Five days passed. It was the day before the thirty-first of December when Jerelr arrived at Egemed's house in the quiet afternoon.
Egemed was sitting alone on the veranda, knees tucked close, letting the winter breeze brush against his face. When he saw Jerelr approaching, his expression bloomed into a soft smile. He lifted his hand, inviting him to sit.
But Jerelr didn't take the seat.
Without a word, Egemed stood and slipped inside the house. Jerelr, confused, remained outside. After a moment, Egemed returned with a scarf wrapped neatly around his neck, as though preparing to leave. He only smiled at Jerelr—no greeting, no explanation.
Just when Jerelr opened his mouth to speak, Egemed grabbed his wrist and pulled him forward with sudden urgency.
"Come. I want to show you something beautiful. Before the sun sets—hurry. The view won't be the same after."
Jerelr could only nod and follow quietly like an obedient sheep.
Together, they climbed the hill. When they reached the top, Egemed guided Jerelr to a particular spot—his spot, the one he always visited alone.
They stood side by side, facing the distant hills where the sun was preparing to sink. The wind was cold but gentle, sweeping through their hair in soft currents.
Jerelr stole a glance at Egemed. His eyes were closed, his breathing steady, face lifted slightly as though listening to the wind.
Jerelr looked again—twice, thrice. Still closed.
Is he praying? he wondered. So Jerelr closed his eyes as well.
The air that greeted him was different—pure, cool, almost cleansing, as if it washed something inside the chest.
When Jerelr opened his eyes again, Egemed remained with his eyes shut.
"Oi, Ege," Jerelr whispered. "How can you watch the sunset with your eyes closed?"
Egemed opened his eyes slowly, a faint smile touching his lips.
"I come here all the time. I've seen enough sunsets. But this air… I can never get enough of it."
Jerelr breathed in again. "You're right, he sighed
"The air feels… different. And the view—it's beautiful. Mesmerizing, even."
"I named this place," Egemed said quietly. "I call it the Valley of Breath."
"That's a beautiful name. Do you come here just to breathe?"
"This is the only place where I feel at ease," Egemed answered. "Where I can breathe deeply without feeling the weight on my heart. It soothes me when sorrow becomes too heavy to bear."
And now—he glanced at Jerelr—"with you here, it feels even more beautiful."
Jerelr's throat tightened. He said nothing.
"If I'm not home," Egemed continued, "you'll always find me here, talking with nature."
"Am I welcome to come here too? Anytime?"
"Of course," Egemed smiled. "This place doesn't belong to anyone. It's free… and so are we."
As dusk slowly bled into night, Egemed gathered small pieces of wood and built a fire. They sat across from each other, the flames casting warm shadows on their faces. They talked, laughed, teased—time slipping quietly into darkness.
After a while, Jerelr rested his chin on his knees.
"Do you mind if I ask you something?"
Egemed's voice was gentle. "You never need permission to ask me anything, Jege."
"Have you ever loved someone before? Like… a girlfriend?"
Egemed paused—just for a breath. "Do I look like someone who could date?"
"Yes," Jerelr said instantly. "You're handsome, calm, soft-spoken, with a beautiful smile. Kind and gentle. Most women would die to have a man like you."
Egemed smirked. "So did you fall for me too?"
Jerelr chuckled. "Of course. If I weren't a man."
Egemed burst into laughter.
Jerelr bumped his shoulder. "I'm kidding, Brother Ege. Though you really are handsome. Almost as handsome as me."
Egemed shook his head fondly. "To be honest… I've never dated anyone. I got many love letters in high school, but I never accepted any."
"Why not?" Jerelr raised his brows, a flicker of challenge—and curiosity—dancing in his eyes."
"Because I don't want to use 'I love you' like a disposable word," Egemed said quietly.
"Love is precious to me. If I love someone, I want it to be with everything I have—even if it costs my life. So I wait… until I find the right one."
"So you've never said 'I love you' to anyone?"
Egemed paused, "Only to my parents and my little brother."
Jerelr smirked. "What about me? Do you love me?"
"Yes," Egemed replied without hesitation. "As a brother. A friend. A family. Until the end. What about you?"
Jerelr's voice dropped into a mumble. "I love you more than you love me, Egemed… as a brother, a best friend, someone closer than anyone else. Until the end."
Egemed smiled softly. "And your girlfriend?"
"Me?" Jerelr scoffed. "I've never dated anyone. But I did propose to a girl once… in 12th grade. She lent me notes, brought me lunch, talked to me when I sat alone…I fell in love. But when I proposed with a letter;
...three days later she stood in front of everyone, yelling: " I'm sorry, I can't accept. Your eyes look like a psycho killer. I treated you kindly out of pity." Jerelr gestured with his hands, mimicking her exact motions during the rejection, exaggerating her dramatic stance and pointing fingers, as if recreating the scene for himself and laughed quietly at the memory, finding humor in the awkwardness rather than in her.
Egemed watched him as he tried to reenact the scene,buried his face in his hands to stifle laughter, then raised his head. "HAHAHA!
"You really are terrible with women, Jege. Maybe you should date me instead!" he teased
Jerelr blushed furiously and hid his face behind his scarf.
Egemed leaned closer. "Psycho killer? he whispered
"That girl was just making excuses. Your eyes aren't scary Jerelr,they're… a mystery. A depth that speaks silently, hidden beneath dark lashes."
Jerelr's ears turned red.
After a moment, he asked suddenly, "Brother Ege… do you support LGBTQ?"
Egemed blinked in surprise. "What? Don't tell me you're gay, Jege."
"No! I'm just asking."
Egemed sighed. "I'm straight, so I don't fully understand. But I don't hate them. I respect people for what they feel and what life made them."
After a brief silent he continued, "I won't judge anyone unless I stand in their shoes. If it's wrong, I'll still treat them with kindness. I'm only human—I have no right to condemn. Only to love."
Jerelr nodded slowly. "You're right. We shouldn't judge without understanding someone's world."
"And if someone in my family turns out to be like that," Egemed added, "I'll let them choose for themselves. I won't be the one to decide their fate."
Jerelr hesitated. "What if… I am gay?"
Egemed smiled. "I'll still love you. But I might distance myself a little. Not because I'm uncomfortable—but because your partner might be. And I'm also a man."
"You're very thoughtful," Jerelr whispered.
Then he grinned. "And what if you are gay?"
Egemed let out a gentle chuckle, his eyes fixed on Jerelr, filled with a mix of amusement and silent questioning.
Before Egemed could respond, Jerelr cut in, almost to himself.
"No! I won't let that happen," he declared dramatically. "If you turn gay, then I'll be the one you're gay with!"
Egemed stared at Jerelr, a mix of amazement and amusement on his face. "Are you serious?" he asked, laughing softly.
Jerelr laughed. "Look at us. Look how much we love each other already. I don't want another man to take you away"
"I hope you marry a good woman one day… and we stay friends forever. Maybe we should even marry on the same day, so I won't cry when your bride steals you away."
A smile tugged at Egemed's lips as he listened to Jerelr. The thought of their weddings on the same day made his chest feel light, as if happiness itself had taken residence there.
Egemed checked his phone—6:47 PM. "We should head back Jerelr"
"Yes," Jerelr agreed softly. "Tomorrow will be long. New Year's Eve."
The cold night embraced them as they descended the hill—two friends humming a tune, counting stars, nudging each other like kids again.
At the crossroads, they paused, then parted—Egemed to the right, Jerelr to the left—each carrying warmth in the winter air.