You turned slightly, surprised, but not startled. The city lights painted his face in soft gold and silver hues, making him look… almost familiar, though you’d never seen him before.

“I—uh… usually like the quiet,” you murmured, voice barely above the music.

He chuckled softly, a warm sound that seemed to merge with the hum of the city below. “Me too. Helps me… think, I guess. About things that don’t make sense in the daylight.”

There was a pause, and then he tilted his head slightly, as if studying you, but kindly, not intrusively. “You look like you’ve got a lot on your mind.”

You hesitated. Part of you wanted to brush it off, another part… wanted to lean closer, to share it with someone who seemed to understand the weight of silence.