shared laugh, each lingering touch, woven into the fabric of their burgeoning commitment. They started speaking less in "I" and more in "we,"

rs he knew, sharing market research on indie publishing, and even helping her refine her business plan with his lecturer's eye for detail. She found a small,

the empty room, his voice echoing slightly. He

dy presence. He'd bring her coffee and snacks during her all-nighters, listen patiently to her frustrations, and celebrate every small victory as if it were his own

were back at her apartment. She was sprawled on the sofa, exhausted but content, w

a asked, her brow f

e tender. "It's... a little

bookmark, exquisitely crafted. On one side, delicately engraved, was a

testament to their shared passion and the narrative they were creating

er hand. "Always unfolding. And I wan

uture. It wasn't just a bookmark; it was a promise. Their individual stories had merged, and they w