Elion

There was once a man named Arin. He was the kind of person everyone admired—always ready to listen, always ready to help, always putting others before himself. If a friend was sad, he stayed up all night talking with them. If a neighbor was in need, he gave without hesitation. To the world, he was a source of warmth.

But inside, Arin carried a quiet emptiness. He longed to be cared for in the same way he cared for others. He wanted someone to notice his silences, to ask about the weight he carried, to love him not only for his kindness but also for his hidden fragility.

Yet Arin never said this aloud. He believed that if he kept giving, one day someone would see through his smile and return the same love. But people grew used to his strength. They leaned on him, but they never thought he might need a shoulder too.

Years passed, and though Arin was surrounded by many, he often felt alone. His heart was full of love for others but starved of the kind of love he longed for. In the end, he realized he had never learned what to expect, or whom to expect it from. He kept pouring himself out, waiting for a fullness that never came.

And so, he remained—respected, remembered, but lonely—because sometimes, even the gentlest souls can forget that love must be both given and received to keep a heart whole.