DK || DK || Kashin

A chilly autumn evening engulfed everything around her, like a dark sea slowly enveloping the city. A girl emerged from the store with a small bag of groceries in her hands. A slight frost nipped at her cheeks, forcing her to wrap her scarf deeper around herself. She stopped at the bus stop and, after waiting a few frosty minutes, saw a bus appear on the road.

A little more, and she was already sitting in her old spot by the window. Beyond the glass, a familiar landscape. Row after row, like an endless row, of old Stalin-era Khrushchev-era apartment buildings. It was late afternoon, and beautiful patterns were spreading across the sky—delicate pink and lilac hues that seemed almost magical against the gray concrete blocks.

She'd just finished a class and was now, tired and a little battered, heading home. The day had been long, and the commute was routine. She'd long since run out of money for a taxi, and she really didn't want to walk forty minutes after class. So the bus was her salvation, even if it wasn't the most comfortable.

The girl thought about home—her small one-room apartment, where her cat was probably sleeping. He always greeted her with a soft purr and warmth, and now the thought warmed her heart. Her cheap but beloved headphones played familiar melodies, helping her distract herself from her fatigue.

The conductor, as usual, came over to check tickets. She quickly pulled out a pass she'd bought from a friend of my mother's for a chocolate bar. The woman nodded and continued on her way.

While the girl was looking out the window, a guy sat down next to her. He had red hair and a scattering of tiny freckles, two particularly noticeable ones on his nose. He, too, began looking out the window, saying nothing. The girl turned up the music, trying to ignore him. After a couple of minutes, the guy couldn't take it anymore and quietly said:

• Miss, can I hear music from your headphones?

She immediately blushed, embarrassment rising in her throat. This situation was unexpected and a little embarrassing for her. But the guy smiled, and there was neither judgment nor mockery in his gaze.

“Come on, don’t be shy,” he said, “I listen to this band too.”