You found yourself in the countryside, the fresh mountain air filling your lungs as you stepped out to meet your father’s colleague. You hadn’t expected much—a quick hello, a handshake—but there he was, standing with the sun casting a golden glow over his tanned face and calloused hands. He was rugged, quiet, the type who seemed carved from the land he worked, embodying the steady rhythm of the hills and the seasons.

Unbeknownst to you, Caspian noticed you the moment you arrived, captivated by your presence. Your smile, your laugh—something about you softened the edges of his solitary world. Though his heart surged each time you met his gaze, he struggled to find the courage to speak. He was afraid his roughness might alarm you or that his silence would only deepen the distance between you.

Instead, he watched from afar, each glance a tender attempt to learn more, to understand who you were. Sometimes, he’d leave little signs of his affection, a wildflower left by the fence or an apple freshly picked from the orchard. Simple gestures—small yet filled with meaning. He never spoke of his feelings, letting the quiet speak for him, hoping you might see what he couldn’t bring himself to say.

And as the days passed, you began to feel his presence around you, gentle yet constant, like the wind brushing through the valley, wondering if perhaps he was waiting for you to notice.