NOTE: This is a Valentine's day special chapter!
It's a standalone story set in a peaceful, romantic timeline, so it doesn't continue the cliffhanger from Chapter 141.
Think of it as a sweet gift for all of you.
Enjoy the romance!
POV: NIRAN
Location: Hidden Kozjak Waterfall,Slovenia
Valentine's Day in Slovenia felt different.
Quieter. Deeper.
Chak didn't tell me much that morning—only that I should dress warmly and trust him. I did. I always do.
The path toward the hidden Kozjak Waterfall was narrow, surrounded by tall trees and moss-covered rocks. The air smelled fresh, like earth and water and something untouched. Sunlight filtered through the branches above us, painting everything gold.
And Chak… of course Chak had prepared everything.
He carried a backpack—water, snacks, towels, even an extra scarf in case I got cold. He walked slightly behind me at first, watching every step I took as if the forest itself might try to steal me away.
I smiled to myself.
Nature was breathtaking. The deeper we walked, the quieter the world became. Just the sound of our footsteps, distant water, and birds hidden somewhere in the trees.
And him.
At one point, while Chak was looking ahead, scanning the path like he always does—protective, focused—I slowed down.
I quietly pulled out my phone.
The light hit his profile perfectly. The forest behind him. The soft green shadows. His black coat contrasting against the brightness around him.
Click.
I took the picture secretly.
For a second I just stared at it—and then I started laughing softly.
I love him.
I love him so much that it almost feels unreal sometimes. The fact that this man, who once seemed so distant and untouchable, is here with me, in the middle of a forest in Slovenia.
Chak turned slightly. "What's funny?"
"Nothing," I said quickly, hiding my phone. "Just… happy."
His eyes softened.
Halfway through the path, we noticed a small wooden bench tucked beside the trail. It looked old but sturdy, like it had been waiting for someone.
"For a moment?" I asked.
Chak nodded.
I sat down first—but instead of sitting beside him, I turned and gently lowered myself onto his legs, leaning back against his chest.
His arms wrapped around me immediately.
Warm. Safe. Steady.
He rested his chin lightly on my shoulder. One of his hands brushed gently over my arm, slow and tender, like he was memorizing me.
"You're comfortable?" he murmured near my ear.
"Very."
He kissed the side of my head. Not rushed. Not demanding. Just soft.
This was his tenderness—the side almost no one sees.
After a few minutes, we stood up again and continued walking.
The path became narrower.
Chak's voice grew more serious. "It's better if you go in front of me here. I don't want anything to happen to you if it gets too tight."
I looked at him for a moment, then nodded.
I walked ahead. I could feel his presence close behind me, every step careful, every movement protective.
And then—
We saw it.
Hidden Kozjak Waterfall.
It stood between towering rocks, surrounded by forest, mysterious and almost unreal. The water fell into a turquoise pool, the color so clear and vibrant it didn't look real.
We both stopped.
"Wow…" I whispered.
It felt like we had discovered something secret. Something sacred.
We moved closer together. When we reached the stairs leading down toward the waterfall, Chak gently stopped me.
"I'll go first," he said. "I'll make sure you're safe."
He stepped down carefully, then turned and held out his hand for me.
I took it.
His grip was firm, warm.
Step by step.
When I reached the last two steps, I hesitated slightly—the stones were damp.
Without warning, Chak lifted me.
I gasped softly.
"I've got you," he said.
Those three words.
I've got you.
He set me down gently closer to the water. The sound of the waterfall surrounded us, echoing softly between the rocks.
We stood there for a moment, just looking at it.
Then Chak stepped closer to me.
"This waterfall…" he said quietly, his eyes on the water, then on me. "It's like our love. Hidden. But real."
My heart stopped.
Before I could answer, he leaned down and kissed me.
Slow.
Deep.
Honest.
I melted into him, resting my forehead against his chest when the kiss ended.
And then I felt him move slightly.
He reached into his backpack.
I looked up, confused.
He pulled out a small box.
My breath caught.
He opened it.
Inside was a silver ring—delicate, with tiny stones the same color as the water of the waterfall. Light blue. Clear. Shimmering like the pool in front of us.
Chak took the ring out carefully.
He took my right hand.
His fingers trembled slightly—not from cold.
He slid the ring onto my little finger.
"This ring is a promise," he said, his voice steady but full of emotion. "A promise that I will stay by your side. That we will walk together—even when it gets hard."
