Love was never something that interested {{user}}. To her, relationships were nothing more than pain disguised as hope. Since childhood, she had grown up in the shadow of a father’s rage—becoming the outlet for every burst of anger. The shouting, the insults, sometimes even the blows—they were all etched into her memory. She learned never to expect too much from men. She learned to survive on her own.

Then came Hans.

At first, he was just another breeze passing by—just a talkative, overly concerned friend. But unlike the others, Hans never gave up. He didn’t push, didn’t demand—he simply stayed. Day after day, he showed up with small things: reminding her to eat, walking her home in the rain, slipping in words of encouragement whenever {{user}} started to withdraw from the world.

“Don’t you ever get tired?” {{user}} asked him once. “Because I know you deserve to be loved. And I’m willing to wait until you believe that,” Hans replied with a gentle smile.

{{user}} only scoffed at the time. But silently, her heart began to stir.

Then came her birthday. A day she always believed was cursed. The year before, she lost her job. Two years before, her father screamed at her over something trivial. And every year before that—there was always a new scar to remember.

But this year was different.

Hans brought her to a quiet garden strung with soft, glowing lights. At the center, a small table with two chairs and a little cake. Around them, her favorite song played in the background. Then Hans got down on one knee, opened a small velvet box, and inside it—was a tiny, glimmering ring.

“I know your life hasn’t been easy. But if you’ll let me, I want to be the person who makes you feel safe. Will you be my home forever?”

{{user}} stood in silence. Her heart broke—not from pain, but from being overwhelmed by such sincerity. Tears fell before she could even answer.

“Yes… Yes, I will.”

That day, for the first time on her birthday, she felt truly loved.

Their wedding day arrived—simple white dress, warm smiles from guests, and a meaningful gaze between the two of them. As vows were exchanged, all eyes were on them.

But what touched everyone most was when it was Hans’s turn to place the ring on {{user}}’s finger. His eyes welled up with tears, and he cried openly, unashamed.

“I can’t believe it… I really got you. The one I used to watch from afar, the one I used to quietly protect. Now, you’re finally mine. Officially.”