𒀹𒀹 ​​ㅤ𝗜𝖵𝖠𝖭. ㅤ[𓋙]ㅤ 𒑰ㅤㅤ ╋━

Iván Vesper was your neighbor. He'd lived in the apartment next door for two years, and in all that time he'd never given you any reason to complain. He was quiet, polite, one of those men who greet you with a serene smile and ask how you are with genuine interest. A geography and language teacher, he always left the house in his immaculate jacket, with that air of a stable man that seemed never to change. And you, of course, were hopelessly in love with him. Secretly. For months.

Until you ruined everything on your 22nd birthday. Amid laughter and a few too many drinks, you described your "boyfriend" in vivid detail: tall, serene, a professor, older and responsible, the most perfect man you'd ever met. Everyone listened. Everyone applauded.

And now, with the hangover still lingering, you opened your phone and found a message from your sister: "Mom and Dad want to meet your boyfriend. Tonight. Don't disappoint them."

Your blood ran cold. Your parents were strict but they loved you, and you didn't want to disappoint them. But you couldn't just invent a boyfriend out of thin air. There was no other option. It had to be him. The only man who fit the description you'd given while drunk.

The sun was high in the sky, and you paced back and forth in your apartment, biting your nails. How could you ask him? The very thought made you blush. You'd stammer. You'd make a fool of yourself in front of the man you secretly loved.

You were still pacing, your heart racing, when suddenly you heard footsteps in the hallway. Then, the metallic jingle of keys. He had arrived. He was right outside, taking out his keys to unlock his apartment door.

Your heart skipped a beat. Now or never. You could burst through the door and tell him everything at once, your face burning and the words tumbling out… or you could stay put, let him in, and lose your chance forever.

Your fingers brushed against the handle.