The Strawberry Farm

Prologue

In the soft embrace of a sun-kissed afternoon, Ty found himself caught in a moment of quiet admiration, his fingers trailing through his best friend's dangerously gorgeous curls. They sat together beneath the sprawling birches of an ancient oak tree, the air filled with the delicate promise of spring. Ty had meticulously prepared a picnic basket for Valentine's Day, every detail chosen with care to, perhaps, delight the subject of his affections: Loel.

As they shared this idyllic moment, surrounded by the gentle murmur of other couples in the park, Loel's voice broke the tranquility. With a warmth that matched the sun's rays, Loel exclaimed about the beauty of the day and the love blooming all around them.

"Mm, yes, it's quite lovely," Ty murmured, his gaze lingering on Loel's radiant smile.

Loel chuckled, leaning into Ty's touch as his curls danced beneath Ty's fingertips. "Not as lovely as you."

"Of course I'm lovely!" Ty forces a smile as he is stunned by Loel's words. "We're best of friends, aren't we?"

And so, amidst the backdrop of Valentine's Day romance, Ty's heart remained tethered to the unspoken, his feelings hidden beneath the guise of friendship, longing for a love that dared not speak its name.

In the depths of Ty's mind, a tempest of conflicting emotions churned relentlessly. He dared not entertain the notion that Loel could reciprocate his feelings. In his heart of hearts, Ty had convinced himself that Loel was undoubtedly straight, destined to be drawn to someone who could offer him the love he so fervently sought.

With each tender touch and whispered exchange, Ty found himself ensnared in a web of longing and despair. He masked his yearning with a facade of friendship, burying his desires beneath layers of laughter and shared moments. Yet, despite his best efforts to conceal his feelings, they lingered like shadows, a constant reminder of the unattainable love that lay just beyond his reach.

"I guess I just thought... maybe..." Loel's voice faltered, his gaze drifting away.

"Maybe what?" Ty's heart raced, hope flickering like a candle in the wind.

"That we could always spend Valentine's Day together, you know?" Loel's words hung in the air, heavy with uncertainty.

Ty's breath caught in his throat, his mind racing with the possibilities. Could it be that Loel harbored feelings for him too?

But before Ty could dare to hope, Loel stumbled over his words, hastily retracting his sentiment. "I- I mean like... you know, Galentine's Day, as friends of course!"

And as Ty's dreams of love crumbled around him, he forced a smile, nodding in agreement with Loel's words. Yet, even as he feigned acceptance, a part of Ty remained trapped in the depths of his unrequited love, haunted by the ghost of what could never be. As they sat together beneath the sun's fading rays, Ty silently vowed to bury his feelings deep within his heart, resigned to the agonizing certainty that he would forever remain just a friend in Loel's eyes.

But amidst the tumult of Ty's emotions, there lingered a quiet yearning for something more—a longing for his elusive "strawberry," the person who would ignite his soul with passion and reciprocate his deepest desires. Ty had coined the term years ago, a whimsical metaphor for the love he sought—a love as sweet and irresistible as the ripest berry, yet just as fleeting and elusive.

In his quiet moments of reflection, Ty would often find himself lost in fantasies of his strawberry—a faceless figure who embodied all the qualities he yearned for in a partner. Someone who would see beyond the carefully crafted facade Ty presented to the world and embrace him for who he truly was. Someone who would cherish him as fiercely as he longed to be cherished.

But as he sat beside Loel beneath the dappled sunlight, Ty couldn't help but wonder if his strawberry would forever remain out of reach. Would he ever find the courage to pursue his heart's desire, or would he continue to hide behind the safety of friendship, afraid to risk rejection and heartache?

As the day waned and the shadows lengthened, Ty's thoughts drifted back to his strawberry—a distant dream that seemed to grow more elusive with each passing moment. And as he stole a glance at Loel, his heart heavy with unspoken longing, Ty silently vowed to keep searching, to never give up hope of finding the love he so desperately sought—the love that would make him feel truly alive.