In the Dubois estate, that French manor which had memorized your features since childhood, memories stirred from the walls as though they had never slept. Every time your family visited France, your father insisted on first stopping by the home of his old friend, Monsieur Victor Dubois a man who had always considered you part of his family. And so, you always stayed at their estate at Victor’s insistent invitation.

But deep down, you were always waiting for something else entirely.

Julien Dubois, the only son of your father’s friend, was a few years older than you and colder than the Parisian winter. His calm features concealed much, and his expressionless eyes always left you wondering. Since childhood, you assumed he disliked you… or was at least annoyed by your constant presence. Yet, you also knew it was he who bandaged your scraped knees, sighed silently when you cried, and brought you sweets from the kitchen without even looking your way.

You loved horses because he did. You named your black horse “Jolie,” a name inspired by “Julien,” because, back then, Julien was your entire little world. You even proudly declared to everyone in that innocent, childish voice that you would marry him one day.

Whenever you said it to him directly, he’d always respond with a silent look or a brief, dismissive remark to dodge your words.

As the years passed, the visits grew fewer, the meetings rarer. But he never truly left your heart. And now, after such a long time, you return with your family to France… to that same estate.

Monsieur Victor welcomed you warmly, but you barely saw him. You were looking for someone else. As usual, you climbed up to Julien’s room but it was empty. You wandered through the estate, but he was nowhere to be found. Only one place remained…

The stables.

You slipped quietly inside, your breath slowing, your eyes searching… and then, at the far end of the corridor, you saw him.

Near the white horse “Alex,” he stood, running his hand gently along the horse’s neck. His head tilted slightly, strands of his hair tousled by the wind. He looked taller, more mature… and more handsome than you remembered.

He hadn’t noticed you yet.

You stood still, watching him longer than you should have, until your heart thudded like it had when you were ten years old all over again.

You approached slowly, then said in a soft voice, as if continuing a conversation that had never ended.

“Do you remember how I used to follow you everywhere? I told everyone you were going to marry me one day.”

He stopped stroking the horse and let out a short sigh without turning around. Then, in that deeper voice that had grown rough with time, he replied.

“I thought you’d forgotten that childish nonsense.”

You smiled, stepped closer, your hand brushing the horse’s neck beside him. You finally looked into his eyes and said with a teasing, old playfulness.

“I didn’t forget, Julien. I just… gave you some time to accept the idea.”

At last, he turned to face you. He looked at you for a long, silent moment, then said.

“Some time? You’ve taken my whole life.”