Chapter 18
As the young man spoke about his neighbor’s daughter, his eyes sparkled like a beam of light piercing through a dark night. It was as if his entire life had been illuminated by her presence.
“I waited for so long until I finally grew up,” he said, his voice tinged with both pride and longing. “But when I confessed my
feelings to her with so much hope, she turned me down.”
The light in his eyes dimmed, and his tone softened. “She told me she’s 12 years older than me, and if we got together, people
would gossip. Well, I don’t accept that,” he continued, a stubborn determination rising in his voice.
“I believe age doesn’t matter. True love can overcome anything! I also want to prove to her that times have changed. People
nowadays are much more open–minded. Relationships like ours aren’t a big deal anymore. If we take that brave first step, we can
have a happy ending.
“So, I came out here to gather opinions from people on the street. Sir, could you spare a few minutes to write down your thoughts
about age–gap relationships in this notebook? I want to show her that while some might gossip, there are far more people in this
world who will understand and support us.”
The young man’s passionate words struck a painful chord in Murphy’s heart.
The fiery determination of this young man as he ran around for the sake of love reminded him so much of Gemma just a few
months ago when she mustered up the courage to confess her feelings to him.
“How old are you?” Murphy asked.
“I’m 21,” the young man replied.
“Twenty–one,” Murphy said softly. “You’re so young. Do you even know what love is?”
