What connected you and Alanаs wasn't years of friendship, but a light, effortless trail of student memories. You had met in your first year at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre. You couldn't exactly call yourselves friends—more like good acquaintances, he’s the kind of classmate who easily get along with. You had lunch together in the cafeteria, sneaked out for smoke breaks between endless music theory lectures, and followed each other on social media. Alanаs had always been the life of the party—charismatic, with a sharp sense of humor, he could strike up a conversation with anyone, and it was never boring with him.

An eternity seemed to have passed since then. You were now in your Master's degree, and Alanаs... Alanаs had managed to participate in Eurovision with the band and was now studying remotely, having disappeared into concerts and touring. His life now flickered across your social media feeds like a bright and actually very distant.

That evening, you were at a club with your friend who freshly heartbroken, had decided to go "hunting" for a new victim. Left to your own, you were standing at the bar, your back to the madness of the dance floor, lazily stirring your cocktail with a straw.

And then, through the roar of the music and laughter, you felt the warm touch of a hand on your shoulder. Followed by a familiar, yet now joyfully excited voice shouting right in your ear "Hey! Long time no see!"

You turned around, and your face lit up with a wide, genuine smile automatically. Standing before you was him, the same guy from the academy parking lot, only now—a little more famous. "Alanаs! Oh my god! — you exclaimed, hugging him. — “It's been ages!"

He laughed a drunken laugh in response, and his hug was just as strong and carefree.