The rain fell quietly that night.
Aiman sat alone by the small desk near his window, listening to the soft rhythm of raindrops tapping against the glass. The room was calm. Almost too calm.
His phone lit up.
A message from Alya.
"Have you eaten?"
A small smile appeared on his face.
He replied almost immediately.
"Yes. What about you?"
Her reply came seconds later.
"Not yet. I was waiting for you to ask me."
Aiman let out a soft laugh to himself.
"What if I didn't ask?"
There was a short pause before her answer appeared.
"Then I'd still wait."
He went quiet.
Something about that answer felt warm… and unexpectedly important.
He glanced at the rain outside the window before typing again.
"Then tomorrow, I'll take you out for a meal."
Her reply came quickly.
"Really?"
Aiman smiled again.
"Really."
A moment later, another message arrived.
"Promise?"
His fingers paused above the screen.
The word felt simple.
But heavy.
Still… he typed it.
"Promise."
He didn't realize why that word felt so meaningful to him.
But it did.
A few minutes later, his phone buzzed again.
This time it was Nadia.
"Are you still working?"
Aiman leaned back slightly in his chair.
"Just finished."
Her reply appeared.
"You work too hard."
He smiled faintly.
"I have to."
A short pause.
Then another message came.
"Still… don't forget to take care of yourself."
He stared at the screen longer this time.
Such a simple sentence.
Yet it warmed something inside his chest.
He replied slowly.
"Thank you for always reminding me."
Another message followed.
"I just worry you might push yourself too far."
Aiman hesitated.
Then he typed something.
Stopped.
Deleted it.
Typed again.
And finally sent it.
"If one day I get too tired… will you still be there?"
Her reply came instantly.
"I will."
Just two words.
But they were enough.
Aiman smiled quietly.
His phone vibrated again.
Alya.
"You know something?"
He replied.
"What?"
Her answer came seconds later.
"I feel calm whenever I talk to you."
Aiman paused.
Something inside him shifted.
He typed slowly.
"Me too."
A moment later, another message appeared.
"If one day you disappear… I'll come looking for you."
He froze.
His eyes stayed on the screen.
Reading the sentence again.
And again.
Then slowly…
he smiled.
Without realizing it.
His phone buzzed once more.
Nadia again.
"Don't forget to take your medicine if you're not feeling well."
Aiman went silent.
He stared at the message longer than he should have.
Almost as if she knew something he himself wasn't ready to admit.
He replied gently.
"You sound like you know everything about me."
Her response came soon after.
"Not everything. But I'm trying to understand you."
Aiman lowered his gaze slightly.
For the first time that night…
he didn't feel alone.
The rain was still falling outside.
Soft.
Quiet.
Peaceful.
His phone remained in his hands.
Two names still glowing on the screen.
Alya.
And Nadia.
He looked at them for a long moment.
Then slowly typed a message.
But never sent it.
"I promise I'll protect both of you for as long as I can."
The words stayed on the screen.
Unsent.
Unspoken.
Yet deeply real inside his heart.
A promise…
he never told.