A week had passed since their first encounter.

  Leon sat alone in the cafeteria, his headphones on, drowning in music. The world around him blurred into background noise—just how he liked it. Conversations faded into a dull hum, the ctter of trays and scraping of chairs distant and unimportant. This was his space, his moment of solitude.

  Then, a light tap on his shoulder pulled him out of his bubble.

  He turned, pulling down his headphones, only to find himself staring at a familiar face. His brows furrowed slightly. Something about her—her striking blue eyes, the way she carried herself—tugged at his memory, but the details remained elusive.

  She smiled, seemingly amused by his hesitation.

  "Excuse me, but do I know you?" he asked, his tone neutral as his mind scrambled to pce her.

  The girl chuckled, tucking a stray strand of blonde hair behind her ear. “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. We’ve only met once. I’m Stel.”

  Leon’s brows knit together. “Stel?” He hesitated, the name sounding familiar. “I remember the name, but… I’m sorry, I can’t seem to pce where we met.”

  Stel let out a soft sigh, folding her arms. “Honestly, I’m surprised you forgot—especially after such an unusual first encounter.”

  Leon’s expression remained uncertain, so she continued with a hint of amusement. “If this doesn’t jog your memory, I don’t know what will—do you remember the girl you collided with in the hallway?”

  Recognition flickered across his face, and he let out a small excmation. “Oh! Now I remember. Sorry for not realizing sooner.”

  She waved off his apology with an easygoing shrug. "It’s cool. We only met once." She gestured toward the empty chair beside him. "Is this seat taken?"

  He gnced at it briefly before shaking his head. "No, it isn’t."

  "Mind if I join you?"

  "Yeah, sure."

  She slid into the chair, setting her bag down beside her.

  "Were you listening to something?"

  "Yeah."

  "What song?"

  "You Need You by Cryjaxx."

  "Is it on Spotify?"

  "Yeah."

  Without another word, she pulled out her phone, plugged in her headphones, and found the song. Leon watched as she bowed her head down on the table, her fingers lightly drumming against its surface. He expected her to say something else, but instead, she simply closed her eyes, letting the music take her in.

  Four minutes passed.

  When she finally lifted her head, she exhaled as if shaking off a lingering feeling, then removed her headphones. "What do you like about this song?" she asked, her voice softer this time.

  Leon pulled out his phone and tapped on the screen, repying a specific part of the song.

  "This part hits the hardest," he said as the familiar verse pyed. "It's about someone drowning in heartbreak, feeling completely alone, and asking a doctor for something to numb the pain. But instead of giving him an easy way out, the doctor tells him something powerful—that love isn’t what he needs most. What he needs is himself."

  As the st note faded, Stel rested her chin on her palm. "Why that part?"

  "Because it perfectly captures the aftermath of love’s rejection. The pain, the loneliness. But then the doctor gives him a reality check—love isn’t what he needs. What he needs is himself. And that, to me, is the best advice anyone could get."

  She mulled over his words for a moment before speaking. "It’s a depressing song… but it’s good."

  "Yeah, it is."

  "Do you listen to this kind of music often?"

  "Yeah, I do."

  She leaned in slightly, a glint of curiosity in her eyes. "Are sad songs your favorite, or is this just one that resonated with you?"

  Leon shrugged. "Not exactly my favorite genre, but some songs are too powerful to ignore. Plus… this one helped me through a phase in my life."

  Stel studied him, tilting her head slightly. "What kind of phase?"

  Leon hesitated, his fingers lightly tapping against the table. He wasn’t sure why, but there was something disarming about her presence. Still, he wasn’t ready to give that part of himself away—not yet.

  He let out a small breath. "Let’s just say it was a rough time."

  She nodded slowly as if she understood something unspoken. "I’d ask what that time was like, but I get the feeling that’s not something you’d want to share with a stranger."

  A pause.

  Then, she smiled warmly. “Let’s change that. Hi, I’m Stel. Would you like to be my friend?”

  Leon studied her, a flicker of confusion and curiosity crossing his face. He wasn’t sure what surprised him more—the fact that she asked so openly or that she genuinely seemed to mean it.

  It had been a long time since someone—especially a girl—had asked him that. But rather than answering right away, he decided to tease her a little longer.

  He smirked. “Wait a second… why does that sound like I’m the one desperately in need of your friendship?”

  Stel blinked, momentarily caught off guard, before tilting her head with a pyful grin. Straightening her posture, she tossed her hair over her shoulder with exaggerated fir. “You should be honored that a girl like me,” she decred dramatically, “is offering you her friendship.” She turned back to him, amusement dancing in her eyes. “So… does this mean you’re turning me down?”

  Leon chuckled. She was different—unlike anyone he’d met before. From the way she carried herself to her pyful gestures, there was something effortlessly captivating about her. Befriending someone like her… somehow felt easy.

  After a brief pause, he nodded. “Hi, I’m Leon. And yeah… I accept your offer.”

  Stel grinned. "Great. Since we're friends now, tell me something about you that I don’t know."

  Leon leaned back slightly, eyeing her with mild skepticism. "Like what?"

  She shrugged. "Anything. A hobby, a weird habit, something random."

  He thought for a moment before finally saying, "I don’t like pineapples on pizza."

  Stel gasped dramatically, pcing a hand over her chest. "That’s a crime against humanity."

  Leon smirked. "Then lock me up."

  She shook her head in mock disappointment. "I was so sure we were going to be great friends. But now? I don’t know…"

  Leon raised an eyebrow. "Oh? So our entire friendship depends on my pizza preferences?"

  She pretended to think about it, then grinned. "Well, maybe I can overlook this huge fw. But only because I’m nice."

  Leon chuckled. "How generous of you."

  "Exactly," she said, leaning back with a satisfied nod. "You’re lucky I’m willing to tolerate such questionable taste."

  Leon rolled his eyes, but there was an amused glint in them. This was different from what he was used to—easy, natural. Maybe—just maybe—this friendship wouldn’t be so bad after all.