Deniz was leaning against the balcony door.
Turning the coffee cup in her hand gently between her fingers, she watched as the morning sun lit up Eskişehir like gold. The rustling of the trees echoed from afar, the breeze touched her skin softly.
But what truly sent shivers through her was the warmth she felt at her back.
Her mother, eyes brimming with tears, was quietly watching her.
"My Deniz… have you prepared everything?" she asked in a whisper.
Deniz turned, smiled, set the cup down on the table, and planted a soft kiss on her mother's forehead.
"I'm ready, mom. My suitcase is packed."
Her mother sighed deeply.
"My Deniz… they say Iğdır is 14 hours from Eskişehir… Won't you come back until the project is over?"
Deniz winked, the corners of her lips curling into a sweet smile.
"Mom, that's with the car you looked at… I'll just hop on a plane and come. It won't take that long. Besides, remember we agreed we'd call each other all the time. Don't be like this."
Her mother shook her head, though the worry never left her eyes.
"Alright, alright, you're right. A mother's heart… It's just my needless fretting. At least you're going in the spring. Winters there are said to be very harsh, my Deniz. Please, take care of your health."
"I will, mom, don't you worry. I've thought of everything."
At that moment, Derya came running over and hugged them both tightly.
"Hey, I'm jealous, I want to hug you too!" she said with a mock complaint.
Deniz wrinkled her nose and laughed.
"Jealous thing!"
"Of course I'm jealous! You're hugging without me here…" Derya replied.
An hour later, Deniz was fully ready. A heartfelt farewell took place at the door.
As she closed the taxi door, Deniz turned back to wave one last time. Her heart was full of both pride and longing.
Her first stop was Ankara. She set off from Eskişehir on the high-speed train.
Along the way, she pulled documents from her bag and reviewed the project plan.
When she arrived in Ankara, it was still not yet evening. She went straight to the hotel where they would stay. It was modern yet simple.
After settling into her room, she left her bag on the bed.
In her long cream-colored trench coat, khaki-toned trousers, simple white shirt, and low-heeled boots, she looked both elegant and understated.
She had left her hair natural; her wavy auburn hair tumbled over her shoulders. She looked at her reflection in the mirror.
"I'm ready," she told herself.
The team was meeting in the hotel's restaurant. In the dimly lit room with large windows, a slow jazz tune was playing. The familiar face at the head of the table greeted her warmly...
"Deniz, welcome, my girl," said Prof. Dr. Kubilay Tanyel.
With years of experience, dignity, and a fatherly presence, he was the project director. He was also Deniz's university professor, and the one who had recommended her for this assignment.
"Good to see you, sir. As elegant as always," Deniz said, leaning in to shake his hand.
One by one, Kubilay Bey introduced the others at the table:
– Engineer Taylan Aslan, infrastructure and logistics specialist
– Civil engineer Elif Tok, site supervisor
– Geophysical engineer Berat Kural, responsible for soil surveys and field analysis
– Security coordinator, Retired Major Tolga Derman
Deniz inclined her head slightly.
"It's a pleasure to meet you all. Let's do great work together."
"Deniz, we'll be moving forward according to your plans as chief engineer," said Kubilay Bey.
"Each of you is an expert in your own field, but Deniz will be the backbone of this project."
Elif smiled and nodded:
"Finally, a female engineer! Honestly, it's refreshing."
Berat winked:
"Just don't be too charismatic, or you'll outshine us."
Deniz laughed:
"No promises. But I'm always up for teamwork."
By the time the food arrived, the table was filled with warmth. Conversation deepened, laughter rose softly.
Yes, the mission was serious, but this team had both brains and heart. Everyone's eyes were shining. A journey had begun. And Deniz was right at its heart.
The team went to bed early to shake off the pleasant fatigue from the night before. With the first light of morning, they left the hotel. Meeting in the lobby, everyone wore a hint of excitement and curiosity—everyone except Deniz…
She was silently observing from behind her sunglasses.
Elif's eager eyes, Berat's constant, "It would've been cooler if we'd gone by helicopter!" complaints, Taylan's coffee hunt… They were all heading to the border area with childlike excitement, perhaps never having set foot in a military zone. They seemed unaware of how difficult the region would be, but they were cheerful.
Deniz, however, didn't feel as lighthearted. Her mind lingered on the shore of the past, filled with questions. And in her heart was a weight she couldn't quite name.
Kubilay Hoca, the most composed of them all, oversaw everything—checking everyone's ID and travel permits. Deniz watched him.
"So there was a reason he chose them," she thought. "Maybe he wants us to be whole because of our differences."
When the plane rolled up to the gate, there was no turning back. Once onboard, within a few hours they would officially be the civilian support unit for the Turkish Armed Forces in the field.
And this was no longer just a technical mission; it was now a duty to the nation.
