2025-07-11, 07:09 PM
He stood there alone in the rain, in the park where he was once happy.
His dog tugged on the leash. It was autumn and already bitterly cold.
But he didn't pay any attention to him. He was caught up in the memory of that one afternoon. That afternoon when he had been so happy.
It was a Wednesday, he remembered that clearly. He had arranged to meet his friend here in the park, by the angel statue. He'd been promoted, and now they wanted to celebrate with a picnic.
He had everything with him. A large blanket, baguette, butter, salami, grapes... he had gone over everything in his mind to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything. It had to be perfect.
And then he arrived. They had found a spot in the park and made themselves comfortable. They had eaten, talked; yes, they had talked about a future together. They wanted to move in together. With his new job, he now earned enough that they could afford a shared apartment. They had dreamed of the future, had already imagined furnishing the apartment. It had been the best day of his life so far. Simply because HE was there.
Yes, and now what? Where had that laughter, that lightheartedness gone? Where had his plans for the future disappeared to? He was here, alone, with just his dog. Completely alone.
His friend, who supposedly loved him more than anything, had cheated on him.
And he caught him doing it.
Who could have guessed he'd be home early that day? He'd found the two of them in the double bed they'd bought especially for their first apartment together, as a symbol that they belonged together. The thought of the housewarming still brought a blush to his face.
And in that bed, he had cheated on him. He had stared at him in shock and simply said, "You shouldn't be here yet, honey."
Then he left. He took Benji, the dog, and simply left. His world had collapsed. The love he had believed in had been nothing but a pipe dream, a nothingness.
He had moved to another city, burned all his bridges behind him, and wanted to start over. But his thoughts of HIM had always remained with him.
And now he was here again.
He took a deep breath.
He was back.
Cedric Therany was back.
1.
Chapter
–
Christoph
Christoph was excited. Excited wasn't really the word. Today he was supposed to be introduced to his new boss. He'd been working for the company for two years now. And his boss was a legend. But also a mystery. He hadn't seen him once in those two years. But not only he, his colleagues didn't know the boss either, because he hadn't been to their branch for five years.
He had hired someone else. But four days ago, the unbelievable happened.
He received a call from Munich. He was asked to prepare the arrival of Cedric Therany, his boss.
At first, he thought the whole thing was a joke. The mystery was about to be revealed? That couldn't be true. But the assistant on the other side quickly made it clear to him that this was anything but a joke.
So he took everything into his own hands. He was actually a controller in a department at a large software company. And he did his job well. But in this case, he didn't want to relinquish responsibility. Legend Cedric Therany was coming to visit, so he simply had to arrange the best of the best. The best hotel, the best taxi, the best reception committee, simply everything.
And now he stood in front of the mirror, beyond saving. And why all this? Because he couldn't find his tie. His life motto, "Only the narrow-minded maintain order; the genius overlooks chaos," seemed to be failing him today.
Ah, there, indeed, there it was. Who on earth had put it in the kitchen cupboard? Along with the cups. He could only shake his head. He was earning so much money and still didn't have a cleaning lady.
Of course, his parents would have preferred him to find a nice little woman, get married, and have a couple of adorable children. But that hope was dashed abruptly when he was 16. That's when his parents caught him and his then-boyfriend in a biology class of a different kind.
He would remember his parents' shocked looks for the rest of his life. Even now, a grin spread across his face. His parents...they had actually handled it quite well afterward. He was still their son, they had assured him; they just needed a little time to get used to the idea. They had managed that well. Today, they had a very relaxed relationship. He could always rely on his parents.
After taking a final sip from his cup, Christoph left the apartment and hurried down the stairs. Once at the bottom, he looked around. Where had he parked yesterday? By the park? Or perhaps by the high-rise buildings on the other side?
It was all no use. His chaotic lifestyle was really taking its toll today. He decided he'd rather try the park. So he set off. And of course, at that moment it started to rain. Had everyone conspired against him? What if his car wasn't at the park and he had to walk all the way to his apartment and then back the other way in this rain? He didn't want to think about it and started running. He had pulled his coat over his head. At least that way he wouldn't get quite as wet. And now he had to go. If he was going to get to work wet, at least he wouldn't be late.
He started running. It was really pouring with rain. You couldn't see more than 10 meters ahead because of the heavy rain.
And then it happened.
At first, he didn't know exactly what had happened. The only thing he knew was that he was lying in the middle of a puddle. But how had he gotten there? He knelt down, turned his head...and looked into the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. They were blue, as blue as a mountain lake, even if that comparison seemed corny, that was the only thing that could describe those eyes.
They were framed by white-grey fur and the tongue hung out of the four-legged animal's mouth.
He had actually stumbled upon a husky. Admittedly, this husky was a beauty.
But how did this husky get to his feet? He was dragging a leash behind him.
Now he heard the excited voice through the rain.
