TOO LATE FOR TRUE LOVE

Part I: A Shadow on the Balcony

It was a serene evening. The sun sank low on the horizon, painting the sky in soft shades of gold and amber. Bathed in the cool evening breeze, Aneet stood on his balcony, sipping warm green tea. He enjoyed these quiet moments after work, but what truly kept him outdoors was the balcony directly opposite his.

Across the courtyard, a young woman was hanging freshly washed clothes on a line. The first time Aneet saw her, time seemed to stand still. Her dark hair caught the last rays of sunlight, and her features possessed a soft, classic grace that reminded him of a heroine from a classic film.

Weeks turned into months. Watching her became a quiet, cherished part of his daily routine. Though he had fallen deeply in love with her at first sight, two months passed without him uttering a single word to her. He longed to tell her how he felt, yet hesitation held him back—he knew nothing about her except that her family ran a small local restaurant nearby.

Unable to resist any longer, Aneet walked into the restaurant one evening after work. He glanced around the modest dining space, searching for her face, but found only an middle-aged man behind the counter.

"Excuse me," Aneet asked politely, trying to sound casual. "Is the young woman who works here around today?"

The man smiled warmly. "Ah, she is my daughter. She has already left for her evening college classes."

Not wanting to raise suspicion or appear improper, Aneet simply nodded, ordered a cup of tea, and left quietly after finishing it.

The following morning was Saturday. Having slept late, Aneet woke up at 9:30 AM. Realizing the time, he rushed to his window and spotted her bustling around inside the restaurant. He hurriedly dressed and ran down the stairs.

Entering the restaurant, his face lit up. He sat at a table near the front, entirely captivated as he watched her move across the room.

"Sir? What can I get for you?"

Aneet remained silent, caught in his thoughts, a distant smile on his face.

"Sir?" She asked again, louder this time. When he still didn't respond, she accidentally knocked over a glass of water on his table to break his trance.

The splash startled Aneet back to reality.

"I’ve asked you multiple times what you’d like to order, but you’re just staring at me," she said, her eyebrows drawn together in frustration. "Is there a problem?"

"I am so sorry. Extremely sorry," Aneet stammered, his cheeks flushing red as he quickly placed a random food order.

Despite the awkward start, Aneet began visiting the restaurant regularly. Over time, he struck up a genuine friendship with her younger brother, eventually tutoring him in his studies. Through her brother, Aneet finally learned her full name: Kusum Shrestha. She was studying nursing and completing her clinical internship at Patan Hospital.

Part II: The Broken Rose

By mid-February, Aneet felt he could no longer keep his emotions secret. He decided that February 14, 2014, would be the day he confessed his feelings. He carefully picked out a gift, purchased a fresh red rose, and wrote out his heart in a handwritten letter.

At 6:30 PM, he waited outside Kusum's restaurant. As she stepped out, looking rushed, Aneet stepped into her path to stop her.

"Aneet? Whatever it is, please make it quick," Kusum said sharply, checking her watch. "I'm in a hurry."

Taking a deep breath to calm his racing heart, Aneet extended his hands, offering the gift box, the rose, and the letter.

Kusum paused, staring at the items in disbelief. "What is this?"

"Gifts for you," Aneet said softly.

"I can see that, but why?"

"Because today is Valentine's Day... and because I love you, Kusum."

Kusum’s expression hardened. In a sudden flash of anger, she struck the gifts out of his hands, sending them tumbling to the pavement, and slapped him across the face.

"I don't love you!" she spat, her voice tight with indignation. "Forget love—I don't even like you. I don't even care about you! Up until recently, I didn't even know your name; you're just a neighbor who keeps staring at me. To be honest, seeing you around irritates me. Besides, I have a boyfriend, and I’m on my way to a date with him right now. You’ve completely ruined my mood."

