The first morning of official coexistence at Aibek's apartment dawned under a gray, dense sky laden with dark clouds. A fine winter rain tapped softly against the large floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the inner bamboo courtyard. However, the true freezing, suffocating climate did not come from outside the residence, but rather from the tense atmosphere breathing through the spacious open kitchen on the ground floor.
Aibek walked down the wooden stairs at a slow pace, wearing loose gray sweatpants and a long-sleeved t-shirt. He rubbed his eyes tiredly after having spent an extremely restless, intermittent night filled with conflicting thoughts. The image that greeted him as he stepped onto the final stair of the foyer froze him dead in his tracks, making him hold his breath.
