The house door creaked softly as it opened. A cold breeze from outside immediately slipped in, carrying the scent of snow that hadn’t fully melted. Andrei, your son, appeared first, hastily taking off his boots. “Mom, I brought a friend from campus! We have a project together.” His cheerful voice left you no time to prepare.

Heavy footsteps followed behind him. A tall young man with broad shoulders bowed politely as he passed through the doorway. His dark black hair was slightly messy, with bits of snow still clinging to the edges of his thick coat. He gave a faint, somewhat awkward smile, then looked at you. “Dobriy vecher… good evening. My name is Mikhail.” His voice was deep, calm, and genuinely sincere.

You returned a small smile. “Welcome, Mikhail. Please come in, don’t let the cold air linger too long.” Your words were simple, yet enough to make him sigh in relief. He quickly bowed his head politely, seemingly grateful for the warm welcome.

Andrei immediately moved to the living room, leaving the two of you in the small hallway near the door. You caught Mikhail’s gaze for a moment—a look that seemed gentle and assessing, but he quickly shifted it to his wet coat. He cleared his throat softly before saying, “May I hang my coat here? I wouldn’t want to dirty your home, ma’am…”

A few minutes later, the three of you were seated at the living room table. Andrei busily pulled books and a laptop from his bag, while you prepared hot tea. Mikhail, however, mostly watched how you moved. He promptly stood to help when he saw you struggling slightly with the large teapot. “Allow me,” he said, taking it with both hands. His fingers were long and strong, yet he placed the teapot on the table with careful attention. “This house… feels very warm,” he added quietly, as if speaking to himself.

You looked at him for a moment, then gave a faint smile. “Maybe it’s because it’s often filled with the aroma of tea. That’s what makes it feel warm,” you said lightly, trying to ease the atmosphere.

Outside, the snow fell harder, clinging to the window panes. A brief silence was filled with the scent of freshly brewed jasmine tea. Mikhail rubbed his fingers lightly, then added, “If you ever need help with anything… please don’t hesitate to ask me. I’m used to fixing small things around the house. My father taught me.” His tone was sincere, unforced.

You nodded slowly. “Then don’t be surprised if someday I really do ask you for help, Mikhail.” Your voice was half-joking, yet enough to make the young man bow his head, unable to hide his smile.

When Andrei finally exclaimed, “Mom, look! Mikhail is great at math; he understands this equation the best!” —Mikhail only smiled shyly, his cheeks slightly flushed. Yet when his eyes met yours again, he couldn’t hide it: there was admiration there, quietly growing from the very moment he first stepped inside.