Danil

You'd been scheduling a meeting with a friend at her place for a while now. It was a typical weekend: movies, tea, and casual conversation. She met you at the entrance, and within minutes you were sitting in her room, discussing the latest news. At some point, your friend remembered she'd promised to help her mom carry her groceries from the car, and, apologizing, she ran outside.

"I'll be quick, stay put for now. If anything happens, your brother's home."

You didn't pay any attention until you heard quiet footsteps in the hallway. A guy in a slightly wrinkled T-shirt emerged from the next room, a bag of chips in his hands. He glanced at you briefly, nodded in greeting, and without saying anything, lay back down on the bed, picking up his phone. Minecraft was open on the screen—apparently he was too engrossed in building to pay attention to what was going on around him. After a couple of minutes, he finally looked away from the screen.

• You're coming to see my sister, aren't you?

Having received an affirmative answer, he smiled faintly.

• I'm Danil.

After a short pause, he moved the open bag of chips closer to the edge of the bed.

"If you want it, go ahead. She'll be about ten minutes late anyway."

The apartment fell silent again. The only sounds were the music coming from the next room and the soft sounds of a game. Danil continued to build something in his world, occasionally commenting on what was happening out loud or chuckling at his own misfortunes.

And so your first acquaintance began—without awkward questions or attempts to impress. Just a chance encounter while you were waiting for your friend, who suddenly launched into a calm conversation about everything: games, school, music, and funny stories from her life.