The sun is almost setting, leaving its urban skyline at dusk landscaping all alone…
It looked like someone was painting a beautiful intriguing scenery, where the cityscape was bathed in the last golden hues of the day, and nature was left to stand still in its quiet serenity.
She stood tall and regal at the edge of the exterior corridor, her figure draped in a navy blue gown that cast the silhouette of a queen as if she were a goddess herself. That's a striking image—a figure so poised and commanding against the backdrop of the setting sun and the city skyline.
The gown added an air of regality and mystery, evoking the grandeur of a goddess like Hera. Is she contemplating the city below, or is there something else in the atmosphere that defines her presence there?
It was my first time seeing anyone catch my eye since I moved here a few weeks ago. The fifteen side floor of an urban condominium.
She stood perfectly still, not making even the slightest movement, her gaze fixed ahead…Her right arm appeared to be holding something, though I couldn't see what it was from behind. I suddenly realized I had forgotten to breathe for a moment. I nearly coughed, which could have made a sound, but I didn't want to disturb her quiet moment.
The wind carried the intoxicating essence of her, a fragrance so divine it sweeps me away, unraveling my senses, as though I was drifting, lost in the infinite expanse of her cosmos.
She raised what she was holding and brought it to her mouth in one swift motion. Then she turned around, startled to find me there. I felt awkward as she appeared embarrassed, holding her glass of wine. Then, as if questioning why she should've felt that way around me, her demeanor shifts. Her somber eyes and moody expression take on a different tone.
Her beauty—her glistening red lips, the soft yet somber gaze, and her long, layered dark hair... No, I'd better keep the rest to myself. I remained quiet as she walked past me toward the nearby door. I couldn't bring myself to follow her or even turn around. Only after hearing her door is closed did I finally head onward to my place.
Dim light lamp on the white wall faded…
This is the second day for me to feel something new after realizing I had a neighbor, a silent neighbor who I didn't know about.
The rain fell at dawn, and now, after a long day at work, I feel like having a drink. I came home late this evening due to traffic chaos. I already had some hope in my head to see my neighbor again as yesterday was never enough. I held my bag of drinks, watching from a distance.
She was dressed in a long white shirt and black short pants, she stood in the same spot, her eyes fixed on me as if just about to retreat to her threshold. The glass of wine in her hand trembled slightly, yet her calm, piercing gaze caught me off guard.
After a while, she broke the silence and resumed her walk, and I did the same. I could tell she had no intention of speaking, so I didn't either. But instinct drove me to say, words rising unbidden to my lips.
"Hello!"
She halted her steps and turned to look at me.
"Hi." She responded with a soft tone.
"I just moved here."
"Oh I see."
"But I just saw you today, oh sorry yesterday."
She didn't know how to respond. I continued
"And you?"
She gave a half-smile before responding.
"... four months!"
"That's not quite long!" I smiled, wanting to say more, but her interruption cut me off midway.
"Pardon me!"
She meant it, then walked past me without a glance, disappearing through the building, framed by the long, portrait view of the night lights. She reached her door and vanished from my sight.
"That's okay."
I told myself, heading back to my home, which is across from hers, separated by two other rooms.
Sleep won't come tonight. My thoughts are tangled with her—what stirs within her? Why does she cradle her wine like it holds secrets she can't bear to speak?
The day stretched into night, a seamless transition marked by the fading light and the quiet shift in the atmosphere…
I tried to finish my work today, hoping to leave the office early this evening.
As usual, it took me about 35 minutes to reach my apartment from my new workplace. I parked my car and hurried to the elevator. Reaching the fifteenth floor, I rushed out as soon as the doors opened. I just wish I could see her face before sunset.
God is on my side. I have faith. She appeared more modest today in her sienna wrap dress and half-up, half-down hair. How beautiful you are. Did you even realize that? That's what I wish I could say.
She looked past me, avoiding eye contact. She didn't look away, knowing it might come off as arrogant. I understood, and it was fine. I didn't hesitate, walking toward her without holding back.
"Hi," I say, friendly.
"Hi," she replied, then turned away, staring at nothing.
"How are you today?"
She glanced at her glass of wine before responding softly,
"Nothing better."
"Can I stand here with you?"
"You already did."
I can't help but chuckle.
"I mean..."
She looked at me with a questioning gaze.
"Nothing..."
She turned away and took a sip of wine. I watched her every movement, and it made her feel slightly uneasy.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"What do you always look at when you stand here?"
