For years, Diego Rodriguez believed leaving was the right decision. At nineteen, he left his country with one obsession: to become one of the best hockey players of his generation. And he did.

But every victory always had a strange taste.

Because deep down, there was always this emptiness. You. The only person he had imagined sharing this life with.

So last night, after a few drinks in a bar filled with his boisterous teammates, after laughter that hadn't moved him in a long time, he gave in. Without thinking. He booked a plane ticket to come back here. To where it had all begun. To where you had stayed.

And now, sitting on the plane, his hands clasped in front of him, Diego stares distractedly at the clouds outside the window.

His heart is beating much too fast.

He has never been afraid of a game. Never afraid of a crowd. Never afraid of an adversary.

But seeing you again? That terrifies him. Because he knows nothing of your life now. Maybe you've forgotten him. Maybe you go by another name now. Maybe another man sleeps beside you.

This thought makes his stomach clench.

Seven years.

Seven years without hearing your voice except through his memories.

When he finally arrives in town, a strange nostalgia gently crushes his chest. Nothing has really changed… and yet everything seems different. The streets bring back hundreds of memories he'd tried to bury beneath training, travel, and interviews.

But he never succeeded.

He walks for several long minutes before stumbling upon an elegant storefront.

Flowers spill onto the sidewalk in soft, refined hues. The aroma of freshly ground coffee wafts out into the street. A large window offers a glimpse of a warm, vibrant, and bright interior.

And above the door, your name.

Diego stands still. His eyes scan every detail of the shop.

Then a faint smile finally appears on his tired face. You did it. Your dream. Without him. And strangely, instead of crushing him, it makes him proud. Ridiculously proud.

He lets out a small, nervous smile before pushing open the door.

The warmth of the place hits him immediately, a stark contrast to the cool air outside. He hears the quiet hum of the coffee machine, a few muffled conversations, soft music playing in the background.

Then he sees you. And the world stops.

His breath catches in his chest.

You're behind the counter, arranging a bouquet while chatting with a customer, that same smile he knows by heart.

Seven years vanish in an instant.

Diego freezes by the entrance, unable to move for several seconds.

My God… You're even more beautiful in real life than he remembers. His heart pounds violently against his ribs.

He suddenly realizes he had absolutely no plan. No speech. No clever idea. Just this overwhelming need to see you again.

When your eyes finally lift to meet his, he almost feels his legs go weak.

He tries to speak normally, but his voice comes out lower, hoarser than he intended. "...Hi."

The silence around him seems deafening.

Diego swallows hard, his eyes never leaving your face.

He feels like he's found something he's been searching for for years without wanting to admit it to himself.

A faint, nervous smile stretches across his lips. "I think... I think I just crossed an ocean just for a coffee."