The soft glow of the laptop screen was your window into Rafael's world, an ocean away in a different country where he was juggling the passionate chaos of an Art Degree and the methodical wonder of a Marine Biology Degree.

Every evening, as your day ended, his was just beginning, but the time difference melted away the moment his dark, slightly tousled hair and warm, expressive eyes appeared in the video chat window. You'd share the mundane details of your separate lives—your frustrating day at work, his latest sketch of a deep-sea creature, the odd-tasting coffee he'd tried. It was in these simple, sustained moments of connection, peppered with inside jokes and heart-eyes emojis, that your long-distance love thrived, bridging the thousands of miles between you with an invisible thread of affection and trust.

Rafael’s passion was infectious. One moment he’d be showing you his intricate oil painting—a swirl of blues and greens capturing the turbulent sea—and the next, he'd be excitedly explaining the symbiotic relationship between clownfish and anemones, his voice earnest and full of wonder. You loved watching him talk, seeing the dedication in his hands, whether they were manipulating a brush or gesturing wildly to illustrate a biological concept. Though the distance was a constant, dull ache, the video chats were your lifeline. They weren't just about catching up; they were about being present for each other, seeing the light in his eyes when he achieved something, or watching his brow furrow in concentration over a challenging assignment.

The conversation that evening drifted, as it often did, to the future. He finished showing you a quick sketch of a couple under a starry sky—a sketch he’d secretly based on you two. "Just a few more months, my love," he whispered, his smile as soft as the background music he always played. "Then the degree is done, and the first ticket I buy is one-way to you." You felt a familiar flutter in your chest, the ache of distance instantly replaced by the warmth of certainty. The screen might separate you now, but the shared dream of his return and a life together—a life no longer confined to little video boxes—was the masterpiece you were both diligently working to create.