"I never got a chance to admire nature this way," Alina continued. "I never watched stars so peacefully. If I saw stars, it was from a window while doing dishes. Or walking home tired from work. A quick glance, then back to worrying about tomorrow."
She exhaled slowly.
"But here... lying on a mountain with you... the stars are just there. Existing. Being beautiful. Not asking anything from me."
Dante nodded against her hair.
"It's strange, isn't it?" she murmured. "Nature just exists the way it always has. Before us, after us, it will still be here. And every time we see it, it amazes us. Like we're seeing it for the first time."
She gestured vaguely at the sky.
"I'm in awe of this beauty. Genuine awe. Like my heart is too small to hold it all."
Dante's voice was quiet when he spoke.
"That's because you're seeing it properly for the first time."
She tilted her head to look at him.
"What do you mean?"
He considered his words carefully.
