That year was one of the happiest years of my life. Or maybe the saddest. Even now, I still cannot decide.

It was the year I found someone who truly understood me. Someone who listened to every little thing I said, who noticed even the smallest changes in my mood. If I was sad, he knew. If I was tired, he noticed. If I liked something once, somehow it appeared beside me the next day like magic. Flowers. My favorite snacks. Little gifts. Warm drinks during winter. Tiny notes hidden between books. Everything felt unreal. Sometimes I used to wonder if he could read my mind.

He felt safe. Comforting. Warm. Just like my dad used to feel when I was little.

Back then, Dad was the happiest person in the world. He used to laugh loudly. He used to lift me up and spin me around the house. I was his little angel, and I loved him so much. I really did.

I learned cooking from my mom just to impress him. I still remember how nervous I used to get while waiting for him to taste the food. I used to secretly practice recipes at night. Sometimes the dishes turned out terrible. Sometimes I burned things. But when he smiled after eating, I felt proud for the whole day.

When he returned from work, I used to arrange his jacket carefully, straighten his collar, and prepare tea before he even asked. And every time, he looked at me like I was the most precious thing in the world. At that time, life really felt beautiful.

Mom and Dad worked at the same place. Mom worked night shifts; Dad worked during the day. Even with their schedules, we always had dinner together. That table. Those conversations. Those small moments. They felt like home.

Mom was about to get promoted. We were all so happy. I still remember her smiling proudly while telling us about it. Dad even bought a cake that night.

But then the accident happened at work. And everything changed. Mom died. Just like that. One day she was there, and the next day the house became quiet forever.

Dad changed after that. Completely. He almost stopped coming home properly. The warmth inside him disappeared. Then one day, he changed my surname. Honestly, that never bothered me. He told me it was necessary to hide my identity because his work involved national security. I believed him. I trusted him. But everything else never became normal again.

Our conversations became empty. Every single day he only asked me two questions: "How was your day?" and "Any problems?" That was all. Every day. Same tone. Same face. Same distance. It felt less like a father talking to his daughter, and more like someone completing a responsibility.

Sometimes he came home drunk. Sometimes he sat alone silently for hours. Sometimes I heard him crying while holding Mom’s picture frame. He became such a sad man. But I still loved him. No matter what.

I waited for him every night. I cooked for him. I shared all my achievements excitedly. And even if his reactions never changed, I knew he cared in his own way. Because I noticed the little things. He secretly checked my school performance. He always left money under my pillow. During winter nights, I pretended to sleep while he adjusted my blanket carefully and patted my head softly before leaving the room. Those little moments were enough for me.

But then, that year came. And slowly, fear entered my life. I started noticing strange people following me. Cars parked in underground parking for too long. Unknown men watching from corners.

Then one day, I got kidnapped. Just for a pager. A stupid pager. After that, nothing felt safe anymore.

I started overhearing Dad’s phone conversations. Whatever he was involved in, it was dangerous. Very dangerous. And slowly, I became suspicious. I hated myself for doubting him. I truly did. I wanted everything to be false. I wanted someone to tell me I was overthinking. But every day, the doubts kept growing.

One day I secretly entered his room. I read files. Documents. Government plans. Transportation details. Disposal procedures for nuclear waste and fuel. I was not some genius spy from television. I barely understood most of it. But I understood enough to know something was wrong.

Then one night, I overheard a conversation about millions of dollars. My family was rich, but honestly, everything belonged to grandfather. Dad himself never cared much about luxury. Still, that strange fear inside me kept growing stronger. I saw our fake passports in the envelope meant for him. Then I heard about a deal involving nuclear fuel. That was the moment I finally decided I had to confront him.

I told him I was going to visit a friend, but I stayed home. Someone important was coming to meet him that night. I planned to confront him after that person left. So I hid quietly inside my room, waiting, listening. My heart felt restless the entire time.

Then suddenly, I heard a gunshot. Just one. I ran downstairs immediately.

And I found him lying on the floor. Blood everywhere. So much blood. My dad, the man I loved my entire life, was lying there dead in front of me. And the person holding the gun was the person I loved too.

That was the moment everything shattered. I still remember how my mind stopped working in that moment. I could not breathe. Could not think. It felt like thousands of needles were piercing through my head, my heart.

And then I saw grandfather standing beside him. I knew who grandfather truly was. I understood everything instantly. All those months, I thought he genuinely loved me. I thought all those smiles were real. All those moments. All those promises. All that warmth. But in the end, everything he did was only to reach my father. I lost both of them that year.

