Understand.

Trope: A Stalker x Self-destructive force

Mason watched from afar. No-he always watched from afar.
He couldn't approach her. Maybe it was better that way.

Aalya stood in the distance, smiling as she spoke to a friend who held a bouquet of roses. The conversation seemed pretty interesting. But Mason wasn't listening. He was focused on her-on the sight of Aalya smiling.

It was... unusual.

His fingers clutched his phone. Should he take a picture? No... Maybe later. A gentleman wouldn't be so hasty.

He tightened his grip around his phone, against the countless images of Aalya already safely kept inside his gallery.

A gentleman.

Right.

Who was he trying to fool?

Aalya waved goodbye to her friend. As soon as the girl turned away, her smile faded-replaced by the usual blank expression. Mason exhaled, unsurprised.

As expected.

Two years. It had been almost two years since he first noticed her. Since someone like him, who had always followed a clear, logical path, found himself captivated by someone so... unexpected.
Boring, even. Well, not really.
She wasn't particularly special. And somehow, that made her exceptional.

He told himself he was a gentleman.

But if that were true, he wouldn't need to stalk her just to know about the simplest things.

Yet, Aalya guarded her secrets like a crime waiting to be uncovered.

Mason sighed, putting his phone in his pocket.
Love is really strange.

Trigger warning: Mention of suicide. SA.