AYAZ (Hamze) POV
Love Valley
After about an hour in the air, we finally touched down in Love Valley—just a short distance from Rose Valley, where our flight began. I couldn’t help feeling a bit let down; I had hoped we’d land in Ürgüp, which is known for its quieter atmosphere and more upscale experience. Still, arriving here wasn’t so bad—it wouldn't be hard to make our way back to Rose Valley.
“Nurin, do you want to come with me? ” I asked, smiling.
She returned the smile, though faintly. “Where are we going? I guess it depends on that,” she said with a soft laugh, though this time her expression seemed distant.
“I want to take you to my foundation. I think you’d really enjoy it,” I told her with a grin.
She tilted her head slightly, curiosity sparking in her eyes. “How are we supposed to get there? From the looks of it, we’ll still have to trek back to Rose Valley, right? ” Her voice wavered slightly, and her smile was uncertain.
“Yeah, it’s a long trek. Honestly, I don’t think you can manage it,” I replied, studying her face for a reaction.
She looked around briefly before answering. “Sorry, but I think I need to head back to the hotel. Maybe we can plan this for another day? I still have a few more weeks here,” she said, smiling gently before turning away, scanning the area for a place to sit.
She looked back over her shoulder and asked, “How long are we talking about? ”
“What? ” I replied, not catching her question at first.
“The walk. The hike. How long would it take? I wasn’t really prepared for this,” she said, settling onto a naturally shaped rock seat.
“Probably around two to three hours, depending on how much you want to take in the scenery,” I explained.
She let out a soft sigh and admitted, “I’d love to see everything, but I don’t think I have it in me to take even a few more steps today.” She remained seated, clearly tired.
I walked over, knelt down in front of her, and tapped my shoulder. “No problem. I’ll carry you,” I said confidently.
She gently tried to push me away, but I stayed where I was, unmoved. I can be pretty stubborn sometimes.
“I’m too heavy. You can’t carry me for two or three hours, so please, just stop,” she said firmly, her voice laced with frustration.
“I’m not taking no for an answer. You’re getting on my back,” I insisted, watching the color drain from her face. “Please don’t make this harder for me—unless you actually want to spend the night out here.”
Reluctantly, she agreed. I knew I would keep pushing until she gave in. She climbed onto my back, allowing me to carry her. I could tell she wasn’t going to open up about what was really going on, but that didn’t matter. I just wanted to help.
As we started walking, I noticed her mood begin to shift. She was enjoying it—I could hear the click of her camera as she took photos from this new perspective. I didn’t mind carrying her, even if it took us hours. As long as she was happy, that was enough for me.
I knew she was the type who hated depending on others—proud, reserved. Being carried probably went against everything she believed in. But right now, she needed help, and she knew it.
After a while, she asked quietly, “Am I not too heavy? I’m sorry you have to do this for two hours or more.”
I answered cheerfully, hoping to ease her guilt. “Look, I just got out of military service. During training, we had to carry 160-kilogram logs—twice our body weight—up mountains for five hours straight. Compared to that, you’re light. What, maybe 50 kilos tops? ”
She tugged at my hair playfully, clearly disagreeing with my estimate, and then we both laughed.
Nurin POV
Near at Rose Valley
I honestly didn’t want this—being carried like this. It caught me off guard, but I didn’t have much of a choice. There was no way I could walk that distance. I get sick easily and often run out of breath. What frustrated me the most was realizing I hadn’t done enough research. I didn’t read any blogs or guides about how hot air balloon rides begin and end, or how to get back to the starting point after landing.
I felt embarrassed—but also deeply grateful. Hamze was a complete gentleman. Sure, being carried piggyback meant there was some unavoidable contact, and yes, it made me self-conscious. But he was nothing but respectful, and I couldn’t possibly complain when he was being so kind.
I kept wondering how I could ever repay him for everything he was doing. He carried me without hesitation for two to three hours, never once complaining—not about the distance, not about my weight (he insisted I wasn’t heavy), not even about the sweat and heat. I could feel my own sweat dripping onto him, but he didn’t seem to mind. He just kept going, making things easier for me every step of the way.
Although I was confident I didn’t smell bad, I still felt a little self-conscious. Without even realizing it, we had walked for nearly two hours and finally made it back to Rose Valley. Off in the distance, we could see the jeeps, and I could sense Hamze’s exhaustion—his knees slightly trembling, his pace slowing. It was clear he was longing to reach his car and take a break before hitting the road again.
All I could think about was going back to the hotel, collapsing into bed, and sleeping for hours. But in that moment, I caught myself—realizing how selfish that thought was. I hadn’t even considered that Hamze must be just as tired, maybe even more, and that he probably just wanted to get home and rest too.