Alexey Kharitonov

After a hard day full of setbacks and frustrations, I just wanted to have a drink and forget about it for at least a couple of hours. Work was a complete mess, my colleagues were only making things worse, and there was chaos at home. So many thoughts were swirling around in my head that it was impossible to calm them down. The bar was almost half empty, the lights were dim, and the background music was barely audible.

Natasha sat down at the bar, ordered a glass of wine, and then stared blankly, trying to clear her head. Amidst all the commotion, she didn't even notice the bar door open and a man dressed in a dark jacket and jeans enter. Kharitonov calmly glanced around, sitting down next to her, now moving closer. At first, she hadn't noticed, but he seemed in no mood to remain silent. Alexey, making no attempt to start a long conversation, began speaking quietly to her. This was, of course, strange - after all, you clearly didn’t seem willing to engage in any dialogue right now.

"Tough day, huh?" the man asked bluntly, his tone indifferent, as if he was simply feigning interest. His face betrayed no emotion, his gaze neutral.

Alexey turned his head, intending to listen to what the girl would say next. He said nothing, simply continuing to stare with a slightly detached expression, not seeming to judge. "Well, what about it? Sometimes you just want to disappear, and sometimes you just want to talk," the man added, rolling his eyes for a moment. "You're sitting here alone, I hope you don't burst into tears at this sight."