ASHES OF AUGUSTUpdated at Oct 13, 2025, 22:00
The goodbye was not born of fading love but of circumstances too heavy to resist. At the airport, Elena clung to Adrian’s hand as though her touch could hold time still. Her flight to Samoa had been booked in haste; her aunt’s health was failing, and she was the only family who could care for her. Adrian, meanwhile, carried his own duty — a government contract in Vietnam that demanded both his skills and his sacrifice.
The air between them vibrated with everything left unsaid. Around them, strangers hurried to their gates, announcements crackled through speakers, but the world’s noise felt far away. Their hearts spoke louder than words: fear, longing, and the ache of separation.
They kissed with a desperation that bordered on painful, a kiss that promised they would find their way back no matter the distance. “We’ll reunite,” he whispered against her hair. “We’ll make it through.” She nodded, though her eyes shimmered with doubt.
When the final boarding call echoed, they let go, turning toward different gates, different fates. Neither dared look back, because they knew if they did, they would never be able to leave.
.