"Benji, where are you? Benji, where did you go? Come back to your master."
Well, maybe Christoph should show his owner where his dog had gone.
"Hello, are you looking for a husky? He's here," he called to the voice that slowly approached.
Now he saw a shadow approaching. The shadow turned out to be a tall man with blond curls, a black coat, and...oh wonder...an umbrella.
He immediately held the umbrella over Christoph, who was still sitting on the ground looking at the dog.
“What happened?” the stranger asked immediately.
This brought Christoph back from his trance. Wow, the owner could really take on the dog...yummy.
"Oh, it won't be that bad. I must have tripped over your dog and landed in the puddle," said Christoph.
The dog owner looked quite shocked.
"Didn't you hurt yourself? Is everything really okay?"
"No, no, everything's fine. I'm just completely soaked. But that's what happens when you rush down the street in the rain without looking at the ground in front of you."
The stranger reached out his hand and helped him up.
"I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do for you?"
"Thanks, but that won't be necessary. I'm going to walk the few steps back to my apartment now and put on some fresh clothes. I really can't go to work in these," grinned Christoph, pointing toward his apartment.
The stranger pulled out his wallet and held out a 20€ note to Christoph.
"Please at least take this. My dog is to blame for everything, and the suit won't clean itself. I owe you that."
"Thanks, that's really unnecessary. My mother washes my suits, so you don't have to pay me for it. But you can always buy me a coffee sometime," said Christoph, and the next moment he felt like slapping his hand over his mouth. His cheeky mouth again. He couldn't just invite a complete stranger over for a coffee.
But his counterpart just laughed and said, "Okay, let's do it like this. How about tomorrow at five at the café across the park?"
Christoph grinned back and nodded. "Yes, I agree."
“See you tomorrow then,” said the dog owner and put his husky back on the leash.
“See you tomorrow,” said Christoph and with these words he ran towards his apartment.
When he arrived at the apartment completely soaked, he first took a towel from the bathroom and dried his hair.
The first thing he had to do was call his colleague and tell her that he would be late and that someone else would have to act as the welcoming committee for Cedric Therany.
His colleague Bianca couldn't stop laughing when she learned the reason for his delay, but promised to personally take care of Mr. Therany until his arrival.
Reassured, Christoph quickly stepped into the shower. The cold puddle and the rain had chilled him, so he needed to warm up. Then it dawned on him. He hadn't even asked the stranger his name. He laughed. It's going to be a kind of blind date tomorrow.
His dog tugged on the leash. It was autumn and already bitterly cold.
But he didn't pay any attention to him. He was caught up in the memory of that one afternoon. That afternoon when he had been so happy.
It was a Wednesday, he remembered that clearly. He had arranged to meet his friend here in the park, by the angel statue. He'd been promoted, and now they wanted to celebrate with a picnic.
He had everything with him. A large blanket, baguette, butter, salami, grapes... he had gone over everything in his mind to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything. It had to be perfect.
And then he arrived. They had found a spot in the park and made themselves comfortable. They had eaten, talked; yes, they had talked about a future together. They wanted to move in together. With his new job, he now earned enough that they could afford a shared apartment. They had dreamed of the future, had already imagined furnishing the apartment. It had been the best day of his life so far. Simply because HE was there.
Yes, and now what? Where had that laughter, that lightheartedness gone? Where had his plans for the future disappeared to? He was here, alone, with just his dog. Completely alone.
His friend, who supposedly loved him more than anything, had cheated on him.
And he caught him doing it.
Who could have guessed he'd be home early that day? He'd found the two of them in the double bed they'd bought especially for their first apartment together, as a symbol that they belonged together. The thought of the housewarming still brought a blush to his face.
And in that bed, he had cheated on him. He had stared at him in shock and simply said, "You shouldn't be here yet, honey."
Then he left. He took Benji, the dog, and simply left. His world had collapsed. The love he had believed in had been nothing but a pipe dream, a nothingness.
He had moved to another city, burned all his bridges behind him, and wanted to start over. But his thoughts of HIM had always remained with him.
And now he was here again.
He took a deep breath.
He was back.
Cedric Therany was back.
1.
Chapter
–
Christoph
Christoph was excited. Excited wasn't really the word. Today he was supposed to be introduced to his new boss. He'd been working for the company for two years now. And his boss was a legend. But also a mystery. He hadn't seen him once in those two years. But not only he, his colleagues didn't know the boss either, because he hadn't been to their branch for five years.
He had hired someone else. But four days ago, the unbelievable happened.
He received a call from Munich. He was asked to prepare the arrival of Cedric Therany, his boss.
At first, he thought the whole thing was a joke. The mystery was about to be revealed? That couldn't be true. But the assistant on the other side quickly made it clear to him that this was anything but a joke.
