Masal was walking home with tired steps after work. The street was quiet, the light wind in her face. Although knowing Bartu was protecting her brought some comfort, she was still tense; that man's gaze haunted her. She opened the door, went inside, hung up her shirt, and sat on the couch. She was still shaking a little.
Her phone was in her pocket; she had a message from Bartu: "I wanted to make sure you were safe. Call if you have any problems." Masal studied the message for a short while, then put it back in her pocket. The warmth of the message brought some relief, but she didn't know what she would say when they met face to face.
Meanwhile, Bartu was a few blocks away in his car, completing work from the company and planning the staff and precautions for Masal's safety. Even though they hadn't yet formed an emotional bond, protecting Masal was now a priority for Bartu. The issue of the traitor from the meeting he'd talked about with Emir was still on his mind.
As a woman he'd just met, Masal had unwillingly become his responsibility. Bartu sat in his car in the park for a while, staring at Masal's house; It was necessary to be by her side, but also to maintain distance. Masal was still nervous as she sat on the couch. She felt Bartu's protection, but she couldn't talk about it directly; the distance between them defined boundaries for both of them.
Bartu stopped his car on a street close to Masal's building. His headlights illuminated the street, but Bartu felt as if he had made himself invisible. He looked in Masal's window, noticing her still sitting on the couch, holding her phone in her hand, her nervous steps. Her phone vibrated.
Her text had come from Emir: "Have you seen Masal? What are you going to do? You only just met, and yet you're so obsessed…" Bartu took a deep breath, his finger lingering on the text. He typed in response: "I need to protect her. There's nothing between us yet, but no one can hurt her. That's all." Emir was silent for a while, then called. Bartu answered. "What happened?" he asked in a harsh, controlled voice.
Emir spoke in a slightly sarcastic, yet concerned tone: "What happened? Your determination… I'm wondering what you'll do to protect Masal. You might be going too far. This girl is someone you only know; she's not even your girlfriend." Bartu replied, narrowing his eyes at the street: "I know. But our enemy is still there. I won't let anyone get close to Masal.
The fact that we just met doesn't change that." Emir laughed briefly, then added a serious warning: "Okay, but be careful. If you're overprotective, both you and she will be in trouble. Keep your distance, but don't give up control." Bartu nodded, his eyes filled with determination. "I'll keep my distance. But remember, I won't hurt anyone. I'll do anything to protect her." Emir murmured in a slightly tense, slightly amused voice: "You see, I'm giving you a warning.
But deep down, I know this girl will be your weakest point." Bartu's lips twisted into a grim smile. "Not weakness… responsibility." Silence fell between them. Bartu continued to sit in his car and watch Masal through the window. They weren't yet connected, but at that moment, protecting Masal became Bartu's top priority because he'd fallen in love with her the moment he saw her, and yes, he wanted her—he wanted her no matter what.