The man stood there for a moment longer, looking at the portrait as if he wanted to remember every detail.
Then he slowly turned away and walked deeper into the hall.
His footsteps were soft.
They echoed gently, but the sound felt distant, as if the hall itself was holding its breath.
After walking for some time, he stopped.
Without speaking, he lifted his hand and waved it lightly through the air.
A door appeared.
It did not creak or make any sound as it opened.
It simply parted, as if it had always been there.
The man stepped forward.
When he passed through, the world changed.
He was now standing in the middle of a vast garden.
As far as his eyes could see, there were flowers. No walls.
No paths. No buildings. Only flowers of every kind and color, spreading endlessly under a calm sky.
A soft breeze moved through the garden, making the petals sway gently, like a quiet sea.
The tenderness in his eyes slowly disappeared.
In its place came something lighter.
