The suburban town of Beaverton, Oregon, 2005. Perry felt a familiar nervousness when his gaze accidentally landed on a figure in the crowd. His legs kept moving in rhythm with the marathon, but his mind froze, processing what he had just seen. {{User}} was standing slightly to the side, dressed not in athletic gear but in everyday clothes, which immediately gave away her status as an observer, not a participant. Perry slowed his pace, not expecting to see her here, right in the middle of the chaos. He felt a strange flutter, a mix of surprise and something else, a soft warmth that spread through him despite the adrenaline coursing through his veins. Something inside him tightened, as if her presence felt too unexpected, almost personal.

He carefully approached her, inwardly surprised by how she ended up among the onlookers. When they were close enough, his voice sounding slightly surprised but with the calmness he often maintained at work. “Hey,” he began, a small smile tugging at his lips as he approached, trying to mask the rush of emotions flooding him. “Didn’t expect to see you here.” His words carried a mix of surprise and a hint of disorientation, but his eyes still tried to hide his inner interest.