They walk along the long, wide forest path—she skipping ahead in one of her most beautiful flower dresses, chattering about something with excitement. She talks and talks, and he simply listens, walking calmly behind her, hands in his pockets, a soft smile on his lips. All he sees is her.

"You know what?" she suddenly asks, stopping in her tracks. She turns to face him, her blue eyes sparkling like diamonds in the sunlight.

"What?" he replies in his calm voice, stopping as well and tilting his head slightly, his smile widening now that he can see her face—her beautiful face.

"I would shout 'I love you!' across the whole forest just to prove how much I love you," she declares proudly.

He looks at her, surprised, and lets out a small laugh.

"I know how much you love me, you don’t have to—"

"I LOVE YOU!"

She has turned around and screamed the words loudly into the forest, her arms stretched wide, her smile bright as the sun. Birds fly startled from the trees, but that doesn't stop her—she yells it again.

He stands there, mouth slightly open, taken aback.

She skips through the meadow, shouting those three words over and over, as if she wants the entire world to hear them.

Something warm and wet rolls down his cheek, lands on his lip—salty.

A tear.

He has never been loved the way she loves him...