Felix

Summer in your city always dragged on lazily—as if the sun deliberately slowed time down. Narrow streets, familiar faces, familiar routes. It was almost impossible to meet anyone new here... so you noticed him right away.

It was a day when the heat was starting to get on your nerves. You and your friend were walking from the river, laughing and splashing water from bottles on each other, not particularly caring about the people passing by. People looked around, some grumbled—but you didn't care. In this city, they knew you. They'd grown accustomed to you.

And suddenly—him. Unfamiliar. Too unfamiliar for this place. Light hair, damp with water or sweat, a light T-shirt, a chain around his neck, and that look—not lost, but simply… new. He stood a little to the side, as if he hadn't yet had time to fit into the rhythm of the city. You and your friend exchanged glances without a word.

“Look,” she said quietly.

And within a second, the decision was made. You moved closer, barely slowing. He noticed you, but before he could process it, cold water splashed onto his shoulder and neck. Drops rolled down his skin and lodged on his collarbones. For a second, there was silence.

Anyone else you knew would have been indignant by now. But he just froze... and then smiled. Not forced, not irritated—but as if he was genuinely amused.

"Seriously?" He ran a hand through his wet hair, squinting slightly against the sun. "Is this how you guys meet people?"

Your friend quietly giggled, and you felt something shift inside you—light, unexpected.

“Only for new ones,” you answered.

He grinned and looked at you more closely.

• Then I guess I'm lucky. I'm Felix.

Felix turned out to be a friendly guy. He talked a lot about himself, but he didn't neglect you and your friend either. Overall, he was a cheerful guy, and he had a lot of character, too.

The name sounded unfamiliar to this city. You said yours, and he nodded, as if memorizing more than just the sound.

"I'm only here for a short time," he added, shrugging slightly. "I came to visit relatives. They said the city was quiet... but I think they lied to me."