Stephan stood there for a while…
still looking in the direction she had walked away.
Even when she was no longer visible.
The place where she had been standing—
now empty.
But his mind—
wasn't.
Her words kept repeating.
Again.
And again.
"You should give her a chance."
Simple words.
Calm tone.
No emotion.
And yet—
they stayed.
More than they should have.
More than anything else she had said before.
"Bro…"
Johan's voice pulled him back.
"You look lost."
Stephan looked at him.
Blank.
Controlled.
"I'm not."
Hill raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms.
"You've said that three times already."
There was a pause.
A quiet one.
This time—
Stephan didn't deny it.
Didn't argue.
Didn't explain.
He just looked away.
That alone—
was enough for both of them to understand.
Because they knew him.
Better than anyone.
Johan and Hill weren't just friends.
They had been with him for years.
Through everything.
They had seen his worst moods.
His silence.
His anger.
His indifference.
And this—
this version of him—
was new.
Stephan walked over and sat beside them.
The sand shifted slightly beneath him.
The sound of waves filled the silence between them.
For a moment—
he said nothing.
Just sat there.
Thinking.
Trying to understand something he had never felt before.
Johan glanced at Hill.
A silent conversation passed between them.
Something was definitely different.
Then suddenly—
Stephan spoke.
"How do you talk to someone like her?"
Both of them turned towards him.
At the same time.
Surprised.
Interested.
Hill tilted his head slightly.
"Like who?"
Stephan paused.
As if even saying her name needed thought.
Then quietly—
"Pixel."
For a second—
there was silence.
Then Johan let out a small laugh.
"Wow… didn't expect this."
He shook his head slightly.
"Finally… the stone heart is starting to melt."
Hill smirked.
"I'm actually happy for you."
Then he added, more seriously—
"But this won't be easy."
Stephan frowned.
"Just answer."
Johan leaned back on his hands.
"Why? Planning something?"
Stephan didn't reply.
Didn't confirm.
Didn't deny.
Hill studied him carefully.
"Wait… are you seriously asking how to talk to her?"
Stephan looked away.
His jaw tightened slightly.
"That's not what I meant."
Johan leaned forward now.
"Then what do you mean?"
There was a pause.
A longer one this time.
Stephan exhaled slowly.
"I never initiate conversations."
His voice was quieter now.
"It's always people who come to me."
That line—
was honest.
Completely.
No ego.
No attitude.
Just truth.
Hill nodded slightly.
"Yeah… and she's not like that."
Stephan's gaze dropped to the sand.
"She doesn't react… doesn't try… doesn't care."
Johan snapped his fingers lightly.
"Exactly."
He leaned closer.
"And that's why you're stuck."
Silence.
Stephan didn't argue.
Didn't deny it.
Because deep down—
he knew it was true.
"She doesn't fit," Stephan said quietly.
"Into anything."
Hill let out a small breath.
"That's because she's not trying to fit."
That made Stephan look up.
Johan added—
"And you're used to people who try."
That line—
hit differently.
Stephan stayed quiet.
Thinking.
Processing.
Then—
"What do I do?"
Hill thought for a moment.
Then spoke—
"First… stop treating her like everyone else."
Johan nodded.
"And don't try too hard."
Stephan frowned.
"That doesn't help."
Hill laughed.
"It does. You just don't get it yet."
Johan smirked slightly.
"Or start with basics."
Stephan looked at him.
"Like?"
Johan shrugged.
"How to talk properly… how to approach…"
Hill added—
"Maybe even what to say… when to say it…"
Then, grinning—
"What to gift."
Hill laughed again.
Stephan stayed quiet.
Didn't react.
Didn't dismiss it.
And that—
was new.
Johan noticed it immediately.
"This is going to be hard."
Hill nodded.
"Because she's not like other girls."
Johan added—
"She won't fall easily."
Hill continued—
"You'll actually have to understand her."
There was a pause.
Then Johan smirked again.
"But yeah…"
Hill finished it—
"For the first time… You are curious about any girl"
Stephan didn't respond.
Didn't argue.
Didn't deny.
Because this time—
he couldn't.
His eyes shifted again.
Towards the direction she had gone.
Empty.
But still—
not empty for him.
Because now—
it wasn't just confusion.
It wasn't just curiosity.
It wasn't just interest.
It was something deeper.
Something unfamiliar.
Something he couldn't control.
And for the first time—
that lack of control didn't bother him.
It stayed.
Quietly.
But strongly.
Because now—
he wasn't just thinking about her.
He was starting to feel something.
Something he didn't understand yet.
Something he had never allowed before.
And maybe—
this wasn't just the beginning of understanding her…
it was the beginning of losing control over himself.