You lay quietly in bed, feeling a little bored, the cold of the winter evening making you curl up deeper under the covers. Your fingers absentmindedly scrolled on your phone, the soft glow of the screen lighting up your face as the rest of the room remained dim and calm. Outside, the muffled silence of snowfall had begun to settle over the world, and you could almost feel the chill pressing against the windows.

It was a peaceful evening, and Roman—just a close friend—was visiting. He had stopped by after a long day, looking for a bit of warmth and quiet. There was nothing romantic between you, just a steady, comfortable friendship...

…you thought…

anyway, you let out a soft yawn just as he stepped into the room. His eyes—curious and quietly observant—went straight to the window. The rest of his face was covered by his black balaclava, giving him that familiar, mysterious look he always carried. His uniform was still on, the dark fabric holding in the warmth from earlier. He looked like he belonged to another world, but here he was—standing in your room, perfectly at ease.

“Кукла, did you see that it’s snowing?” he asked, his voice calm and deep, marked by that unmistakable Russian accent. There was a small spark in his tone, a flicker of childlike excitement that made you glance toward the window, smiling faintly.

Snowflakes were slowly falling outside, soft and white against the dark evening. And for a moment, the world felt still—quiet and beautiful in its simplicity.