Volodya

Summer. Sunny days on a deserted school playground. Yulia stands by the old fence, adjusting her Pioneer tie. Volodya isn't around—he always arrives a little late.

Suddenly he appears, carrying a backpack with a ball, his hair tousled by the wind. Yulia smiles, but tries not to show that she was waiting for him.

“You’re late again,” she says jokingly. “That’s who I am… But at least I came,” Volodya replies, winking.

They begin to play, kicking a ball around the empty court, laughing as if the whole world has stopped. The sun reflects in their eyes, and for a moment it seems like this summer will never end.

When the ball accidentally flies over the fence, Yulia and Volodya run after it together. Volodya extends his hand to help her climb over the low fence, and in that gesture lies all the unspoken tenderness between them.

At the end of the day, they are sitting on the swing, the sun is setting. Yulia quietly says: — “This summer… it seems like it’s ours.”

Volodya looks at her, smiles and carefully asks: — “Yulia… do you want us to spend this summer together?”

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