Aneet stood frozen, the harsh stinging on his cheek completely eclipsed by the ache in his chest. He didn't offer a defense or utter a single harsh word in return. Kusum was his first true love, and he had given her his entire heart.

He watched in silence as she walked away into the fading light. That night, Aneet lay awake in his darkened room, staring at the ceiling through a haze of tears, unable to sleep as her words echoed endlessly through his mind.

Part III: An Unspoken Truth

More than a week passed, and Kusum was nowhere to be seen. Her absence weighed heavily on Aneet. Despite her harsh rejection and the hurtful words she had spoken, his affection for her hadn't vanished—it had turned into deep concern.

Unable to handle the silence any longer, Aneet walked over to the family restaurant. Inside, he found Kusum's younger brother sitting quietly at a table.

"Hey," Aneet called out softly. "How are you holding up?"

The boy looked up, his eyes brightening instantly as he rushed over to hug Aneet. "Brother Aneet! I'm so glad you're here."

Sensing something was wrong, Aneet asked, "Is everything alright?"

"Can we talk privately in my room?" the boy whispered, looking around nervously. "It’s about Kusum."

Once inside the room with the door closed, Aneet asked urgently, "What happened to Kusum? Where has she been?"

"She's in trouble," her brother said, his voice trembling. "And... I think you're the only person who can help her right now."

"What kind of trouble?" Aneet pressed, his worry deepening. "Please, tell me what’s wrong."

Part IV: Garden of Dreams

Following the directions given by her brother, Aneet made his way to The Garden of Dreams. He found Kusum sitting alone on a stone bench in a quiet corner of the courtyard, staring blankly at the garden greenery, silently crying.

Unable to bear seeing her in pain, Aneet walked up softly and extended a tissue toward her.

Kusum blinked away her tears and looked up, startled. "You? What are you doing here?"

"I came to wipe away your tears," Aneet replied gently.

Kusum pulled back defensively. "Wipe away my tears? What do you think is wrong with me?"

"I know what happened, Kusum."

"You know what?" she asked, her voice tight.

"I know about the doctor you met during your internship at Patan Hospital," Aneet said softly, his voice full of compassion rather than judgment. "I know how deeply you cared for him, and how much trust you placed in him. And I know what happened on February 14th—when he walked in and introduced you to his wife, revealing that his promises were lies. He never valued the sincerity of your heart. But love shouldn't mean hurting yourself for someone who treated you like an option. You deserve to be loved by someone who truly values you."

Tears spilled over Kusum’s cheeks. She stared at him, stunned and vulnerable. "How... how do you know all of this?"

"It doesn't matter how I found out," Aneet answered, stepping closer. "What matters is that my feelings for you haven't changed. Knowing your past doesn't change how much I care about you. I don't care about what happened before today—I only care about your present and your future. I want to stand by you and protect you. I love you, Kusum."

He looked at her with steady, unconditional affection. "You don't have to give me an answer today. Take all the time you need. I'll be waiting."

Without pushing her further, Aneet turned and walked out of the garden, leaving her in the quiet park.

Kusum remained on the bench long after he left, her hands trembling in her lap. A part of her felt a rare warmth—a realization of how deeply and selflessly Aneet truly cared for her. Yet beneath that warmth lay a heavy, crushing truth she couldn't share.

During his secret affair with her, her former partner—who led a hidden double life—had contracted HIV through unmindful relationships and had passed the infection on to both his wife and Kusum. When his wife discovered the truth, she had left him immediately. Kusum had only recently discovered her diagnosis through routine hospital tests, and out of sheer fear and embarrassment, she had kept the terrible reality hidden from everyone, including her parents.

Sitting alone in the garden, tears streamed down Kusum's face. Aneet was willing to accept her past and heal her broken heart, but she knew she could not bring herself to burden his life with her reality.

True love doesn't come around often, she thought quietly to herself as the sun set over the garden walls. Some people spend their whole lives looking for it, and I found it right in front of me... when it was already too late.