It was one of those evenings, with the sun settEach rain drop sounded like a music note, as rain kept on falling and wetting the glass windows of Emma's art studio. She positioned herself near the easel with a brush in her hand that was silent just above the canvas, and her mind was elsewhere. She maybe was imagery nature of bright tones, but in fact, she thought of Caleb, a man whose music moved her soul.

They met three months back during an open mic night. Caleb was the one who performed his last track. It was endowed with the inexplicable power to move the souls of the crowd. All of a sudden, Emma just went straight to him as if she had been hypnotized, as she sensed his lyrics were glistening with unspeakable emotions.

Their bond was spontaneous and impossible to ignore. Caleb would drop by Emma’s studio, his guitar on his shoulder, and he would play while she was painting. They came up with a song of such harmonious colors and tones that it seemed like a dream. Still, Caleb's quiet smiles and soulful eyes hid an unspoken pain─a secret he's not yet ready to reveal.

One evening, when the sun was about to set, Emma asked at last: “Caleb, why do you still keep at being so withdrawn? What are you hiding inside of yourself?”

He paused for a moment, his fingers absentmindedly touching the guitar strings. "Emma, you should be with someone who can truly show every part of himself. I... I can't be that guy."

Emma's chest squeezed tight. "Why not?"

He met her gaze, the storm over his face. "There are things in my past—things I can't shake out from under myself. They'll only hurt you."

Tears welled in Emma's eyes, but she refused to drop her gaze. "You don't get to determine what hurts me, Caleb. I choose this. I choose you."

ing across the horizon, reflecting the entire town in golden and orange colors. Emma rocked back and forth on the pier, her eyes glued to the limit of the sea. She loved the sea not only for its blue but because it was her only substitute for Caleb—the sea was too wide, high, and free to be hers.

Emma got acquainted with Caleb three years back during her friend's wedding. He was the best man, dashing and charming as they come, and his smile could be a light bulb in the darkest gloomiest room. The familiarity was mutual and instant. Talks went like the flow of a river, and laughter came freely. Emma had never felt so understood before.

Nevertheless, behind that was a restriction. Catch, there is always a catch!

Caleb was married.

Not the type of couple that one actually gets at each other's throat or ignores. Yes, his wife, Sophia was smart, considerate, and a lover all along. Caleb's fidelity to her could not be questioned by anyone, and that was the most aggravating factor among the puzzles within Emma's mind

Caleb shook his head and backed away, standing suddenly. "I can't, Emma. Sorry.".

And with that, he disappears, leaving Emma with a half-done painting and an unfilled heart full of unanswered questions.

Weeks passed, but Caleb's absence remained the burning wound. Emma flung herself into her art, trying to paint the world beautiful over the ache, but every brushstroke reminded her of him. Then one day, as she prepares for an exhibit, she hears a familiar tune.

She turns to find Caleb standing in the doorway, his guitar case slung over one shoulder. "I couldn't stay away," he admits, his voice raw.

Emma said nothing, her hands shaking as she moved forward,

"I am not perfect," Caleb whispered, his eyes brimming with vulnerabilities. "But if you can take the risk, I'll fight for this. For us.".

A tear rolled down Emma's cheek, but she smiled. "I was always willing, Caleb. Just do not walk away again."

He pulled her into his arms, and their love for the first time seemed feasible—weak, yet robust enough to withstand the storms that surely would gather. And together, they began building a new masterpiece, one of chances and unspoken dreams.

Emma was afraid to wake from the dream-like days after Caleb's return. Together, they could think of nothing better to do than to spend every waking moment constructing a world that fit the shape of music, full of paint and colors, a world in which reality's sharp edges softened. Caleb slowly began to open up; slowly began to give up a little bit each time the shadows he had carried for such a long time

As the sun went down one evening, they sat on the floor of her studio, strewn with scattered sketches and sheet music. Caleb finally told her something he'd long been keeping inside.

"I left my hometown five years ago," he said, voice low. "I was running. My brother… he died in some accident, and I always blamed myself."

Emma's hand froze over her sketchbook. "Caleb.".

He looked away, the guilt expression kneading across his face. "I was supposed to be there for him that day but got caught up in my music. I wouldn't answer his calls, and he."

His voice cracked. "He did not make it."

Emma reached out to his hand, intertwining her fingers with his. "It wasn't your fault. You cannot carry that weight forever.".

