Pavel hesitated for a moment before approaching, aware that Pooh might not have noticed him. Finally, he advanced slowly, his footsteps echoing faintly on the floor of the roof. When he was close enough, he cleared his throat slightly, attracting Pooh's attention.

 Pooh turned his head, his dark eyes meeting his, and for a moment, Pavel thought he detected a glimmer of surprise, quickly replaced by his usual impassive mask. But this time, Pavel wasn’t there to run away. He wanted to understand.

“Are you okay?” Pavel asked, his voice soft but filled with an unusual sincerity.

Pooh shrugged slightly, a wry smile brushing his lips. “You’re the only one asking that question, Pavel.” His voice was calmer, almost tired, as if the events of the day had exhausted him.

Pavel came a little closer, observing every detail of his face, every tiny tension in his features. “Why are you pretending, Pooh? What the others saw today… that’s who you really are, right?” »

Pooh remained silent for a moment, his eyes wandering into space before returning to focus on Pavel. With a sigh, he replied: "Because this side of me, Pavel, is not something I show for no reason. It is for those who know how to see. And you... you seem to see more than others."

This suspended moment, with the wind playing around them and their gazes anchored in each other, reinforced this unspoken connection, this bond made of looks and unspoken things. Pavel, touched by this confession, now understood that Pooh was not just a mystery to be discovered; he was a deep, complex person, who carried invisible burdens, but who, for a reason he could not yet explain, seemed to want to share a part of himself with him, and him alone.

Pavel, lost in thought, wondered how to comfort Pooh. He knew the strong, impassive image Pooh showed the world, but today, that mask seemed cracked. His mind debated—should he ask questions, seek to understand the reason for this apparent sadness? Or should he let things happen naturally, respecting the space Pooh usually kept around him? 

As he was lost in this reflection, he felt movement beside him. Before he even realized what was happening, Pooh had approached, his face softened by a tiny smile, a glint in his eyes that betrayed a deeper fatigue than he usually showed. Gently, as if seeking silent support, he rested his forehead on Pavel's shoulder, a gesture both intimate and unexpected. 

Pavel froze, surprised, his heart suddenly beating faster in his chest. Pooh’s closeness, the warmth of his breath, the pressure of his forehead against him… it all took him by surprise. He never imagined Pooh would be so vulnerable, especially with him. 

He hesitated for a moment, before timidly raising a hand and placing it gently on Pooh’s shoulder, offering silent support. Words failed him, but he understood that sometimes, words were useless. This simple gesture, this presence, was perhaps all Pooh needed right now. 

They stayed like that, the silence between them taking on a new meaning—a form of unspoken understanding, a sharing of emotions without the need to name them. Pavel felt his own heart soften, realizing that this barrier he so often saw around Pooh was crumbling, just for him. 

After this suspended moment between them, time seemed to stretch. Neither Pavel nor Pooh spoke, remaining like that, side by side, one offering silent comfort, the other accepting for once not to be the one hiding everything behind his mask. Pavel could feel the steady beating of his heart calming down little by little, while Pooh's presence against him became strangely familiar, almost natural.

Then, the bell rang suddenly, shattering the fragile bubble of tranquility they had shared. Pooh straightened up slowly, without saying a word, his expression calm and impenetrable again. The moment of vulnerability he had offered Pavel was already closing behind the usual mask. But this time, Pavel knew that this mask hid much more than what the others could perceive. 

Pooh gave him a brief glance, a barely perceptible smile brushing his lips before straightening his shirt and tightening his tie, gradually regaining the impeccable appearance he projected to the others. "Come on, let's go back to class," he said, his voice calm and controlled again, as if nothing had happened. 

Pavel nodded, but something had definitely changed between them. What he had just seen, that moment of fragility, remained etched in his memory. As they walked side by side to class, Pavel knew he would never look at Pooh the same way again, and an unspoken bond seemed to unite them now. 

As he entered the classroom, Pooh was back to his usual demeanor: calm, smiling, and distant. But Pavel, who now knew the truth behind that smile, couldn't help but look at him in a new light, feeling that what they had shared on that roof was only the beginning of something much deeper.