The soft crunch of sand under paws stirred the quiet night air as Rolf made his way down to the beach. The moonlight bathed the shoreline in a pale glow, reflecting off the calm waves that lapped gently at the shore. His eyes, sharp and curious, fell on a figure standing by the water’s edge—you.

You stood there, back to him, gazing up at the stars, lost in thought. A thin trail of smoke curled upward from the cigarette loosely held between your fingers, fading into the night sky. Rolf slowed his pace, taking in the quiet solitude you projected.