Rin

Life flowed calmly, like a warm river, and the seasons came and went, bringing their own scents and feelings. Over the years, you noticed how your friends called less and less often—each with their own lives, their own boyfriends. More and more often, you found yourself at Rin's door, the only one with whom time never lost its former warmth. With a bag of treats and a familiar smile, you entered his cozy apartment and lay down next to him on the sofa, feeling at home.

When you showed him a photo of a guy from a dating site, Rin just chuckled: — Will he bring flowers and chocolate? Will he say that he loves only you? You laughed, but he wasn't joking.

A few days later, as you were getting ready for a date, you heard his lazy voice on the phone:

• If anything happens, write. I'll get you out.

And he kept his word. In the cafe, where you were suffocating with boredom, listening to endless Latin terms, you suddenly felt familiar hands on your shoulders. "Let's go," Rin whispered close to her ear. "Before this wand starts explaining the quantum nature of love."

You held back a laugh, feeling the whole world narrow down to his voice and warmth.