Iğdır Central Command – Same Time
A knock at the door.
Captain Fatih, leaning back in his chair, turned.
"Come in," he said curtly.
A private entered, standing at attention.
"Sir, the construction team will land within an hour. The armored vehicles are being prepared. I wanted to inform you."
Fatih stood, straightening the front of his uniform.
"I'm coming," he said.
Minutes later, four armored vehicles were lined up at the rear exit of the airport. Fatih and his men got out. Each was fully equipped.
Their uniforms were spotless, boots polished, weapons carried with perfect posture.
Fatih's black sunglasses sharpened his already striking features; his silent yet authoritative presence drew every gaze. From the corner of his eye, he caught the reflection in the airport windows.
He could hear a few civilian women whispering flirtatiously about him, but he ignored them.
Corporal Samet stepped forward:
"Sir… um, why aren't they coming on a military plane?"
Fatih shot him a brief look from behind his glasses.
"Because they're not soldiers, Corporal."
The reply was both clear and sharp.
First Lieutenant Harun stepped in, grabbing Samet lightly by the collar and pulling him back.
"Come here… If you talk nonsense like that in front of the newcomers, I'll make you run 20 extra laps at morning drill, Samet."
Samet's face fell.
"Yes, sir…" he muttered quietly.
Harun was like Fatih's right hand, and the second most senior in the unit.
A few steps later, Fatih approached airport security:
"I'm Captain Fatih Ulutürk. Our guests will be arriving on the 07:15 flight from Ankara. Our armored vehicles will wait in the rear service area. We'd prefer to greet them outside if possible."
The staff member swallowed hard—he hadn't expected such an imposing man this early in the morning.
"Of course… certainly, sir. You can use the rear exit."
When the plane landed…
A bus rolled up to the tarmac. Inside, the team members clutched their bags, pressing against the windows to watch the scene outside.
Deniz quietly scrolled through her phone, checking her emails. Kubilay Hoca straightened slightly and looked out the window.
"Ah… They're here. This way, everyone," he said, standing up.
When the bus stopped and the door opened, they passed through security and scanning, then moved forward one by one. Deniz was last.
Fatih stood with his eyes to the ground, impatient for this chore to be over. Every civilian team looked the same to him—full of promises, short on results.
Harun leaned toward him and whispered:
"Sir… they're here."
Fatih lifted his gaze, adjusted his jacket as if brushing off dust. First, he saw Kubilay Bey, whose age and bearing he respected. Then his eyes swept over the rest of the team in line.
And then… his gaze froze for a moment. It was as if something had pierced his chest. He swallowed.
In the group, there was a woman in black, wearing a baseball cap. She had sunglasses on, standing quietly off to the side—but what drew his attention most… was that auburn hair.
"Really, heart? Is that all it takes?" he thought.
"Getting worked up over every auburn-haired woman like she's her. Let go of that ridiculous date already," he muttered.
He took a deep breath. Collected himself.
Military discipline returned to his posture. He squared his shoulders, lifted his chin, narrowed his eyes, and stepped toward Kubilay Bey.
Kubilay Bey extended his hand, smiling politely.
"Hello, I'm Prof. Dr. Kubilay Tanyel. Leader of the construction team."
Fatih responded:
"Hello. Fatih Ulutürk. Captain in charge of the construction project. An honor to meet you."
At that moment, behind them, Deniz—still focused on her phone—stiffened at the sound of his voice.
She lifted her head slightly, but couldn't see clearly. Lowering her sunglasses to her nose, she peeked around from behind Kubilay Bey.
And… she saw the owner of that voice.
Fatih.
For a moment, their eyes met. Deniz slowly removed her sunglasses, one eyebrow slightly raised. Her gaze was steady, her expression faintly surprised—but most of all, there was a spark of Really? in her eyes. She recognized him.
"It's him…" she thought.
"The man I met instead of my sister!"
Fatih seemed to forget the entire team at that instant. His eyes locked onto Deniz's, stuck in place amid the crowd.
"You?" was all he could manage, in a breathless whisper.
Just then, Kubilay Bey turned and gestured toward her:
"Ah yes, let me introduce you. This is Ms. Deniz Hazar. Our chief engineer."
Fatih's eyes widened, his brows lifted. He tried to mask his surprise, but his mouth remained slightly open. He took a step back. He had not imagined this.
And from behind, right on cue as always, came the most untimely voice.
The team's most inexperienced yet talkative member, Samet, blurted out in a whisper everyone could hear:
"Whoa… We thought it was Mr. Deniz, turns out it's Ms. Deniz. How about that?"
Harun promptly smacked the back of Samet's head.
"Shut it, rookie. You can't keep your mouth shut."
Fatih and Deniz's eyes, however, remained locked on each other…