The days in Mirasol stretched long and warm. The sunflowers swayed lazily, the river glimmered under the afternoon sun, and the whole town seemed wrapped in the comfort of endless summer.
For Elara, the days had never been brighter. With Kai around, her world expanded, not by distance but by meaning. Her paints felt richer, her laughter came easier, and even the silence between them seemed alive with possibility.
They began to explore together. He showed her the trails near the hills, where wild berries grew hidden in the brush. She showed him the abandoned mill by the river, a place she had kept secret since childhood. Together, they claimed these small corners of the town as their own.
One afternoon, while walking along the riverside, Kai skipped stones across the water. Elara tried, but her stone sank immediately.
"You didn't even try," he teased.
"I did!" she protested, laughing.
"Here—watch." He stood behind her, guiding her hand with the stone. She felt the warmth of his touch, the steadiness of his grip. They threw together, and this time, the stone skipped twice before vanishing.
Her eyes lit up. "Did you see that?"
Kai smiled. "Of course. You're a natural."
She knew he was lying, but she didn't care. The sound of his laughter was more important than the truth.
That evening, as they sat on the balcony of her grandmother's cottage, Elara painted the horizon while Kai strummed a soft tune. The sky burned with orange and pink, and the fields below looked like a sea of fire.
"Play that again," she said, dipping her brush in gold.
"You like it?"
"It sounds like… sunshine."
He chuckled. "Then it's yours."
And just like that, she had her first song.
Her grandmother noticed the glow in Elara's eyes whenever Kai was near. She said nothing, though her heart carried both joy and worry. Travelers, she knew, always left.
But Elara didn't think of leaving. She thought only of the present—these days of golden light, the laughter in the fields, the music and colors weaving together into something she had never known before.
And when the wind carried the scent of blooming sunflowers, she thought, If summer could last forever, I'd never ask for more.