Love never truly ends… it merely hides behind circumstances, only to return when we think we've forgotten it.
In a quiet village in the countryside, Yazan sat at a café, waiting for his beloved, Karma. After a short while, she arrived and sat beside him. They exchanged a few words before Yazan stood up, pulled out a simple ring, and said: "Will you marry me?"
Karma felt overwhelming joy and accepted immediately. A few days later, they were married, both filled with happiness. But as time passed, Yazan began to sense a change in Karma. She no longer spoke much to him and would leave the house without a clear reason. Yazan didn't pay much attention to it at first.
One day, he woke up much earlier than usual and was surprised to find Karma missing from the house. While searching for her, he heard the front door open. When he went to check, it was Karma. She was surprised to see him, though she didn't show it. Yazan asked: "Where did you go at this hour?"
Karma dodged the question and didn't give him a convincing answer. So Yazan decided to watch her if it happened again. Sure enough, the next day he woke up even earlier and saw Karma getting ready to leave. He kept his eyes closed until she left, then quickly followed her.
After a while, Karma arrived at a residential building Yazan knew well. He felt something strange and decided to follow her quietly.
Yazan was stunned when he saw Karma enter a room he knew very well، It's his best friend Anas's room. He stepped inside after her… and found her with him.
Five years passed... In a modest neighborhood in the city, a pure-hearted girl sat by the window, gazing at the clear sky. Her features were soft, untouched by makeup, and her hazel eyes bore the weight of sadness. She was lost in thought thinking about him. For more than seven years, she had loved him in silence. He never knew the truth about her feelings.
From behind her appeared a young girl in her twenties her younger sister, Tala. Teasingly, she said: "Who's occupying your mind, Rahaf?"
Rahaf sighed and replied: "Who else could it be? My one and only love, Tala. I've never loved anyone else, and I never will."
Tala didn't want to get into that topic, so she quickly said: "Come on, you secret lover the dinner is ready and we're all waiting for you outside."
Rahaf walked out with Tala and joined the family at the dinner table Rahaf, Tala, and their parents, Asim and Nargis. After dinner, each one went to their room. There was a huge emotional gap between Rahaf and her family she only interacted with them when necessary.
The next morning, inside a luxurious company designed with the latest decor and more specifically, in the director's office Yazan sat at his desk, trying to focus on work. But he couldn't stop thinking about what Karma had done to him. Five years had passed since that day. Yazan had tried everything to distract himself from the memory. He moved from the countryside to the city about a week after it happened and never went back. He built his own company here and worked hard until it became one of the top construction and development firms.
Yazan didn't notice his close friend, Rayan, standing in front of his desk, calling his name. He snapped out of his daze only when Rayan shut his laptop. Yazan, annoyed, said: "What's wrong with you, Rayan? Why did you barge in like that?"
Rayan sat down calmly and replied: "I didn't barge in. I came in and called you several times, but you were lost in thought. And I know exactly what you were thinking about."
They chatted for a while until the sound of Yazan's phone ringing interrupted them. Yazan smiled when he saw the caller ID it was his younger brother, Zaid.
Zaid: "I miss you so much, brother. Why won't you come here? I haven't seen you in five years."
Yazan: "I can't come back there, Zaid. But I promise I'll talk to you every day."
Zaid: "You always say that, and I still don't understand why you refuse to come back or why you left in the first place."
Yazan: "I'll tell you, Zaid, but not now. I'm busy at the moment. Take care of Mom and Dad for me. Goodbye."
The call ended, and Yazan said with sadness: "I miss my mother and father so much… and my brother too."
Rayan gently said: "Go back home, Yazan. Stop running. The past will chase you no matter where you are. The only solution is to face it."
Yazan replied firmly: "Don't bring up this subject again, Rayan."
Back in the countryside, in the same village Yazan once lived in, inside an old house, Zaid hung up the phone and sadly said to his mother, Fareeda: "He still refuses to come back, Mom."
Fareeda, with a sorrowful voice, replied: "I'll talk to him myself. I'll convince him to return. I miss him so much."
She spoke the last words through tears, then went to prepare lunch…
That evening, Yazan sat on the balcony of his modest home, thinking about Rayan's and Zaid's words. He missed his family dearly and wanted to return, but his past stood in his way. Still, he decided to follow his friend's advice he would face the past instead of running from it…
In Rahaf's home, she was talking to her sister, Tala.
Rahaf: "Since he got married and I came back to the city, I haven't known anything about him. I just want to see him."
Tala: "Then why don't you go back there again? Maybe you'll get a chance to see him."
Rahaf: "That's impossible, Tala. I used to visit Grandma with my parents' knowledge. But after they found out about Yazan, Asim and Nargis would never agree."
Tala: "They have no right to stop you. You could tell Grandma she'll handle it. One way or another, you'll get there."
Rahaf felt a flicker of hope inside her and said happily: "Yes, I can tell Grandma. I'll call her now."
But before she could make the call, Tala grabbed her hand and said in shock: "What are you doing, you fool? Grandma's probably asleep at this hour."
Rahaf realized and replied: "Alright, I'll call her tomorrow."
Each of them went to their room and lay on their bed. For the first time in a long time… Rahaf fell asleep peacefully.
To be continued...