Chloe stood quietly at the balcony of her apartment.

The cold night breeze moved through her hair softly.

In her hands...

She held the old picture frame carefully against her chest.

Her parents smiled warmly from inside the photograph.

A frozen memory from a life that no longer existed.

Her eyes looked upward.

The sky above Star Harbor stretched endlessly tonight.

Countless stars shimmered across the darkness like scattered diamonds.

The city lights below glowed beautifully.

Cars moved slowly through distant roads.

Tall towers stood proudly beneath the night sky.

But none of it truly reached her heart.

Her eyes slowly became wet.

A soft sadness rested quietly inside them.

Then...

The same starlight crossed another part of the city.

Far away.

At the Pearl Villa.

Miles stood silently at his own balcony.

His hands rested against the railing while the cool wind brushed against his face.

The night sky reflected inside his eyes.

And slowly...

The thoughts buried deep inside him began surfacing again.

"That year..."

"I realized that I too had a heart."

His fingers tightened slightly on the railing.

"All the chaos..."

"All the violence..."

"The blood."

"The endless war..."

"I never truly had a goal."

His eyes slowly lowered.

"I was just moving forward because orders told me to."

"A puppet."

"A weapon."

"Something created only to fight."

The distant city lights blurred slightly before him.

"But she changed everything."

A faint smile appeared on his lips.

Painful.

Gentle.

Fragile.

"For the first time..."

"I felt like I had a purpose."

"I felt alive."

"She made me look forward to tomorrow."

"She made me think about normal things."

"Home."

"Peace."

"Love."

His breathing slowed.

"But even then..."

"It never changed what I truly was."

"A weapon."

"A puppet."

"Someone who never truly belonged anywhere."

The wind became stronger.

His eyes closed slowly.

"I wish to see you again Chloe..."

His voice lowered almost into a whisper.

"I wish I could tell you the truth."

"I did not betray you."

"I never used you."

"I loved you with all my heart."

The emotions inside his chest slowly surfaced one after another.

Heavy.

Raw.

Unfiltered.

"I wish I could tell you..."

"That I wanted to take you away from all of it."

"I..."

"I did not shoot your dad."

A deep silence followed.

Only the wind moved around him.

"I wish I could see you again."

"I wish I could bring you home..."

"To meet my mom."

A weak smile appeared on his face.

"She would definitely love you."

His eyes slowly trembled.

"Can I still do that...?"

"Or is it too late now...?"

Then... 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Knock knock.

The sound pulled him back from his thoughts.

Miles took a slow breath.

"Come in."

The balcony door opened quietly.

Monica stepped inside.

She wore comfortable evening clothes after returning home.

Her calm eyes immediately observed him standing there beneath the night sky.

Then her gaze moved toward the painting supplies scattered inside the room.

A faint smile appeared on her lips.

"I heard somewhere..."

"That art carries memories."

"So I thought..."

"You might be reminiscing after showing your performance downstairs."

Miles looked at her quietly.

Then smiled weakly.

"Truly..."

"You are the only one who knows what is on my mind."

Monica slowly walked closer.

The city lights reflected softly across her eyes.

"You were still a teenager when I met you."

"A kid trying to survive."

"I know how you grew up."

"I know what kind of darkness you walked through."

Her expression softened further.

"And believe me..."

"You changed so much after that year."

Her voice carried warmth.

"I wish I had a heart as strong as yours."

Miles looked away quietly.

"I don’t know what to say."

His voice became heavy again.

"I just..."

"I miss her so much."

His fingers slowly tightened.

"I don’t know if I should interrupt her life anymore."

"Maybe she is finally happy."

"Maybe she moved on."

"I cannot bear seeing her sad again."

Monica remained silent for a moment.

Then she asked softly.

"Do you want closure..."

"So you can move on too?"

Miles lowered his gaze.

Moonlight rested quietly across his face.

"I am afraid of that closure."

"At least right now..."

"I can still hope for things."

"Maybe..."

"The truth will destroy everything."

A bitter smile appeared on his lips.

"But should I truly let all these feelings end?"

Monica stared at him quietly.

Then slowly stepped forward.

Without another word...

She wrapped her arms around him gently.

Warmly.

Like family.

"Oh my little brother..."

"Everything will be alright."

"After all those years of fighting..."

"All those sacrifices..."

"You deserve your happiness returning to you..."

"One by one."

Miles slowly rested his head against her shoulder.

The heaviness inside him eased slightly.

His eyes closed quietly.

"Thank you..."

"For believing in me."