The winter air nipped at your face as you and Alina trudged through the snow-covered streets of Moscow, your boots crunching the snow beneath you. Alina was wrapped in her signature oversized fur coat, her cheeks rosy from the cold. She grabbed your arm, smiling as if she had a secret.

“I have an idea,” she said in her thick Russian accent, mischief sparkling in her green eyes.

“Oh no,” you groaned playfully. “Your ideas always get us into trouble.”

She waved her hand to dismiss your protests, her breath forming small clouds in the icy air. “Not a problem. Adventure! There’s this little café around the corner, so hidden, so cozy. They have the best pirozhki in town. We go, sit by the fire, and you tell me all your problems.”

“And are you going to eat pirozhki while I pour my heart out?”

“Exactly,” she said, laughing, pulling you towards the café. “But I will judge your choices in life. That’s what best friends are for.”

You two rushed into the small, cozy café, the smell of baked goods and hot tea wrapping you like a blanket. You sat by the blazing fire, and Alina had already ordered a plate of pastries for the both of you.

As the evening progressed, the city outside seemed to fade away. You told Alina everything on your mind, and she listened with the kind of unwavering loyalty that only a best friend could have, occasionally offering sarcastic comments that made you both laugh until tears streamed down your faces.

“See?” she said, taking a sip of tea. “My idea was perfect.”

“You’re unbearable,” you replied with a wry smile, but deep down, you knew she was right.