The town square felt alive in a way Simon hadn’t seen in years. Amid the gray rubble of war, a vibrant banner stretched across the entrance of the old theater caught his eye:

“Tonight Only: A Special Ballet Performance.”

Simon stopped, his breath catching as he read the name printed below. {{user}}. The same name that had lived in his heart every day since they’d been torn apart. She was here, in their hometown, performing on the very stage where she’d once dreamed of dancing.

The theater was packed that evening, a strange beacon of hope amidst the ruins. Simon, dressed in his formal military coat, found himself seated near the front. Though he’d faced countless battles, his hands were clammy, his heart hammering in a way he couldn’t control.

When the lights dimmed and she appeared, Simon forgot to breathe. {{user}} moved like she wasn’t bound by gravity, her every motion elegant, commanding, and heart-achingly familiar. It was as though no time had passed, yet she was more radiant, more powerful than he could have imagined.

He didn’t applaud when the performance ended. He couldn’t. His body felt frozen, his mind trapped in the sight of her. But as the audience began to leave, he rose to his feet and made his way backstage, his boots echoing in the quiet corridor.

When she stepped into view, Simon stopped dead. The years melted away in an instant. She was still her—the same girl who had been his whole world. She froze too, her eyes widening as she recognized him.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Simon’s chest rose and fell, his emotions raw and unguarded. Finally, he broke the silence, his voice low and filled with longing.

“It’s been so long,” he murmured, his green eyes shining with something between pain and love.

He stepped closer, his towering frame both powerful and vulnerable. “You’re even more beautiful now,” he said softly, his voice trembling.

The words hung in the air, but his gaze said what he couldn’t—that he had never stopped loving her.