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t w e l v e

A week later, I find myself reflecting on how much things have changes. Kenan and I have settled into a comfortable routine, finding time for each other despite our busy schedules. It hasn't been easy, but the effort is worth it.

It's a sunny Saturday afternoon, and I am at the café, the lunch rush finally winding down. I am wiping down tables when I hear the bell above the door jingle. Glancing up, I see my boyfriend walking in, his smile lighting up the room. He is wearing a casual t-shirt and jeans, but to me, he looks absolutely handsome in it.

"Hey stranger," I call out, grinning as he approaches the counter.
"Hey." He replies, leaning over to kiss me on the cheek. "Got a break anytime soon? " I nod. "In about ten minutes. Grab a seat, and I will join you." He sits at his usual table, and I finish up my tasks, my heart fluttering with anticipation. Crazy, now I am indeed officially the girlfriend of Turkeys youngster. When my break finally comes, I pour us both a couple of lemonades and carry them over. This was the original reason why he always visited the café, my selfmade lemonade.

"How's your day been?" I ask, sitting across him. "Busy." He admits, taking a sip of his drink. "Training was intense, but I couldn't wait to see you."
"I am glad you came," I tell him, reaching across the table to take his hand and stroke the back of it with my thumb. "I needed this."

We talk about our week, sharing stories and laughing. It's easy and comfortable, a stark contrast to the tension that had filked our early days. Kenans phone buzzes on the table, and he glances at it, a small frown creasing his forehead. "Everything okay?" I ask, squeezing his hand.

"Yeah," he says, putting the phone away. "Just some team stuff. Nothing important right now." We fall into a comfortable silence, enjoying each other's company. The café is quieter now, with only a few regulars scattered around. I lean back in my chair, feeling content. Just as Im about to suggest a walk in the park we always go to, the door opens again, and a group of women walk in. They are loud and excited, and I recognize them as a group of Kenans fans. What a great interruption. They spot him immediately, their eyes widening in surprise.

"Kenan! Oh my god! It is really you!" One of them squeals, rushing over to our table. Completely ignoring my presence of course. They all looked so beautiful. My boyfriend stands up, offering a polite smile. "Hi there."

The women crowd around him, bombarding him with questions and requests for selfies. I sit there, feeling invisible and a little overwhelmed. Kenan handles it graciously, but I can see the tension in his eyes. He was always a little bit awkward with fans, was he not?

After what feels like an eternity, they finally leave ä, still gushing about their encounter. How did they even find the café? The youngster sits back down, his expression apologetic.

"I am sorry about that, Mine. It's hard to avoid sometimes." - "It's okay," I say, though I can't help feeling a pang of jealousy. I looked like I came out of war, once again. While these beautiful women looked like models. "I understand."

He reaches across the table, taking my hand again. "I promise, Im here with you. They just caught me off guard." I smile, but it's a bit forced if I am going to be honest. "I know it's just... hard sometimes. Did you see how beautiful they all looked..?"

My boyfriend seems to get sassy, his eye roll tells. "Do you see How beautiful you look? But I get it, it can be hard....experiencing all this fans near me, near us. But we will figure this out together, remember? We made a promise."

I nod, feeling a bit better. "Right, we promised." We finish our drinks, and Kenan suggests a walk to clear our heads. We leave the café, the afternoon sun warm on our faces. As we stroll through the park , the tension from earlier starts to melt away. The footballer stops by a bench and pulls me down next to him. "I have been thinking," he starts to speak, turning to face me. "Maybe we should make it official. Tell people about us."

I blink in surprise. "Are you sure? That is a big step, Kenan."

He nods, his expression serious. "Im sure. I don't want to 'hide ' anymore. I want to spend time with you in public, without worrying what other people might think." A wave of emotion washes over me, and I smile, feeling tears prick at the corners of my eyes. He made me so emotional.
"I would like that. I would like that a lot, actually." He leans in and kisses the top of my head, right there in the park, with people walking by and the world around us. Strange, but amazing. I think I am in love.