GARDEN OF MEMORY

CHAPTER 05

"I understand if you don't want to answer my question, but could I at least know your name? I'd like to thank you for the information you gave me about Khalil. My name is Kahil Kastelo."

Rose was taken a back. The name felt familiar, as if she had heard it before. Then, a memory flashed through her mind. She remembered a book she had read a few days ago, a book about faceless in my dream. The author's name...Kahil Kastelo.

"Kahil Kastelo..." she murmured, her voice filled with disbelief. "The author?"

Kahil's eyes widened in surprise, his jaw dropping slightly. "You know my book?" he asked, his voice laced with disbelief. "How did you...?"

He trailed off, his mind racing, trying to make sense of the situation. He had never met anyone who knew his work, let alone someone who had read it and seemed to be deeply affected by it.

"I...I read it a few days ago," Rose said, her voice soft and hesitant. "It was...it was beautiful. It touched me deeply."

Kahil felt a surge of warmth and pride wash over him. He had always poured his heart and soul into his writing, hoping that it would resonate with someone, that it would make a difference in the world. And now, here was this woman, standing before him, telling him that his words had touched her.

"I'm...I'm honored," he stammered, his voice filled with emotion. "I never thought anyone would..."

"Why did you write it?" Rose asked, her voice filled with a mixture of curiosity and a touch of trepidation. She had been so captivated by the story, the way it had touched her soul, that she couldn't help but wonder what had inspired Kahil to write it.

Kahil hesitated for a moment, his gaze drifting to the ground. He had never spoken about his inspiration for the book before, not even to his brother Khalil. But something about Rose, the way she looked at him with such genuine interest and understanding, made him feel like he could confide in her.

"It's...it's a long story," he said, his voice soft and hesitant. "But it all started with a dream."

He took a deep breath, his eyes meeting hers. "I dreamt of a girl," he said, his voice filled with a mixture of wonder and longing. "She was beautiful, with long, flowing hair and eyes that shone like stars. But her face...her face was blank, like a canvas waiting to be filled."

Rose leaned forward, her eyes fixed on Kahil's, her heart pounding with a mixture of curiosity and anticipation. She had never heard him speak about his dreams before, and the way he described this girl, this faceless girl, filled her with a sense of mystery and intrigue.

"I tried to see her face," Kahil continued, his voice filled with a hint of sadness. "But it was like a veil, a secret that she was keeping from me. I could feel her presence, her energy, but I couldn't see her true self."

Rose felt a pang of sympathy for Kahil, understanding the frustration and longing he must have felt. She had experienced similar dreams herself, dreams of people she couldn't quite grasp, people who seemed to be just out of reach.

"I woke up from the dream feeling lost and confused," Kahil said, his voice filled with a sense of melancholy. "I didn't understand why I had dreamt of this girl, why she had been so important to me. But I knew that I had to write about her, to try to understand her, to try to find her."

He paused, his gaze fixed on Rose's face, searching for a sign of understanding. "I wrote the book as a way to explore the mystery of this girl, to try to understand the meaning behind her facelessness," he said, his voice filled with a sense of vulnerability. "It was a way to confront my own fears and insecurities, to try to make sense of the world around me."

Rose nodded, her heart filled with a mixture of admiration and empathy. She understood the power of storytelling, the way it could help us to make sense of the world, to confront our fears, and to find meaning in the midst of chaos.

"Thank you for sharing that with me," she said, her voice filled with sincerity. "It means a lot to me."

Kahil smiled, a genuine smile that lit up his face. "You're welcome," he said, his voice filled with a warmth that surprised him. He had never felt so comfortable sharing his deepest thoughts and feelings with anyone before. But something about Rose, something about the way she listened with such empathy and understanding, made him feel like he could trust her.