Evan was not just a lover; he was her home, her protector, her anchor in life's stormy seas. Together, they had dreamed of a future filled with love and laughter. But fate had other plans, as Evan fell victim to an incurable disease that slowly drained the light from his eyes and the strength from his limbs.

As Evan's health declined, Elara remained steadfast by his side, holding his hand through the darkest nights and the most agonizing pain. Despite their desperate prayers and tireless searches for a cure, they knew deep down that Evan's time on this earth was limited.

In their final moments together, Evan made a promise to Elara – a promise that would become her beacon of hope in the days to come. He whispered softly, "Even when I'm gone, I'll be watching over you from the clouds above. Whenever you feel lost or alone, just look up, and I'll be there."

With tears streaming down her cheeks, Elara clung to those words like a lifeline. After Evan passed away, she found solace in the idea that he was still with her, albeit in a different form. She would often sit outside their quaint cottage, gazing up at the sky, searching for signs of Evan among the billowing clouds.

To honor his memory and keep their connection alive, Elara began a tradition of having picnics for two outside their house, just as they had always dreamed of doing together. She would spread out a checkered blanket, set out their favorite foods, and pour two glasses of wine – one for her and one for Evan.

As she watched the clouds drift lazily across the sky, Elara felt Evan's presence all around her. In those moments, she knew that their love was eternal, transcending the boundaries of time and space. And though her heart still ached with longing, she found comfort in the knowledge that Evan was always by her side, watching over her from the heavens above.

Under the watchful clouds, Elara found the strength to carry on, knowing that she was never truly alone as long as Evan's love illuminated her path.

I honestly didn’t think I could write a short story until I put the pictures together and it started to make sense, instead of typing down a description or blog per picture. Allow me to walk you through the experience as detailed as I can.

In the top row, the first picture to the left was one of the pictures taken behind the scenes of Assignment 4. It was captured on April 19, 2024, at 10:34 PM. That night was chaotic. I was scrambling for pictures for Assignment 4, but it turned out pretty nice despite feeling like a mess. I liked the idea of playing with light in the dark and manipulating the 'shape'. So, I asked my mom to help me with that area of holding the items while I started the timer for the shoot. We used a colander (not the regular bowl-shaped one, but the extendable kind) and a rechargeable flashlight. This photo was taken at the house in our family room area, by the wall where we usually plug in our electric fans, facing the couches at 10 o'clock. At first, I didn’t really like the idea of using this photo for Assignment 4, so I didn’t. However, when I was post-processing the photo, it turned out to be a lot better than the original. I edited it to the point of wanting the vibe of it being dreamy yet sad.

The second picture to the right was taken on May 12, 2024, at 3:15 PM. I wanted to take advantage of the daylight as much as possible and see the sun shine on my bedroom door leading to the balcony area. I just thought of something that could be dreamy yet romantic. So, I got the artificial tulips that I had bought for my mom’s birthday, and yes, I asked for permission from her before I did the shoot. I didn’t want to reveal my face for this particular shoot, as I really wanted the focus to be on the tulips, portraying a romantic person in love. I believe I could have improved it by paying more attention to my outfit and the backdrop, ensuring it wasn’t just a white wonderland but something that would truly make the tulips stand out. The only post-processing I did for this picture was adjusting the color of my skin tone. Other than that, I'm proud of this picture.

For the 3rd picture in the middle, this was taken on May 12, 2024, at 3:23 PM. I used a LEGO figurine of my Nanami Kento keychain. I'm still saddened by the fact that he’s no longer alive in the series, as he was my favorite character. Sorry, not sorry for those who haven’t watched the series or read the manga of Jujutsu Kaisen. Anyway, I took the picture on my balcony this time. Again, I wanted to take advantage of the daylight as much as possible, and this time I took advantage of the shadows. So, I placed Nanami there on the ledge of the wall, and he looks fine even as a LEGO figurine. That, for me, is a win with this picture. During the post-processing, I was actually debating whether I’d make the colors connected to Jujutsu Kaisen or simply make it a black and white photo to remember him. So, I chose black and white, and it still looks good.

The 4th picture below Nanami is a picture of a cloud, also taken on May 12, 2024, at 3:27 PM. I didn’t expect to actually be able to take a picture of a cloud at this time, especially because of the heat and the usual absence of clouds. And yet, here is a cloud that looks like Yoda. I also didn’t think much about the composition; I just saw the cloud from my balcony and rushed to capture it because I didn’t know how long it would stay in the sky, especially since the sun was getting in my eyes. This was the only picture that I didn’t edit. 

For the last picture, I did game photography with Ni No Kuni: Crossworlds, and I’m happy with the outcome. This was also taken on May 12, 2024, at 5:34 PM. I didn’t think of this scenery at first, as I simply wanted a floral background or a garden. Ni No Kuni: Crossworlds has this option of a dreamy-looking filter when taking a picture, and I wanted to take advantage of it. So, I took this photo in my Familiar Forest where there happens to be a picnic laid out for two. I thought, 'Okay, I’ll make her look like she’s thinking of someone as she has the picnic alone.' I changed her look to make it appear like she’s a princess, with the outfit somewhat inspired by Belle from Beauty and the Beast.

You might be wondering why I chose to summarize the pictures with a short story. Well, if you've noticed, the word “dream” appeared a couple of times in the descriptions per photo. The short story was one of my dreams, and I just placed myself and the person portraying Evan into a fictional setting. It just so happens that the photos align well with the story. I was originally going to name the final project 'Nothing but a Dream,' but that wouldn’t really align with the short story. Hence, I named it 'Under the Watchful Clouds.'