You, the Whisper Across Lifetime

I believe in eternal love.

I believe in love that stretches across lifetimes.

I just don't believe it applies to me. Or that it ever would.

So when his message came—

"Babe, do you think we should meet and have dinner tomorrow?"—

I froze.

For a few seconds, I just stared dumbly at my phone.

Then the realization hit:

Oh my God. This is real.

---

The Beginning

We first connected six years earlier, through a website meant for platonic relationships. It was quieter back then. The internet still felt somewhat… untouched. We became pen pals—though in the modern sense: emails, messages, the occasional voice recording.

I never once doubted he was genuine. Maybe it was the timing. Maybe because others I met on that site remained lifelong friends. Either way, I trusted him.

At the time he reappeared in my life, I had been single for nearly a year.

My previous boyfriend had left me cold, saying he'd never really seen me as a lover.

I accepted it. Moved on. My heart was broken, yes—but a small voice inside had always whispered:

"It won't last."

And so, I found peace.

Around that same time, Kaelen messaged me.

He said he was single too. Hadn't seen a woman in over a year.

I laughed and replied, "We've never even met. We don't know each other."

He disagreed.

"Who says that? We've known each other for six years. I know you."

Then came the flood of memories:

Summaries of our conversations, pictures I'd sent him over the years, even little details I'd forgotten myself.

And finally, his version of me—who he believed I was, after all this time.

It ended with a picture I'd completely forgotten: me in front of a mirror, crop top and mini shorts.

>"This is my favorite," he said.

I was touched. Or maybe I'm just easily persuaded.

Either way—I said yes.

The next morning, he messaged me:

>"Good morning, sayang*." *(darling)

I'm not a naturally warm person. People say I'm aloof. Quiet. Cold, even.

I'm an introvert by nature—someone who speaks well for work, but prefers silence in private.

And yet…

Though I found it cheesy, I liked it.

It made me smile.

I replied simply:

>"Good morning, Kaelen."

We kept that so-called long-distance relationship going for a few months.

Until one day, his message came:

>"Babe, do you think we should meet and have dinner tomorrow?"