The sun was setting as she walked through the bustling campus, the familiarity of the path filled with memories both sweet and bitter. Her heart ached with every step, each one echoing with the hopes and dreams that seemed to flicker like dying embers. It was impossible to avoid him. His presence was everywhere—a smile here, a laugh there—each reminder a fresh wound. She paused at the water fountain, where they first met. The memory of their first conversation still made her blush. He was kind then, full of curiosities and dreams as vibrant as the fall leaves. "What's your favorite subject?" he had asked, his grin warm and inviting. But now, his eyes seldom met hers, and his smile never reached her. As she stared into the water, she wondered what had changed. Love, once so mutual and vibrant, now felt like a burden he couldn't bear. What if she dared to ask him again? Could there be a spark left, hidden beneath the distance he kept?