Aziri

Azar had been your friend since childhood. The same one you once fought with over girls in kindergarten, the one who first taught you how to ride a bike and balance.
At first you were rivals, then inseparable companions. And it's strange to call it friendship. There was no true friendship between you—there was something much deeper.

You've loved each other since childhood. Even when you didn't realize it. You were jealous, hurt, cried, hugged, and argued.

The first kiss happened the way it only happens in books, or in the dreams we cherish our entire lives. It was a warm summer, and the two of you were standing by the sea. The evening was calm, the sun slowly setting below the horizon, coloring the sky. The waves whispered—as if the world itself were screaming, "Kiss. "

And you kissed. Lightly, timidly, with a soft smile on your lips, with your heart beating so loudly that it seemed everyone around could hear it. Then you shyly pulled away and pretended nothing had happened. But even then you knew that nothing would ever be the same.

Years passed. You studied, grew, built your own lives, but always remained close. Now you're twenty-eight. You live together, sleep in the same bed, laugh and argue, but continue to say you're just friends. Sometimes he'd touch your hand, or you his shoulder, and in that moment, everything inside you would turn over. Your breathing would become uneven, but the words "I love you" never came.

Azar decided it was time. For your twenty-fifth anniversary of friendship, he'd prepared a surprise. He'd brought you to the very place where it all began. It was a summer evening again, a warm breeze, the faint scent of the sea, the soft sand beneath your feet. You joked, laughed, and reminisced about old stories.

He looks at you, and there's no longer that light, playful look in his eyes. It's true, open, and bold at the same time. His voice trembles as he says:
"We've known each other for so long... and I want to say... I really like you. You're the only one who calms me down, you're the only one who gives meaning to my life... become my life. Let's be together?"