Devon Point of View

"Old-school romance!" I asked, leaning against the counter with a grin, trying to sound casual, though I was more curious than anything. "You mean like love letters? Like... the kind they wrote in the 18th century?"

Ural's voice crackled from the other end of the phone, completely unbothered. "Exactly. Letters, flowers, the works. The kind that shows a man is serious, thoughtful. Sincerity, Devon. You can't just flash your smile and expect it to work forever."

I've always prided myself on being the kind of guy who can read a room. I'm not saying I'm a mind reader, but I have a knack for understanding people. Or at least, I used to.

Illaria, however, is a different breed. I thought I had her figured out at first—strong, independent, totally in control. And don't get me wrong, I know she appreciates the finer things in life. But there's this whole layer to her that I just couldn't quite put my finger on.

Then one day, out of nowhere, she mentions that she loves old-school romance. The kind that involves flowers, handwritten notes, and maybe a few slow dances under the moonlight. She didn't say it with any drama or sentimentality. It was just... offhand. And I couldn't shake it.

I wasn't annoyed though, but I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped. Ural's advice was always so... old-school. Surprisingly, Illaria has a kink for it too. I mean, I had no problem with old-school romance.

In fact, I was kind of excited by the idea of it. I wasn't some player who lived off flashy dates and late-night escapades. That wasn't me.

I wanted something real. Something deep. Relationships, in my view, were sacred. They were a responsibility—a responsibility to make the other person feel valued, special, and loved.

That was how I viewed it. A man who is in a relationship with a woman is responsible for all of it. Her happiness, her safety, her heart. And if that meant love letters, so be it.

But here's the problem: I didn't exactly know how to write a love letter. What does one even say?

How does one pour their heart out on paper without sounding like a complete fool? I had no idea. I hadn't had a real relationship before, much less written a letter to anyone—let alone Illaria. And now Ural was telling me that I needed to write her a letter. A good one.

"Do you have any tips?" I asked, pacing around my apartment. I couldn't believe I was getting advice on love letters from a guy who was probably the most cynical person I knew.

"Just be yourself," Ural said, like it was that easy. "Tell her you care about her. That's the whole point, mate. Don't overthink it."

"Right. Tell her I care. Got it," I said, trying to steady my nerves. "Thanks, Ural."

He hung up without saying another word. I was left standing there, staring at my phone as if it held the secrets to the universe.

Alright. Here we go. I was as ready as I could be. I was going to write a love letter for Illaria. And I was going to make it count. No more worrying about being 'smooth.' I wasn't just doing this for her—I was doing this for us. But then again... how do you even start?

I grabbed a pen and a sheet of paper, looking at the blank space like it was some sort of terrifying abyss. The letters on the page didn't even seem like letters—they were just squiggly lines on a page, mocking me.

I stared for a solid five minutes before I finally scribbled something down.

Dear Illaria,

That was a solid start, right? Dear. Classic. Simple. Safe.

Now, what next?

I didn't want to make this too formal. No "Dearest Illaria" or anything that felt like I was trying too hard. I'd already decided I wasn't about to be that guy—the one who overcompensates with flowery language to make up for a lack of genuine emotion.

So, I went with the next best thing: I know this might sound weird, but I've been thinking about how you said you like old-school romance...

I winced. That was too awkward. Too... Devon.

I crossed it out and started again.

Hey, Illaria,

Much better. More me. But was it too casual? Was this not romantic enough?

I exhaled, rubbing my temples. This wasn't as easy as it seemed.

Alright, no big deal. Let's do this like I would anything else—straightforward.

'I've never been the love-letter type,' I wrote, my hand feeling less shaky now. 'But you've got me thinking. What's life without a little bit of old-school romance? So here it is—a letter, from me to you. Full of sincerity and maybe a little bit of awkwardness, because I'm not exactly a pro at this.'

I paused, reading it over. It was genuine, right? It wasn't too much. It was... me.

Now, to make it cute. To make it charming.

I had to throw in something that was uniquely me, something that would make her smile. So, I scribbled:

You've got this way of making everything seem easy—like you have all the answers. I'm kind of in awe of that, actually. And if I'm being honest, I admire you more than I let on. Sometimes, I think maybe you've got it all figured out, and I'm just over here trying not to trip over my own feet. But that's okay, because... well, I'm learning from the best.

There. That felt right. Funny, but still heartfelt.

Let me add something refreshing as well. And so, I added a little more of my own thoughts in it.

Then I had a brilliant idea.

What if I added a little extra? Just something to make her laugh—something silly that she'd never expect. So, I wrote:

P.S. I promise, next time I'll try to be less awkward. I can't make any guarantees, but I'll do my best.

I stared at the letter for a moment, feeling a mix of dread and pride. It was... well, it was something. I folded it up, hesitating.

This was it.

Wait, this kind of is too straight to the point.

I could show off my wit.

Yeah, she liked that.

So, I wrote a line about her being 'the only woman who could make even spreadsheets look like poetry'.

This is something I've read on internet. Praising your lover in her own mood and style is what they love so much.

This should be cute and witty, right?

I read it over and smiled at myself. Felt pretty good about it.

And then I realized, how the hell was I supposed to get this letter to her?

It would be too blunt if I hand it over to her myself.

It should be a small surprise to her and yet it should also be very heartwarming.

How to get this letter reach her without making it look too open?

I didn't work in the same office as Illaria, so just casually handing it to her at lunch wasn't an option. I couldn't even casually slip it in her bag. No, that would look like some weird stalker move.

Then it hit me. Anete. Illaria's sister.

They worked together. Sure, I didn't want to ask her directly because that would've made it too easy, but... maybe there was a way I could get her to pass it along to Illaria?

I shot Anete a text, making it as casual as I could:
'Hey, Anete. Can you help me out? Got a little something for Illaria, but it's gotta be... subtle.'

She responded almost immediately:
'Subtle? You? Hahaha. What's the plan?'

I gulped. I had no idea.

'Well... if you could, like, sneak it into her stuff? A book? Or—wait, no, forget that. A coffee cup. Isn't there a coffee cup that she loves so much. Help me put this in it.'

After getting her confirmation, I pulled out a nice envelop, scented it a little, and placed the letter neatly inside it and sealed it with a wax stamp.

Ten minutes later, my cousin, Cacao, took the letter away to give it to his girlfriend, Anete; leaving me excited and anxious at the same time.

Now, it all depends on the Allard sisters!

I so hope Illaria likes the letter and feels all those old-school butterfly tingles in her old-school stomach.

I was imagining various beautiful scenarios and was smiling to myself when Anete texted me confirmation on completing the task.

Great!

Excellent!

The letter finally reached it. Now it's all about her seeing it, opening it and reading it. Anete made sure she will update me with everything happening there so I am now less worried about not being able to see her reaction.

Now everything is perfe –

Wait!

What is this on the writing table?

I moved closer and looked at all the paper sheets laying on the table in an unorganized manner. Looking at all them carefully, I suddenly realized something very drastic.

I sent out a wrong letter!

~*~*~*~*~*~

Hello Sweeties,

Next chapter is here. Enjoy!

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Finally they both embarked on the love journey fully.

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Lady Prim