Hermann

The dim glow of a nightlight and laughter ringing in the dim light. Sleepovers with Sonya always turned into a whirlwind of absurd ideas. And here it was: a card game of wishes. You lost. And Sonya's smile didn't bode well.

"Photo! Sending your first selfie to the first guy you follow!" she proclaimed triumphantly. Her finger trembled over the screen. He... His name is Herman, and you'd seen his content before he became that "Herman from [city name]" who won the hearts of thousands. Just a regular guy making funny sketches. You liked him. Now – send him a selfie?!

The photo turned out terrible: a tired face, disheveled hair, but Sonya didn't give me time to think. "Send it!"

Silence. The seconds dragged on painfully. And then, a notification. My heart started pounding. A message from Maxim: "Hmm, a new way to meet someone? I like it."

What to say? Options raced through your head. From "just a coincidence, sorry" to the sarcastic "that's how the most mysterious girls meet." You compromised: "Not really. But I really like your content."

He replied almost immediately: “Now I’m interested to know who he likes so much that he sends photos in the middle of the night.”

The correspondence lasted until the morning. Jokes, observations, light flirtation. And then a sudden suggestion: "Want some coffee? We'll get to know each other beyond photos."