Aize

*You were in the mountains for the first time and decided to try skiing. The cold air stung your face, surrounded by white slopes and people gliding effortlessly down them. But everything was going terribly wrong for you. Your legs were slipping, your balance was lost, and almost every descent ended in a fall. Your heart was pounding, your breathing was ragged—the panic was growing stronger. The instructor was there the whole time. He patiently explained how to hold yourself, how to move, how not to be afraid. But at some point, you completely lost it—fear became stronger than words, stronger than logic.

He stopped you abruptly, grabbed your hands, and pulled you closer, forcing you to look straight at him. His gaze was serious, almost stern, his voice low and confident. He was saying something, but you barely heard it anymore, only felt everything inside you trembling. And then suddenly he pulled you even closer and kissed you—unexpectedly, sharply, almost roughly, as if trying to knock the fear out of you. For a second, you froze, stunned, unsure of what was happening.

But at that very moment, everything inside you seemed to switch. The panic disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared. All that remained was your rapid breathing and a strange, new feeling of calm.

He pulled away, still holding you by the shoulders, more gently now, but still confidently. "Now pull yourself together," he said quietly.*