"But I do," Caleb whispered. "Every note I play, every song I write, it's for him. It's the only way I know how to keep him alive."

Emma reached out, her heart breaking for the man she loved. "Then let me help you carry it. You don't have to do this alone."

That was when things started to change between them. Their love grew in the weeks that followed, but Caleb's guilt weighed heavily on him. It did not easily dissipate; rather, it seemed to creep into their happy moments, reminding him of what he could not alter and changing. Emma tried to be patient, but growing distance between them was not something she could turn a blind eye to.

One evening, as they strolled along the beach, Emma suddenly stopped. "Caleb, I need to know—are we fighting for the same future?

He hesitated, moonlight casting shadows on his face. "I want to be with you, Emma, but I'm afraid. What if I really do end up hurting you like I've hurt everyone else?"

Trembling, Emma's voice responded, "You already hurt me when you pull away. Can't you see? Love isn't perfect; it's about choosing one another, flaws and all.".

Caleb looked at her, his chest aching under the weight of unsaid words. Then, finally, he took her hands in his. "You're the only good thing I've had in a long time, Emma. And I don't want to lose you."

Tears dropped down her face as she whispered, "Then stop running."

Months passed; Emma's art show finally opened to rave reviews. Among her pieces was a painting called A Love That Can't Be, a swirling mix of colors symbolizing the pain and beauty of their journey. Caleb stood by her side, his fingers entwined with hers, a soft melody playing in his head-one that he knew would become their song.

"I wrote it," Caleb said that night, holding out to her a notebook filled with lyrics.

Emma read the words, her heart swelling with the emotion: it was beautiful.

"It is ours," Caleb said, his voice steady. "A story of a love that wasn't supposed to happen but did anyway.".

But when they stood together, the shine of Emma's art and Caleb's music bathing upon them, they knew it that their love is imperfect but not breakable, like a masterpiece on its own.

Emma stood near the edge of the garden, the air was thick with scent jasmine. The moonlight poured silver over everything and threw shadows that seemed to reverberate off the secrets of her heart. Caleb stood a few feet away; his hands are in his pockets. His jaw is tight. They hadn't spoken in weeks-not since the night that everything had fallen apart.

"Why did you come here, Caleb?" Emma finally asked her voice quivering. She didn't turn to look at him; she couldn't.

"Because I had to," Caleb replied, taking another step closer. "Because I can't stay away."

Emma closed her eyes and willed herself not to cry. "We can't keep doing this. You know that."

"And yet, here we are," he said softly, his voice carrying the weight of a thousand unspoken words.

She turned towards him then, her chest aching at the sight of him. His dark hair was tousled, his eyes filled with a mix of longing and pain. "It's not fair, Caleb. To either of us."

"I know," he admitted. "But what am I supposed to do, Emma? Pretend that I don't love you? Pretend every moment without you. Doesn't feel like a loss of a piece of me?"

She gasped for air. "You don't think I feel the same? But love isn't enough. family.my family.They'll never accept this. We'll destroy everything if we keep going."

"I don't care about them!" Caleb's voice climbed higher, raw and desperate. "I care about you. About us.".

But I do, Caleb. I care. And that's why I have to let you go.

He takes a step closer. His hands ache to reach out and pull her into his arms. "Don't do this, Emma. Don't let them win."

"It's not about them winning," she says softly. "It's about us surviving. And we won't—not like this".

The silence was oppressive, broken only by the soft creak of wind in the trees. Caleb stood staring at her as his heart crumbled, piece by cruel piece. He nodded finally, speaking hardly above a whisper. "If this is what you want. I'll go."

Emma bit down hard on her lip to keep from crying. "It's what I have to do."

He glanced back once, that final, lingering look, as if to capture every feature, every contour of the face. Then he turned and walked off into the darkness.

As the footsteps receded into the distance, Emma collapsed to her knees, wracking herself with sobs. Had she done right? Well, at least that was what she had to believe. But as the stars silently witnessed from on high, she couldn't help but wonder whether love like theirs would ever be truly left behind. Her words hung in the air with a weight. Emma understood that accepting the engagement was her last step to fullfil her commitment. She would finally have to let Caleb go, once for good. This was a life she did not want but one her family had chosen for her. She could not stand being forced into such a choice-to care about love or to care about duty.