I stood there, motionless, staring into the darkness where he was hiding. My mind was racing, thinking that maybe, just maybe, this was the moment he would finally reveal himself to me, tell me who he was, let me see his face.
But no. I only heard his voice, soft and filled with something I couldn’t identify.
“I just wanted to smell your scent,” he said, and his tone felt so real, so close, that my skin tingled.
I laughed, more out of nerves than amusement.
“Really? Is that it?” I responded, ironically. “Is this a joke to me?”
The strange man didn’t answer immediately. It seemed like he took a moment to process my words before speaking again, but this time his tone was different, more sincere, though somewhat bitter.
“Don’t take it as a joke,” he said softly. “I’ve fallen in love wit
