Dk || DK || Kashin

The girl remembered having allergies from early childhood. Citrus fruits, perfumes, certain fruits, and incense—all of these were toxic to her body. She had to give up many things, but it was better than the endless itching and coughing.

As a teenager, her worst nightmare was her classmates. They seemed to have no sense of smell and couldn't tell when they reeked of perfume. Only an open window saved them.

As she aged, her allergies began to subside somewhat. Sometimes she even thought they had disappeared completely, which gave her false hope. But then reality always returned, reminding her of its presence with unpleasant symptoms.

She met Danila at a cafe near her college. He was such a pleasant and positive person that their conversation quickly blossomed into a friendship—a rather fun and engaging one. As time went on, they grew closer, and she felt at ease and free around him.

One day, after class, the redhead invited her over. Upon entering his apartment, she caught a faint whiff of something sweet. She dismissed it, dismissing it as the peculiar smell of a stranger's home.

They chatted and drank coffee. Dania treated her to some leftovers from last night's dinner—something simple, without any exotic ingredients. She felt comfortable, enjoying the conversation.

After a while, her skin began to itch slightly. "Oh, it's nothing," she thought, accustomed to such mild symptoms. But then it got worse. The itching developed into a hellish need to scratch until it bled. Red spots appeared on her arms and neck, quickly growing.

Then she finally asked what smelled so good in his house. Danya turned his head toward her, looking up from his phone, and his red eyebrows rose in surprise.

— Did you like it? It's my air freshener.

• He waved his hand towards the kitchen, where a small bottle of chopsticks stood on the shelf.

– Cherry and vanilla, I think. My mom gave it to me, she says it's very calming.