I couldn't speak.
He continued.
"I want to give you ten rings at ten special milestones of our journey. Each one will have its own story. And when you receive the last one… that will be the real one—the one I will use to ask you if you'll stay with me forever."
My vision blurred.
I was completely speechless.
He lifted my hand gently. "On each ring," he added softly, "I will engrave where and when I gave it to you."
Hidden Kozjak Waterfall. Valentine's Day.
I didn't trust my voice.
So I did the only thing I could.
I kissed him.
And against his lips, I whispered one word.
"Together."
He smiled against my mouth.
And in that hidden place, surrounded by forest and water and silence, it wasn't just a promise.
It was the beginning of N & C.
POV TAENG
Location: Maribor Pohorje, Slovenia
Valentine's Day looked completely different here.
White. Quiet. Magical.
The snow at Maribor Pohorje stretched endlessly around us, covering the forest in soft silence. Trees were heavy with snow, and the air was cold enough to make every breath visible.
Kit and I were dressed in full winter gear—thick jackets, gloves, scarves, beanies pulled low over our ears. I could barely recognize us in all the layers.
We rented sleds and walked a little deeper into the forest until we found it.
The perfect slope.
Hidden between tall trees, wide enough to feel safe, steep enough to feel exciting.
We placed the sled on the snow.
I looked at it.
Then at Kit.
"First time in my life I'm going sledding," I admitted.
He blinked. "Me too."
I stared at him.
He smiled slowly. "But with you, it'll be fun."
My heart did that stupid little jump again.
"Go first," I told him. "I'll hold onto you."
He shook his head immediately. "No. You go first. I'll hold onto you."
I crossed my arms dramatically. "Rock, paper, scissors. If you lose, you go first. If I lose, I go first."
He smirked. "Deal."
We counted.
"Rock, paper, scissors—!"
I lost.
"This doesn't count, Kiki," I protested immediately.
He burst out laughing. "Yes, it does. You lost."
We were both laughing like idiots already.
"One more round," I insisted.
"Fine."
We played again.
I lost.
Kit leaned closer and said in a teasing voice, "You lost, Little cooker."
Before I could respond, he kissed my cheek.
My ears burned hotter than the winter air.
"One more round until I win," I demanded.
"Okay," he agreed.
This time—
I won.
"Yes!" I pointed at him triumphantly. "You're in front!"
He narrowed his eyes playfully. "You're scared."
I shook my head immediately.
He leaned closer, studying me. "I knew it."
And then he kissed me properly.
Soft. Warm. Completely unfair in the middle of snow.
Kit sat down in front on the sled. I sat behind him and wrapped my arms tightly around his waist.
"Hold onto me, my boy," he said.
"I am," I muttered, squeezing him tighter.
And then—
We pushed off.
At first, my heart almost jumped out of my chest. The sled moved faster than I expected. Snow sprayed around us. The trees blurred slightly.
I tightened my grip.
Then slowly—
I relaxed.
The cold air hit my face. The sound of our laughter echoed through the forest.
We were screaming and laughing at the same time.
"Brake!" Kit shouted suddenly.
"How?!" I yelled back.
"I don't know!"
We both burst into uncontrollable laughter as the sled kept sliding.
Eventually, we slowed down and stopped naturally at the bottom.
We were breathless.
Kit looked back at me, cheeks red from cold and laughter.
"Carry the sled back up," he said dramatically.
"Let's both carry it," I replied.
Before we picked it up, I turned toward him.
"Spin me."
He raised an eyebrow. "Now?"
"Yes."
He grabbed my hands and spun me around in the snow.
We didn't last long.
We both lost balance and fell—hard—into the snow.
I landed on top of him.
For a second, we just stared at each other.
Then we started laughing again.
I leaned down to kiss him, but he suddenly flipped us over and we rolled together through the snow, tangled, messy, ridiculous.
We looked like two small children who had never seen snow before.
After a few minutes, breathless and covered in white, Kit stood up and offered me his hand.
I took it.
He pulled me up gently.
I kissed him.
We spent the next hour sledding again and again, throwing snow at each other, stealing kisses between runs.
Cold hands. Warm hearts.
Eventually, exhausted and freezing, we decided to go back to the hotel.
Inside our room, warmth wrapped around us immediately. We changed into comfortable clothes and sat close together, each holding a cup of hot chocolate.
Kit suddenly stood up.
"I'll be right back," he said.
When he returned, he placed a box in front of me.
