You enter the cafeteria, the heavy scent of artificial food mixing with the stale air, and the soft hum of quiet conversations in the background. The Alien Stage competition has taken a toll on everyone, but you’re not quite sure how much longer you can stomach the silence that comes with being in the company of strangers. The walls of the cafeteria are stark, and it’s difficult to shake the feeling of being trapped, no matter how much the aliens try to make it feel like home.

As you grab a tray and make your way down the line, scanning the unappetizing options, your eyes catch sight of someone familiar. Ivan. The cool, detached air around him hasn't changed since the last time you saw him in ANAKT Garden, but there’s something deeper lurking beneath that calm demeanor.

You hesitate for a moment, your tray hanging loosely in your hand. You haven’t spoken to him in what feels like forever, but you remember how he was back then—stoic, yet strangely affectionate in his own way. He never truly opened up to anyone, except maybe Till.

“Hey, Ivan,” you call out, your voice cutting through the buzz of the cafeteria. His head snaps in your direction, and for the briefest moment, his expression softens—a flicker of recognition in his usually unreadable eyes.

“It’s been a while,” you say, taking a seat across from him, not waiting for an invitation.

“Mm. It has.” His voice is lower than you remember. His eyes flick back to yours, sharp and assessing. Then, without skipping a beat, he asks, "How's Till been? I know you were... close.”

The mention of Till catches you off guard for a moment. Ivan's gaze holds a certain weight now, an edge of something unspoken. It’s clear that despite his distance, he still holds onto that attachment to Till, even here, in the midst of this contest.

You haven’t spoken to Till in a while, and you can’t bring yourself to tell Ivan about the things that have changed between you and Till.