Pooh, motionless in front of this man, seemed almost frozen in a mask of impassivity. Yet, for someone who knew him as well as Pavel did, this closed face and his hard gaze betrayed an inner struggle. When Pooh perceived Pavel's presence nearby, he cut short the conversation with an improvised excuse, displaying an audacity that visibly destabilized his interlocutor. 

"I have a group presentation to prepare with classmates. We’re going to work on it all night, so I won’t be coming home today.” His voice was calm, but Pavel could detect an unwavering determination in it, almost a defiance. 

The man, visibly annoyed by the answer, suggested with a tight smile that his “classmates” join them at the family home. But Pooh, his gaze suddenly sharper, refused flatly, turning his head away to signal the end of the exchange. Then, without waiting for an answer, he headed towards Pavel, leaving his interlocutor visibly irritated. 

Arriving in front of Pavel, Pooh sketched a discreet smile, but his gaze betrayed a certain weariness. “Do you want to really work on this presentation?” he asked, his tone slightly ironic, as if he were looking for an escape from something bigger, heavier. 

 Pavel, guessing that this was more than just a lecture, nodded without hesitation. As they walked away, Pavel felt a growing concern for Pooh, wondering to what extent this foreign and complex universe influenced his friend's life. 

As they walked, Pavel did not dare ask questions, respecting Pooh's silence, but he was more and more determined to discover the truth about his friend's life—a mystery far more complex than he had imagined. 

Once they arrived at Pavel's house, the atmosphere, initially heavy, began to relax. Discovering the interior of his friend's house, Pooh let out a smirk, observing the details that confirmed some of his assumptions about Pavel. Whether it was the neatly arranged objects, the family photos hanging on the walls, or the classic decoration, everything in this house exuded an order and simplicity that contrasted with the "Bad boy" image that Pavel cultivated at school. 

"So, mister rebel, I didn't know you lived in such a... clean place," Pooh said, an amused glint in his eyes. 

Pavel, taken aback, rolled his eyes with a hint of a smile. "Very funny," he replied, feigning annoyance. "What did you expect? Motorcycles in the living room and black walls?" 

Pooh burst out laughing, a light laugh that gradually melted the tension that had built up since their encounter with the man by the car. He looked around the room, spotting other details, such as a shelf filled with carefully classified books. "I have to say that's rather... surprising, coming from you." 

Pavel, amused in spite of himself, realized that he liked this mocking side of Pooh, a more relaxed and playful side, far from the usual coldness he showed at school. "Well, you know now that I'm a well-behaved boy," he replied with a laugh. 

Their exchanges then took on a lighter tone, the teasing following one another, each allowing themselves to discover the other in a new light. This moment of relaxation and complicity, as unexpected as it was pleasant, created a warm and intimate atmosphere. For the first time, they were far from glances, judgments, and expectations, just the two of them, in a simplicity that did them good. 

Pavel, noticing that Pooh finally seemed more relaxed, felt comfortable letting him enter his world. Their shared laughter created a bridge between their worlds, a fragile but sincere bridge that brought them even closer. 

As they lay side by side in Pavel's bed, a peaceful atmosphere settled between them. After mocking Pavel for the umpteenth time, Pooh took a moment of silence, inhaling deeply before murmuring a sincere "thank you" for letting him sleep at his place. Pavel, sensing this gratitude in Pooh's voice, wanted to break the solemnity of the moment with a touch of humor.

He turned slightly to Pooh and, with a smirk, asked, "What if I had said no? Where would you have gone?" 

Pooh raised an eyebrow, a mysterious smile on his lips, before calmly answering, "To one of my apartments." 

The answer took Pavel by surprise, but he tried to hide his surprise. "Wait... you have several apartments?" he asked, intrigued. 

Pooh looked at him, an amused glint in his eyes, as if he was savoring the effect of his answer. "Maybe," he replied, a teasing tone in his voice. "Let's just say I have my little options." 

Pavel was silent for a moment, his thoughts racing as he realized once again how little he knew of this mysterious friend. Pooh, with this way of revealing things without telling everything, aroused an insatiable curiosity in him. Despite all appearances, he seemed to hide much more than he let on, and Pavel, now more than ever, wanted to learn more. 

They continued to talk in low voices, their exchanges oscillating between teasing and confidences, each revealing a little more of themselves in the intimacy of this shared night. 

The next morning, the sun was already high in the sky, but Pavel and Pooh were still sleeping soundly, the fatigue of their night spent talking and laughing having taken them. It was not in Pavel's habits to hang around in bed for so long, but this night had been different, unique, and they had enjoyed the silence and complicity until late into the night. 

Around noon, the bedroom door opened gently, and Pavel's mother, smiling, entered discreetly to wake them. "Boys, get up! You've slept enough for two days," she said, a hint of amusement in her voice. 

 Pavel opened his eyes with a start, a little disoriented before remembering that Pooh was there, lying next to him. He sat up, rubbing his eyes, a shy smile on his lips as he saw his mother standing by the door. "Sorry, Mom… we stayed up a little late," he murmured, still sleepy. 

Pavel's mother shook her head, laughing. "I guess so, but you'll end up skipping breakfast if you don't come right away, even if it's more like lunch at this time." 

Pooh, awakened by the voices, opened his eyes in turn and, seeing the benevolent look on Pavel's mother's face, gave her a respectful smile. "Thank you, ma'am," he replied politely, with a calm that hid his slight embarrassment at having been caught in the middle of a lie-in. 

 After a few minutes, they got ready and went downstairs together to join the table, where a warm meal awaited them. Pavel, a little embarrassed to find himself in this unusual situation with Pooh and his mother, nevertheless felt a familiar warmth, a friendly atmosphere that he particularly liked at home. For once, he was sharing this family space with someone he really liked, and this simple idea brought him a joy that he had not anticipated.