If Almost Is Never Enough

Solei has always been afraid of conflict. A soft-spoken, careful, and someone who would rather disappear than be caught in the middle of other people's storms. All she wanted was a quiet life in a prestigious school that promised a safety and order.

But she didn't expect him.

The one who carried silence like a shield. Cold eyes, steady posture, and a heaviness that never left his shoulders.
Everyone feared him, but Solei saw something else, something fragile beneath the hardness.

It all started in the painful past of their town, that was long buried beneath the ground. But it was digged back when Solei interefered. It was a mistake that she hoped she didn't know about. But despite that, she already knew how to fix everything.

And he, in return, found her weakness.
Their connection deepens, even as the world around them trembles with old wounds, buried truths, and battles they have no control over. He wants to protect her. She wants to save him.

But somehow...

Being close is dangerous,

being honest is risky,

and love-

no matter how real it is-

Became an almost.

And almost is never enough.