on, I’ll walk you home.
Thanks for dinner tonight,” she said, and then she reached out and took my hand.
My heart skipped.
I had always wanted to hold her hand, to feel that warmth and soft touch—but never had the nerve.
And now, she was the one taking mine.
I gripped her hand tighter, holding on to the moment.
“Sophia, holding your hand feels…
amazing.”