"Do you play?" Lina asked.
"Enough to forget the world for a while."
She sat beside him on the bench, careful to keep a polite distance.
Fredrich began a soft melody. Minor chords threaded through with warmth. It wasn't showy or practiced—just honest.
"I used to play," she said quietly. "As a kid. Then I stopped."
"Why?"
"No one was listening."
Fredrich turned to her then, his expression unreadable. "I would've listened."
The silence after that felt thick with something unnamed.
Lina stood. "I should let you work. I'm already intruding enough."
"You're not," he said quickly. Then, catching himself, he added, "Stay as long as you need."
She gave a nod and turned to leave, heart beating too fast.