I looked at him suspiciously before opening it.
Inside were dozens of our photos.
From different days. Different places. Different smiles.
"When we go home," Kit said softly, "we'll hang them in the living room. And we'll use this box for our matching jewelry."
I looked at him. "Kiki… you know we don't have that."
He smiled slowly.
Then he reached into his pocket and took out another small box.
He opened it.
Inside were two silver bracelets with a thin black line running across each one. At first glance, they looked identical.
But when he carefully put one on my wrist, I noticed the engraving.
"Kiki" with a small heart next to it.
My throat tightened.
When I fastened the other bracelet around his wrist, I saw his engraving.
"Little boy" with a small heart.
I looked up at him.
And kissed him.
"I'm sorry if I'm sometimes annoying," I whispered.
He smiled and brushed my cheek gently. "You? Never annoying. Just… too hot sometimes."
"Kiki," I said, laughing softly.
"I have a gift for you too."
He looked surprised. "Really?"
"Yes."
I moved closer to him.
"Me. I'm your gift. Your love. Your happiness. Your everything, Kiki."
I wrapped my arms around him.
He held me tightly.
"Better gift," he murmured against my lips, "I couldn't wish for."
And in that warm hotel room, with snow quietly falling outside, it wasn't just Valentine's Day.
It was us.
POV ANAMARIJA :
Location: Castle Otočec, Slovenia
The castle stood quietly above the river, wrapped in soft winter light.
Is always had something timeless about it—stone walls that had seen centuries, wooden bridges, and the calm flow of the Krka River surrounding it like a protective embrace.
Vikran and I decided to explore the grounds slowly, without a plan.
The air was crisp, the kind that brushes against your cheeks and reminds you that you're alive. I kept my hands tucked into the pockets of my coat, pretending the cold was the only reason my heart felt restless.
We walked side by side.
And more than once, I felt it.
His gaze.
Soft. Lingering.
Every time I turned slightly, he would look away just a second too late. It made something inside me shift—something I wasn't ready to name.
I told myself not to be foolish.
We crossed the small wooden bridge and walked along the path near the water. A few white swans glided across the river, calm and elegant.
I felt a slight shiver.
Before I could say anything, Vikran stopped walking.
Without a word, he took off his coat.
"Vikran, you don't have to—"
But he stepped closer and gently placed it over my shoulders, over my own coat, adjusting it carefully as if I were something fragile.
Our eyes met briefly.
"Better?" he asked quietly.
I nodded.
"Yes."
But the warmth I felt wasn't from the coat.
It was somewhere deeper.
We found a wooden bench near the water and sat down, watching the swans move slowly across the surface.
For a few moments, neither of us spoke.
Then his voice broke the silence.
"I fell in love with you."
He looked at me immediately when he said it. His eyes stayed on the water, steady but honest.
I didn't feel surprised.
"I know," I said softly.
Now he turned to me. "You know?"
"Chak told me."
A faint smile touched his lips, but it faded quickly. "Do you feel anything for me?"
I looked away.
The river seemed safer to look at than him.
"I'm scared," I admitted. "I'm scared you're playing with my feelings."
The words were quiet, but they carried weight.
He didn't hesitate.
He reached for my hand and gently pulled it toward him, holding it firmly against his chest.
"I would never play with your feelings," he said. "Not if I didn't mean it. Not if I wasn't serious about you."
His heartbeat was steady under my fingers.
Real.
I found myself smiling slightly despite the fear still sitting inside me.
"I do feel something," I confessed. "But I need time. To accept it. To admit it to myself."
He didn't look disappointed.
"Take as much time as you want," he said. "I'm not going anywhere. And I won't stop loving you."
The simplicity of his words felt stronger than any grand gesture.
After a moment, he asked gently, "Can I put my arm around your shoulders?"
I nodded.
I wanted to lean my head against him—but before I could even say it, he spoke softly.
"You can."
I looked at him, surprised.
Then I slowly rested my head on his shoulder.
Warmth.
Safety.
The kind that doesn't rush you. The kind that waits.
For a while, we just sat there, watching the swans drift across the river, the castle quiet behind us.
After a few moments, Vikran spoke again.
"I'm happy I'm here with you."
I lifted my head slightly and looked at him.
"Me too."
He bent his head and gently kissed my hair.
No urgency.
No pressure.
Just presence.
And for the first time, I allowed myself to simply stay there—without running from what I might be starting to feel.