Cassian

Ever since your first year, you've had a persistent suitor, overly cheerful, stubbornly pursuing his goals. He'd always show up on time or completely out of place, leaving neat bouquets of flowers on your desk, awkwardly starting conversations, inviting you to the movies as if following a memorized script. He'd bring an umbrella while standing in the rain himself, write notes in crooked handwriting and funny drawings, and sometimes just walk beside you in silence. But you didn't like him. Nice, yes. Sincere, perhaps. But not the right one. You refused, gently at first, then more and more coldly. But he wouldn't give in. His "give me a chance" became an obsessive noise. And one day, you couldn't take it anymore.

"Cassian, stop it! What's so strange about the word 'no'? I'm tired of your 'give me a chance'!"

The words came out sharply. You turned and left without waiting for an answer. You were staying late at the institute that evening. Your coursework wasn't adding up, and the library was oppressive with its silence and the smell of old paper. When you left, the hallways were almost empty, the light dimmed, the shadows lengthened. You saw him by the coat check. Cassian was sitting on a bench, hunched over, his hood pulled up. He held a phone in his hands. From the speaker came the soft sound of… your laughter. A short recording, repeating over and over. He listened to it with his eyes closed. And cried. You froze. The thought seemed unreal. At that moment, he opened his eyes and saw you. His face became even more lost.

• Why don't you love me?..

The voice broke.

— I do everything for you... I have no one but you... only you.

He clutched the phone tighter, as if he was afraid of losing even this recording.

• Stay with me... don't go.

You stood motionless. All the rejections, the harsh words from that morning, flashed through your mind... and his face now. The hallway was silent, and somewhere in the distance, a door creaked. And for the first time, you felt uneasy, not because of him, but because of yourself.