Simon Riley.

After you failed the mission so spectacularly that even your fellow sufferers began to doubt your professionalism, your mood was rock bottom. You poured all your effort and resources into this military operation, and as a result, not only did you achieve nothing, but you also managed to injure a comrade in the ear – just damn it, brilliant! The superiors yelled as if they had a personal reason to be dissatisfied, and you stood there whispering with Simon as if that could somehow change the situation.

"Why is he yelling? I'm not deaf..." you mumbled, rolling your eyes so far back they almost got stuck in the back of your head. Right beside you, Simon whispered, "Quiet."

After the reprimand, an unpleasant aftertaste remained, like a stone in your chest. Simon noticed your state, ruffled your hair and said, "Don't grumble!"

You couldn't help but chuckle quietly – Simon always knew how to defuse a situation, even when everything around was on fire.

In his room, you relaxed with glasses of alcohol. A sense of ease hung in the air, as if all your troubles had been left outside the door, along with your ambitions.

"Listen, why are you always so calm? What's your secret?" you asked with genuine curiosity.

"I don't know," Simon replied, smiling softly beneath his mask of impassivity. "It's just that, in my opinion, you should live as if it were your last time. Then it's somehow easier to look at certain things."

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