The wind howled softly over the rolling hills, carrying with it the scent of wildflowers and the whisper of something unspoken. Ayliz stood at the edge, where the world seemed to stretch endlessly before her—golden fields swaying like a sea of liquid sunlight. The crisp mountain air kissed her skin, filling her lungs with an intoxicating freshness.

Her long, flowing white gown billowed in the breeze, as if it, too, had a soul of its own, dancing with the wind. Strands of her hair escaped, brushing against her face, and she absentmindedly tucked them behind her ear, her heart oddly restless. There was something magical about this moment. Something unreal.

And then—a touch.

Soft yet electric, like a lightning bolt cloaked in silk.

Ayliz froze. Her breath hitched. She didn't need to turn around. She already knew. Zyran.

The name pulsed through her veins, setting her very soul on fire. Slowly, almost fearfully, she turned, her heart pounding like war drums in her chest.

There he was.

Tall. Mysterious. His eyes, deep and unreadable, locked onto hers, holding her captive in a silent storm. A slow, knowing smile curved his lips. He had expected her. Just as she had, in the deepest corners of her heart, been expecting him.

For a moment, time stilled. The mountains, the wind, the world—it all blurred into nothingness. Only they existed. Only this moment mattered.

Ayliz tore her gaze away, staring at the horizon, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Zyran didn't answer with words—he simply nodded, his eyes never leaving her face.

Then, after a heartbeat of silence, he spoke. "Ayliz... I need to tell you something."

A shiver ran down her spine. She turned back to him, her lips parting as if to say something—

And then—a loud, piercing noise shattered the dream.

Ayliz gasped, sitting up with a start. Her heart still thundered in her chest as she blinked wildly, trying to make sense of her surroundings.

The alarm.

It blared obnoxiously beside her, vibrating against her ear. And the culprit? Fawad.

Her little brother stood grinning devilishly, holding the alarm close to her ear, thoroughly enjoying her misery.

"You little—!" Ayliz lunged at him, but he was quicker, bolting out of the room.

"Mom! She's going to kill me!" he yelled, laughter ringing through the house as Ayliz chased him, determined to strangle him at least once before the day ended.

Their mother appeared in the hallway, arms crossed, shaking her head. "It's seven in the morning, and you two are already at war?"

Ayliz skidded to a halt. Seven?!

Her eyes widened in horror. "Oh no, my tuition! Why didn't anyone wake me up?"

"You were too busy dreaming," Fawad teased from behind their mother, sticking out his tongue.

Ignoring him, Ayliz sprinted back to her room, grabbing her books in a flurry of panic. Her mother called after her, "At least have breakfast!"

"I'll eat on the way!" she yelled, stuffing a sandwich into her mouth while gulping down a glass of milk in one breath.

She was late.

But that wasn't the only reason she was rushing. Today was different.

Today, she was a new Ayliz. The one who had finally accepted the truth—the truth that had been sitting in her heart all along.

She was in love with Zyran.

And today, she wanted to see him.

The thought sent a thrill down her spine, her pulse quickening as she dashed out the door. She knew one thing for certain—if she was late, someone else would take the seat in his row.

And she couldn't let that happen.

Barefoot, she hopped onto the Tution porch, hurriedly struggling to remove her sandals before entering. Just as she was about to step inside—

A presence.

Footsteps behind her.

Someone else was running too.

And then—two voices echoed as one.

"May I come in, sir?"

The air in the doorway crackled, time stretching impossibly thin. Ayliz turned, heart hammering, breath caught in the fragile space between a dream and reality.

It was him.

Zyran.

Standing right beside her. Slightly out of breath. His presence was a force, unseen but undeniable, pulling her into an uncharted gravity. Their hands—mere inches apart. The heat between them? Tangible. A thread of energy wove itself through the air, unseen yet unbreakable.

Ayliz felt the world shift beneath her feet.

Fate. It had to be fate.

And then—his eyes. A slow, deliberate glance, deep and unwavering, locking onto hers with a quiet intensity that sent a shiver racing down her spine.

A second.

A moment.

An eternity.

"Late today, toppers?"

Christopher sir's voice shattered the charged silence, pulling them both back to earth.

Ayliz tore her gaze away, swallowing the wild thunder in her chest. As she stepped into the classroom, Zyran followed, their movements synchronized like an unspoken dance.

They parted—him to the boys' row, her to the girls'—but despite the distance, their gazes found each other once more. A quiet game, a silent confession neither dared to voice.

Ayliz lowered her eyes, a small, almost secretive smile playing on her lips. This was just the beginning.

She tapped her pen against the desk absentmindedly, lost in thought. And then—it happened.

A second tap.

A mirrored rhythm.

Her breath stilled. Zyran.

He was mimicking her.

Ayliz froze. A coincidence? A trick of the mind? Or—

A test.

Tentatively, she tapped again, slower this time.

And without hesitation—he answered.

A perfect replica of her beat. A silent call, a secret signal only they understood.

Ayliz's pulse roared in her ears. The weight of the moment settled over her like a spell, fragile and spellbinding, something too beautiful to put into words.

Then—

"Ayliz, Zyran! Bring your homework to the front!"

Their names. Together. Uttered in the same breath. Linked.

Ayliz gripped her book, steadying herself as she stood. Zyran rose too, their movements aligning once more. They walked forward, side by side, the world narrowing to just the space between them.

For the first time, Ayliz dared to believe in something impossible.

And in that moment, as their names hung intertwined in the air—she knew.

She wanted them to stay that way. Forever.