The sun had begun to set, casting a warm golden glow over the rooftop where Ahmad and Hyunwoo often spent their quiet evenings. The city below buzzed with life, but up here, it was their private little world. The sky was streaked with orange and purple hues, and a soft breeze danced around them, teasing Ahmad's kurta and lifting Hyunwoo's golden hair just slightly.
Ahmad was leaning against the railing, staring into the horizon, his mind deep in thought. Hyunwoo, sitting cross-legged on the floor, looked up at him.
Hyunwoo: "You always look like you're talking to God when you look at the sky like that."
Ahmad smiled softly, turning his head toward him.
Ahmad: "Maybe I am. I like thinking about Him when everything is quiet."
Hyunwoo chuckled, though it was a soft, unsure laugh. He had been thinking a lot lately—about Ahmad, about Islam, about the feeling inside his heart that he couldn't quite name.
Hyunwoo: "Can I ask you something... a little strange?"
Ahmad: "You know you can ask me anything."
Hyunwoo (looking away): "What does love mean to you?"
Ahmad blinked, surprised by the sudden question. He took a deep breath, then turned to face Hyunwoo completely.
Ahmad: "Love is... sacred. It's more than just feeling something for someone. In Islam, it's about loyalty, trust, respect. Real love brings you closer to God, not further away."
Hyunwoo's eyes searched Ahmad's face, drinking in every word.
Hyunwoo: "What about... when love doesn't feel holy? What if it's just messy and confusing?"
Ahmad crouched down beside him.
Ahmad: "Then it's still real. Even confusion is part of the journey. But love becomes more beautiful when it aligns with what's right."
Silence stretched between them, and the air felt thicker somehow. Hyunwoo leaned his head back against the wall, exhaling a long breath.
Hyunwoo: "You make it sound so peaceful. Like your heart is always calm."
Ahmad smiled, a little sad this time.
Ahmad: "It's not. I struggle too. I've felt things I don't fully understand… especially lately."
Their eyes met. Hyunwoo's heart beat louder. His fingers dug into his jeans.
Hyunwoo: "Is that because of me?"
Ahmad didn't answer immediately. Instead, he stood up, walked a few steps away, then turned around.
Ahmad: "Yes. I didn't want to admit it… but yes. You've changed something inside me."
The words hung in the air.
Hyunwoo (standing slowly): "And is that a good thing?"
Ahmad walked toward him again, step by step.
Ahmad: "I think so. You've made me understand my own heart better. But it scares me too, Hyunwoo."
Hyunwoo: "Why?"
Ahmad: "Because I don't want to hurt you. And I don't want to go against the values I hold dear. But I also don't want to lose you."
Hyunwoo stepped closer, until there was only a breath of space between them.
Hyunwoo (softly): "Then don't lose me."
Ahmad stared into his eyes. His hand trembled slightly before reaching up, brushing Hyunwoo's cheek. It was the first time he had touched him like that—so gently, so vulnerably.
Ahmad: "You're important to me, Hyunwoo."
Hyunwoo: "I know. I feel the same. But this—what we're feeling—it doesn't have to break anything. Maybe… maybe it can be something sacred too."
Ahmad blinked, stunned by how tender those words sounded.
Ahmad: "You think so?"
Hyunwoo: "I believe in you, Ahmad. And if your God is as kind as you say, I want to understand Him too."
Ahmad's eyes widened. "You… what?"
Hyunwoo (nodding): "I've been reading the Qur'an in English. I didn't understand everything, but the parts I did… they made me feel calm. Like when I'm around you."
Ahmad swallowed hard. "You're really trying to understand?"
Hyunwoo: "For you. For us. And for me too."
In that moment, Ahmad pulled Hyunwoo into a hug—tight and unafraid. It wasn't romantic, not in the typical sense. It was more. A connection of soul and spirit. They stayed like that, the sunset painting them in gold, the call to prayer echoing faintly from a distant mosque.
Later that night...
The rooftop talk had ended with a warm silence between them. Now, both were lying side by side in Ahmad's room, staring at the ceiling. The electricity had gone out briefly, and only a dim lantern lit the room.
Hyunwoo: "Can I ask another question?"
Ahmad: "Go ahead."
Hyunwoo: "Why do Muslims pray five times a day?"
Ahmad (smiling in the dark): "To remember. To pause the world and remember who we are, why we're here, and who we belong to."
Hyunwoo: "That's… beautiful."
Ahmad: "One day, if you ever want, I can teach you how to pray."
Hyunwoo: "I'd like that."
Their hands brushed between the bedsheets. Neither pulled away.
Hyunwoo (whispering): "Do you think love like ours… has a place in your world?"
Ahmad: "If it's patient… if it's pure… if it makes us better people… then yes. I believe it does."
Outside, the night grew deeper. But inside their hearts, a light had just begun to shine.