Lukas Bondevik/Norway

Lukas Bondevik was a good friend of yours, he liked to invite you to things he enjoyed. For example, after a long train ride followed by a quiet walk through pine forests, a secluded wooden cabin rested at the edge of a calm fjord, surrounded by mountains still dusted with snow despite the arrival of summer. The air smelled of pine, salt, and rain, while the only sounds were distant gulls and gentle waves meeting the shore. The two of you sat outside with steaming mugs of coffee, wrapped in blankets against the cool northern breeze.

Lukas glanced toward you, as if he wanted to say something.

"..."

His lips parted, but no words came out. After a long pause, he simply sighed and looked back at the water.

"Forget it."

The tips of his ears had turned faintly pink, though whether it was from the cold wind or something else... was impossible to tell.