It was a day like any other. I was walking to the bus stop when I felt a light tap on my shoulder. When I turned around, I saw that it was my colleague, Aris.

Dax: Oh, hi... Do you need anything? I asked curiously.

Aris: No, I just noticed that we always take the same route, so I thought it would be nice to talk to you, she replied with a calm smile.

I nodded without saying much, and we continued walking in silence for a couple of minutes. The atmosphere was a little awkward, but not in a bad way... it was just new.

Finally, I broke the ice with a joke:

Dax: Sorry if I don't talk much... I'm not very used to talking to people.

Aris: Ohhh, so you're the loner in the classroom, huh? she said teasingly.

I looked at her with a serious, yet amused expression, and smiled just a little.

Dax: Maybe... but you never know if getting along with someone could end up in trouble. My voice sounded like a joke and a warning.

Aris: Ooh, how scary! Look how I'm shaking, she said, pretending to be scared.

We both laughed and, this time, continued talking. We started sharing our hobbies and discovered that we had more in common than I expected.

When we got to the stop, we said goodbye. She was taking a different route, so we each went our separate ways.

Back home

I opened the door to my room, dropped my backpack on the floor, and threw myself onto the bed. At that moment, I felt a vibration in my pocket: a message.

It was from Aris.

I sat up and unlocked my phone.

He had sent me a video of a dinosaur video game that was coming out soon.

Message from Aris: Check out this game, it looks amazing.

Dax: Wow, yeah. I hope it's not too expensive.

Aris: Sure, you already said you're a gamer and an otaku.

Dax: Hey, hey! I said I was a gamer, but I never mentioned being an otaku!

Aris: Yes, you did, you watched anime.

Dax: Of course not!

Aris: Of course you did!

And so we stayed, joking and arguing via text for several minutes. The sun had already set when I decided to stop.

Dax: Well, putting that aside... it's late.

Aris: Yeah, it's already dark.

Dax: Then I guess I'll leave you alone... at least for now, hehe.

Aris: We'll see about that. Good night, prince.

Dax: ...Huh? How do you know that nickname?

As expected, that last message was not read. He must have already fallen asleep.

I left my phone on the nightstand, lay down on my back, and stared at the ceiling. I felt a warmth... something I thought I would never feel again 

That same night, I dreamed of a memory from my past. I was back in that hall... the place where, somehow, I had lost myself.