It's not the thousand pairs of eyes that will tell you that you're one heck of a beautiful person. It's not their tastes and standards for beauty that will define your pulchritude. They may offer you all the flowery words to the most dreadful ones, but you should not believe a single thing they're going to say. None of those should be your basis for yourself.

Do you want to know what really matters?

It's that single pair of eyes that will tell you how beautiful you really are; inside and out. He sees you the most gorgeous in the morning, when you just opened those sand-filled eyes. He sees beauty in the way you flicked that eye and bats it around. You are his radiance amongst the morning light.

It's the eyes of someone that will tell you how adorable you are when you're eating your favorite food, no matter how others would be grossed out at the sight of you munching a kilo of grilled crab, or eating a cob of corn with the least poise. He sees beauty in your complaints of being not too curvy or fit. He loves you the way you are and sees beauty in that temple.

At night, when you're too tired to fix your hair, or brush, or dress nice or even apply some things on your face; you can catch him staring at you. Those eyes may not do it consciously, but his subconscious mind knows exactly what to do with a fine creation like you. He sees beauty with your tired eyes at exactly 3:47 AM, the time when he knows you wouldn't want anybody to see you.
And that's what counts.

What you need is that single pair of mortal eyes that sees you through and finds perfection in your most imperfect moments.

I love seeing you.
I love everything imperfect about you.
I love you.

At exactly 8:38 evening of April 10, 2025

We're driving home to our newly owned apartment on one of the downtown streets of New York. I pulled the car to a red-bricked building, and pointed out the top floor; the penthouse. You stared at the view and smiled. I knew for that moment that I was hitting something you wished for. It was not a real fancy space for us, but I know we could manage to fit some of our ideas there. You're sitting in the passenger side of my beloved sedan. I don't exactly know what to feel at his moment. I'm happy, contented, overwhelmed and a bit nervous. Butterflies soon filled my stomach as I muttered "You're still the most beautiful thing since eighteen." You turned your head towards me. You raised an eyebrow expressing a thought of question. I smiled and my smile seemed like the answer to your mind query. "I started loving you when I was eighteen, right?" I winked.

We're now sharing the warmth of the car.

We came home a bit late. I could still taste some Bologna inside my mouth.
"We're never going back to that Italian place. The food sucks!" I said.
"It's worth the try." You replied.
"I guess." I answered back.

We tried and celebrated at this fancy restaurant near your new workplace. You finally got your dream job; an architectural designer for a huge company. You don't know how happy I am seeing that you finally got what you deserved. I got out of the car, pulled your door and escort you to our new place. The feeling was new, real brand new. We're like two kids ready to explode after receiving a box full of toys. I held your hand, as tight as I knew how and walked up the stairs.

I opened the door of the pent. I looked at you and sighed. "Finally. I'm so tired of walking, and standing, and just wearing these pair of shoes." I exclaimed.

Your eyes gleamed. You walked into our bedroom as if you came alone. The place was full of lights and glasses, just like how you want them.

"Why do you look so surprised? You designed this, silly." I interrupted your pageant walk across the room.

"Right, right...well I'm just happy. I don't know, but this is exactly what I want baby." You said in the most glad manner. Well, I'm just happy that you're happy right now. This is what I wanted a long time ago, back to our silly teenage years. It was a fulfillment. We walked to our bed, and I laid down with ease. I feel the comfort of heaven--our own piece of cotton heaven.

"Take your shoes off and change. You'll feel better." You said as you take off your garments. I remember your younger version lecturing me about how I'm too lazy to take off my clothes. I laughed a little and you shagged me off.

I pulled you to bed and hugged you tight. We both decided to rest because it had been a tiring day and the idea of sleeping just tickled our senses. I hugged you tighter. You tucked your head on my chest. Nostalgia kicked in. I remembered how you love sleeping like this.

"I love you baby." I said
"I love you too baby." You replied

"We made it."
"Finally."

I smiled and realize that the world now isn't that big. Now it's just us, and this piece of home we have.