[ The translation from Russian may be a bit rough because I used a translator for this.]

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Silence and an illusion of calm enveloped the overgrown fields; the only sounds were the song of crickets, the rustling wind, and the quiet breathing of two people. Alain smoked, leaning on the railing of the porch of a dilapidated house. Her gaze was fixed on the distance, where the gloomy forest began. Dangerous in the daytime, but a deadly trap at night. There, in the depths, lurked shadows and secrets best left undiscovered.
Behind her, in an old, broken chair that sometimes creaked with the slightest movement, sat a boy—a couple of years younger than her, his eyes full of determination and quiet fear.

"Why did you decide to leave the city? It's safer there than outside," he said quietly, as if afraid to break the silence.
The girl blew out a thin stream of smoke, still watching the dark thicket.
"Why did you follow me?" she asked without turning around. Her voice was calm, but there was a hidden anxiety in it.
Mike froze in surprise. He thought it was obvious, that his actions were a natural decision, but it seemed he was mistaken.
"Because where you go, I go. That's all." His voice was firm, despite the inner doubts he was trying to suppress.
"It's foolish to get attached to someone," she remarked. "There's no point."
"Maybe. But I've already decided," he replied quietly and firmly. There was an unwavering determination in his eyes, as if he had already chosen his path long ago. Mike was silent for a moment, staring into the darkness where invisible fears and uncertainty lurked.
"Don't regret your decision," Alain said, smiling slightly.

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