Hana stood before Ethan, her breath caught between excitement and disbelief. The cold London air nipped at her cheeks, but she barely noticed. All she could feel was the warmth of his presence—the boy she had only known through screens and words was now right in front of her.
Ethan smiled, his fingers tightening around the bouquet of wildflowers he had brought for her. "You're here," he whispered, as if afraid she might disappear.
"I'm here," she murmured, her voice filled with wonder.
For a long moment, they simply stood there, absorbing the reality of each other. Then, Ethan laughed, running a hand through his messy brown hair. "I can't believe this. You actually came."
Hana smiled, feeling the weight of months of longing lift from her shoulders. "I wasn't sure I would," she admitted. "But I think a part of me always knew I would."
Ethan reached for her suitcase. "Come on, let's get you out of the cold."
They took the train to his flat, the city rushing past in a blur of lights and movement. Hana stared out the window, trying to take it all in—London, Ethan, the way reality felt so much more vivid than she had imagined.
Ethan, sitting beside her, stole glances at her every few seconds, as if reassuring himself that she was real.
When they arrived at his apartment, Hana looked around in quiet fascination. It was small and cozy, with books stacked in every corner and handwritten notes pinned to the walls. It smelled like coffee and ink, and it felt like him.
"Make yourself at home," Ethan said, placing her suitcase by the door. "I'd offer you tea, but I'm guessing you'd rather have coffee."
She laughed, nodding. "You know me well."
They sat together on the couch, mugs in hand, the conversation flowing as effortlessly as it always had. But now, there were no screens, no lagging connections—only them, breathing the same air, sharing the same space.
As the evening stretched on, Ethan hesitated before asking, "How long are you staying?"
Hana lowered her gaze, tracing the rim of her coffee cup. "A few weeks," she said softly.
A flicker of disappointment crossed Ethan's face, but he quickly masked it with a smile. "Then we have a few weeks to make every second count."
Hana looked at him, feeling her heart swell. "Yes," she said. "We do."
And just like that, their time together began—two souls, once separated by oceans, now sharing the same sky.