Strings

Mauve’s POV Hi. I’m Mauve. Yes, it’s a strange name. People always get it wrong, so let me save us both the trouble. It’s pronounced “Mao-ve,” like the color. Now that we’ve cleared that up, I know what you're thinking. Who is she? What does she do? How does she look? I’m 28. A doctor. Currently studying for my postgraduate exams and juggling hospital shifts like a circus act. It hasn’t been an easy road. The late nights, missed meals, failures, and breakdowns — I’ve faced them all. But those failures? They’ve shaped me. I wouldn’t be who I am without them. Every scar, every setback taught me something important. Mostly, how to survive. I used to be open. I'd share everything with people I cared about. Every feeling, every little detail. But over time, I learned that not everyone deserves access to your vulnerabilities. I don't share like I used to. I listen more. I absorb more. And I hide better. But don’t mistake that for being cold. I still laugh too loudly when I’m with friends. I’m that person who tears up over animal rescue videos and offers my umbrella to strangers. I believe in kindness. But I’ve learned to be cautious about where I place my heart. As for love, well, that chapter is buried somewhere deep. I’ve had a few experiences, but none that ended well. Maybe someday, someone will turn the page and surprise me. Until then, I’m focused on becoming the best version of myself. Physically, I’m 5'3", with fair skin and dark brown eyes and hair. People often mistake me for a high school student. I’ve had patients blink twice when I walk in wearing a white coat. It’s the baby face, probably. My features are soft, round. My face is chubby but expressive. I have an average build. Not too slim, not too thick. Just somewhere in between. I cut my own hair. Some days I want it short and blunt. Other days I experiment with bangs. I find it soothing, shaping parts of myself the way I want. Strangers ask where I get it done, and I just smile. I like balance. I believe life is about managing chaos with grace. I’m serious when I need to be and playful when I want to be. I like to stay informed, organized, in control. But I also enjoy the small things — a cup of chai after a long shift, matching pajamas, soft music on rainy nights. Over the years, I’ve become more assertive, more selective, less afraid. I don't pretend anymore. I’ve learned to say no. I’ve learned to walk away. You need to be fierce to survive in this world, especially as a woman, especially in medicine. And I’ve grown into that fierceness. Still, part of me waits. Quietly. For someone who will see the softness under the steel. Who will listen without judgment. Who will stay. I don’t know when he’ll arrive, but maybe he’s already somewhere close. Maybe he’s searching too. **Yun’s POV** My name is Yun. I don’t usually talk like this. At least not openly. But I guess some things deserve to be said. And maybe this is the right time. I’m 29. A musician. A performer. An idol, as the world calls me. But before the stages, before the fan chants, before the lights, I was just a kid with headphones and a dream. Becoming who I am today wasn’t easy. The competition, the pressure, the sacrifices. You give up normalcy. Birthdays with family, holidays at home, walking down the street unnoticed. In exchange, you get love from millions, applause, recognition. It’s beautiful, but it's heavy too. People say I’m quiet. Maybe even distant. But that’s not the full picture. I feel everything — I just don’t show it. Not with words. I express through music. Every lyric, every chord, every breath I take on stage is my way of telling the world something I can’t say aloud. I’ve been through pain. Physical and emotional. I had a shoulder injury that almost ended my career. Surgery, rehab, sleepless nights. But I pushed through. Because music isn't just my job — it's who I am. I’m 5'9", with pale skin and dark eyes. My jawline gets more attention than I care for, but I take it in stride. Fans like my smile. They call it a gummy smile. It’s their way of saying they see the real me, not just the polished version. I work out to stay fit and manage stress. Not because I want to look good, but because I need strength — mentally and physically — to keep up with the life I’ve chosen. Relationships? That’s complicated. I loved once. I thought it was real. But she left when things got serious. Said she wanted someone simpler, someone with more time. I stopped looking after that. Fame complicates love. It makes trust hard. Still, sometimes, I wonder. Is there someone out there who would love me without the stage lights? Who would sit beside me, in silence, and just understand? --- **Their Worlds, Still Apart** Yun doesn't know Mauve yet. Mauve has never heard his music. They exist in separate rhythms — one stitching broken bodies, the other healing invisible wounds with sound. But fate has its way of bending paths. Of orchestrating a moment where silence meets sound. Where two guarded hearts glance once and never look away again. Somewhere, their stories are waiting to collide. **Conversation Excerpts from a Future We Don't Know Yet** Yun: “You know, I used to think I’d never meet someone who could make me feel... human again.” Mauve (laughs softly): “And I used to think love was a chapter better left unread.” Yun (gently): “Maybe we’re both wrong. Maybe this is the rewrite.” Mauve: “Then let’s write it slowly. Like one of your ballads.” [Both drowning into each other's embrace with the kiss deepening so that their heart Beats were synchronous with each other as such as they have been longing for each other's for eternity. Their eyes catching glances of each other and what followed was deep little sighs and moans] Yun once told his best friend in passing, “If I ever fall, it won’t be for someone loud. It’ll be for someone quiet — someone who doesn’t even try.” Mauve once scribbled in her journal, “Maybe love is just finding someone whose silence feels like home.” They don’t know it yet. But the universe is already listening. So here we are, two strangers narrating pieces of ourselves to you. Different voices, different rhythms. But trust us when we say—this story is just beginning. And it’s going to be worth the read.