So he took everything into his own hands. He was actually a controller in a department at a large software company. And he did his job well. But in this case, he didn't want to relinquish responsibility. Legend Cedric Therany was coming to visit, so he simply had to arrange the best of the best. The best hotel, the best taxi, the best reception committee, simply everything.
And now he stood in front of the mirror, beyond saving. And why all this? Because he couldn't find his tie. His life motto, "Only the narrow-minded maintain order; the genius overlooks chaos," seemed to be failing him today.
Ah, there, indeed, there it was. Who on earth had put it in the kitchen cupboard? Along with the cups. He could only shake his head. He was earning so much money and still didn't have a cleaning lady.
Of course, his parents would have preferred him to find a nice little woman, get married, and have a couple of adorable children. But that hope was dashed abruptly when he was 16. That's when his parents caught him and his then-boyfriend in a biology class of a different kind.
He would remember his parents' shocked looks for the rest of his life. Even now, a grin spread across his face. His parents...they had actually handled it quite well afterward. He was still their son, they had assured him; they just needed a little time to get used to the idea. They had managed that well. Today, they had a very relaxed relationship. He could always rely on his parents.
After taking a final sip from his cup, Christoph left the apartment and hurried down the stairs. Once at the bottom, he looked around. Where had he parked yesterday? By the park? Or perhaps by the high-rise buildings on the other side?
It was all no use. His chaotic lifestyle was really taking its toll today. He decided he'd rather try the park. So he set off. And of course, at that moment it started to rain. Had everyone conspired against him? What if his car wasn't at the park and he had to walk all the way to his apartment and then back the other way in this rain? He didn't want to think about it and started running. He had pulled his coat over his head. At least that way he wouldn't get quite as wet. And now he had to go. If he was going to get to work wet, at least he wouldn't be late.
He started running. It was really pouring with rain. You couldn't see more than 10 meters ahead because of the heavy rain.
And then it happened.
At first, he didn't know exactly what had happened. The only thing he knew was that he was lying in the middle of a puddle. But how had he gotten there? He knelt down, turned his head...and looked into the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. They were blue, as blue as a mountain lake, even if that comparison seemed corny, that was the only thing that could describe those eyes.
They were framed by white-grey fur and the tongue hung out of the four-legged animal's mouth.
He had actually stumbled upon a husky. Admittedly, this husky was a beauty.
But how did this husky get to his feet? He was dragging a leash behind him.
Now he heard the excited voice through the rain.
"Benji, where are you? Benji, where did you go? Come back to your master."
Well, maybe Christoph should show his owner where his dog had gone.
"Hello, are you looking for a husky? He's here," he called to the voice that slowly approached.
Now he saw a shadow approaching. The shadow turned out to be a tall man with blond curls, a black coat, and...oh wonder...an umbrella.
He immediately held the umbrella over Christoph, who was still sitting on the ground looking at the dog.
“What happened?” the stranger asked immediately.
This brought Christoph back from his trance. Wow, the owner could really take on the dog...yummy.
"Oh, it won't be that bad. I must have tripped over your dog and landed in the puddle," said Christoph.
The dog owner looked quite shocked.
"Didn't you hurt yourself? Is everything really okay?"
"No, no, everything's fine. I'm just completely soaked. But that's what happens when you rush down the street in the rain without looking at the ground in front of you."
The stranger reached out his hand and helped him up.
"I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do for you?"
"Thanks, but that won't be necessary. I'm going to walk the few steps back to my apartment now and put on some fresh clothes. I really can't go to work in these," grinned Christoph, pointing toward his apartment.
The stranger pulled out his wallet and held out a 20€ note to Christoph.
"Please at least take this. My dog is to blame for everything, and the suit won't clean itself. I owe you that."
"Thanks, that's really unnecessary. My mother washes my suits, so you don't have to pay me for it. But you can always buy me a coffee sometime," said Christoph, and the next moment he felt like slapping his hand over his mouth. His cheeky mouth again. He couldn't just invite a complete stranger over for a coffee.
But his counterpart just laughed and said, "Okay, let's do it like this. How about tomorrow at five at the café across the park?"
Christoph grinned back and nodded. "Yes, I agree."
“See you tomorrow then,” said the dog owner and put his husky back on the leash.
“See you tomorrow,” said Christoph and with these words he ran towards his apartment.
When he arrived at the apartment completely soaked, he first took a towel from the bathroom and dried his hair.
The first thing he had to do was call his colleague and tell her that he would be late and that someone else would have to act as the welcoming committee for Cedric Therany.
His colleague Bianca couldn't stop laughing when she learned the reason for his delay, but promised to personally take care of Mr. Therany until his arrival.
Reassured, Christoph quickly stepped into the shower. The cold puddle and the rain had chilled him, so he needed to warm up. Then it dawned on him. He hadn't even asked the stranger his name. He laughed. It's going to be a kind of blind date tomorrow.