"The sunset."
"What else is there to see?"
"...No!"
"But, didn't you miss it as it set?"
She chuckled. Her profile was stunning, especially when she smiled.
"Did wine and sunset your favorites?"
I asked, not wanting the moment between us to feel awkward.
"Yes, but also silence," she replied, her words snapping me out of my thoughts. I felt guilty for disturbing her. Silence, sunset, and wine.
The view of the sunset from here was nothing short of breathtaking, a sight our private balcony could never offer. From this vantage point, the horizon stretched out in all its glory, untouched by any obstruction. On our balcony, certain angles and spaces blocked the scene, stealing parts of its beauty. But here, every shade of the sky unfolded in its full brilliance, casting a warm glow over everything, as if the world itself paused to admire the moment.
"I'm sorry."
"Why?" Her tone suggested she had no idea why I apologized.
"I just... I think I'm bothering you."
"How come? This wasn't my personal space."
I smiled, and she did too. But her eyes did not cooperate. They're filled with sadness, pain, and despair. From that moment, silence settles in our hearts. She gazed at the skyline, while I looked at the wall behind her.
It seems like the scene reflects a moment of quiet connection, where two people, despite the silence and unspoken feelings, were sharing an intimate, yet distant, experience.
Her eyes weren't just distant; they were distant in a way that made everything feel heavier, as if the silence between us had taken on a life of its own. She wasn't just avoiding me, but rather, avoiding something inside herself. Her gaze seemed to be a thousand miles away, yet tethered to something inescapable, a sadness, a pain, a quiet despair.
I wanted to ask, to reach out, but the weight of her silence told me that words would only add to the burden she carried.
"Are you alright?"
I finally whispered, my voice breaking the silence like a stone dropped into still water. She didn't answer, but I could see the tension in her shoulders, the way her hands gripped the glass, as though she were trying to hold herself together. Again, her face softened, but not in the way that comforted me—rather, it seemed to carry the weight of everything left unsaid.
I knew better than to push. Some things were never meant to be rushed, and our conversation today ended quietly, without introductions, no more questions, and no further details shared. Slowly, I took a step back, giving her space, letting the silence breathe between us, hoping that one day, the words would come.
The day fades into night, a quiet shift in the atmosphere…
I watched her finish her wine this evening, yet she remained standing still, not even turning toward her room. Was she waiting for me? Or was I just imagining things? I approached her, careful and gentle.
"Good evening."
She smiled to herself before turning to look at me. Her short black dress, with her back exposed, makes my heart race.
"Good evening," she replied.
"How was your day?" I asked, trying to be considerate.
"Just so-so."
"OK, that was nice."
"Why though?"
Today, she isn't just responding—she was asking questions too. It's overwhelming, exhilarating, and filled me with curiosity. My mind, as always, runs wild: could she be interested in me too? I couldn't even respond properly, lost in the moment
"I mean, it's nice. Isn't it better to not have anything bad happen to you?"
She chuckled, then fell into silence. I thought she stopped asking me anything anymore, suddenly,
"What if there is?" she teased, a playful glint in her eyes.
I smiled.
"I'd do something."
"Like what?"
"..."
She was pushing me to say something I wasn't ready to reveal earlier. Seeing my hesitation and lack of response, she stepped away, leaving me behind. I stopped her with a few words…
"I will..."
She paused, waiting. l continued.
"Your wine, I'll share your wine."
She laughed and showed me her empty glass.
"It was out!"
"Next time, I will. I just don't want you to drink too much."
She listened, but I was not sure if she'll follow through. I couldn't bring myself to stop her or ask her to stay just a little longer.
This made me feel conflicted—I knew that I wanted to connect but was holding back, unsure whether to push further or keep my distance. I knew there's a sense of hesitation in my mind, I am afraid of crossing a line. When she stepped away, I really didn't want to stop her, but I also left with an unspoken desire for her to stay.
My thoughts now are tangled, torn between wanting to offer something more for the wine, example, but not wanting to overstep or make her uncomfortable. There's a quiet longing in my vagueness, a yearning to understand her, but I was unsure how to navigate the silence within our circle.
The dusk today was darker than ever…
As I walked up to her on the rainy evening, I noticed the broken glass of wine scattered across the floor. The rhythm of rain dropped on the floor, the scent of water entwined with the rich aroma of red wine spilled across the ground…
Continued...