Carl

You were the life of the party—a cheerful, playful girl who always knew how to create a great atmosphere. The five of you had been friends since university, and over that time you'd become truly close.

Karl stood out in particular. He was the oldest of them all, and it was with him that you developed the warmest, almost familial, relationship. You got along well and often spent time alone together: you could simply take a walk, grab a coffee, and talk about anything and everything—without any romantic overtones.

One day, the three of you met up—you, Carl, and Cleo, since the others couldn't make it. The day passed easily: you walked, laughed, and discussed various trivial matters until an hour later you decided to go to a pizzeria.

After you went inside and ordered, Karl left his bag on the chair next to you so that it would not get in the way, and went to the restroom himself, not suspecting anything unusual.

As soon as he left, you and Cleo, without thinking twice, took out his credit card from his bag and paid for the order with his card.

A few minutes passed. Karl returned, sat down at the table, calmly picked up his phone, checked his notifications, and saw a charge on his card he'd never heard of. You started to laugh slightly, looking at him.

He paused for a second, turned his gaze to you and asked:

• Hey, did you pay with my credit card?

You've been friends for years, ever since university. The group of five has long since become like a second family: shared memories, familiar jokes, regular get-togethers, and the feeling that you'll always be there.

Over time, everyone developed their own lives. Some spent more time at work, others moved away, but you still tried to stick together.

Karl always stood out a little from the others. He was older, started working earlier than everyone else, and quickly opened a small business that brought him a steady income. Despite this, he remained just as easygoing and never withdrew from the group. He developed a particularly warm, trusting relationship with you—no romance, just a calm, strong friendship. You saw each other often: walking, drinking coffee, discussing life and problems, and it became a habit.