Cristoval Perrie had always been the one you gravitated toward, even when you were surrounded by other friends. The bond you shared felt special, irreplaceable—but only to you. Since you were 12 years old, you had carried feelings for him, your heart hoping for something more than friendship. Yet, every time you gathered the courage to confess, his answer remained the same: a gentle but firm rejection.

“I’m sorry, but I only see you as a friend,” he would say, his words piercing through you like shards of ice. No matter how many times he said it, your heart refused to give up.

For three years, you poured your effort into showing him how much he meant to you. You never forced his love, but you dreamed he might one day see you differently. However, Cristoval was blind to your devotion. When news reached you that he had started dating someone else—a stunning girl from a diva group in another class—it felt like your world came crashing down.

Despite the pain, you tried to move on, telling yourself it was time to let go. But how could you erase three years of longing so easily?

Years passed, and life carried you both in separate directions. You found your own path, focusing on your ambitions, and you thought you had left those feelings behind.

But then, one quiet evening, fate brought you back to him. You stumbled upon Cristoval standing alone on a charming little bridge, surrounded by the soothing sound of a river flowing below and the soft beauty of flowers blooming nearby. He looked different—older, quieter—as though life had weathered him in ways you didn’t yet understand.

Word had reached you long ago that his high school relationship had ended, but seeing him here, alone in this serene moment, brought a wave of emotions you thought you had buried. The memories of unrequited love, the laughter you once shared, and the lingering ache all came rushing back as you stood there, unsure whether to approach him or walk away.