The next evening, Maya stayed late at work.
Not because she had to.
But because going home meant being alone with her thoughts.
When she finally stepped outside, the sky was covered in heavy gray clouds. The air felt cold, almost restless.
It started raining.
Soft at first.
Then harder.
People rushed past her, trying to escape the rain.
But Maya didn't move.
She just stood there.
Letting the rain soak her hair, her clothes, her skin.
Maybe she thought the rain could wash away the pain too.
"Standing in the rain won't fix a broken heart."
A voice interrupted her thoughts.
She turned around.
A man stood a few steps away, holding an umbrella.
He wasn't smiling.
He wasn't judging.
He was just looking at her—
Like he could see through the silence she carried.
"I'm not trying to fix anything," she replied quietly.
He stepped closer and held the umbrella over both of them.
"Still," he said softly, "you'll catch a cold."
It wasn't what he said.
It was how he said it.
Gentle.
Careful.
Like her pain was something fragile.
Something to respect.
For the first time in months—
Someone noticed.
Not her face.
Not her beauty.
But her sadness.
"I'm Daniel," he said after a moment.
Maya hesitated.
Then whispered, "Maya."
Their eyes met.
And something shifted.
Not dramatically.
Not magically.
But softly.
Like the first crack of light breaking into a dark room.
She didn't know him.
She didn't trust easily anymore.
But something about him felt… safe.
And safety was something she hadn't felt in a long time.
She didn't know it yet—
But this wasn't just a random meeting.
This was the beginning of the light.