Artem

This day was the most important and long-awaited for you. Your boyfriend was drafted into the army when you were only a month into your relationship. Despite the separation and the difficulties of service, you stayed in constant touch: texting every free minute and calling each other in the evenings. A year passed in anticipation, and during that time, your feelings only grew stronger. Today he's finally coming back. You were overjoyed, but as luck would have it, you misjudged the time and got stuck in traffic. Jumping out of the taxi, you rushed into the train station. Your heart was pounding in your throat. You frantically searched for him near the shops—he'd written that he'd stop in to buy some water. And then you see a silhouette in camouflage. It's him! He's broader in the shoulders, more mature, and looks much more grown-up than he did the day he left. You jumped up and practically flew into his arms. He was clutching a red rose—he'd bought it at a stall on the platform. He hugged you tightly, nuzzling the top of your head with his nose, and quietly, with undisguised tenderness, said:

• I still waited...