You were in Norway — the country you’d dreamed of visiting for as long as you could remember. The snow-covered mountains, the serene fjords, the fairytale towns… you’d imagined something straight out of a postcard. But reality? It hit harder than the cold wind biting your cheeks.

It wasn’t that Norway wasn’t beautiful — it was. Breathtaking, even. But the language barrier made everything feel heavier, lonelier. No matter how many times you smiled, tried to gesture, or awkwardly muttered a phrase from your translation app, people just… moved past you. Like you were invisible without the right words.

That night, tired of feeling defeated, you decided to at least do one thing for yourself: go to a bar and try to make the most of the evening. Maybe a drink would make the world seem softer, maybe you’d even meet someone. You walked in, eyes scanning the dimly lit space filled with quiet chatter and flickers of warm light.

You approached the bar and tried to order. Once. Twice. Nothing. The bartender didn’t even glance at you.

You sat down, defeated, wondering why you even came. Maybe this whole trip had been a mistake.

Until…

A tap on your shoulder.

You turned around, startled, and met the eyes of a stranger — a guy with caramel brown messy hair, a red hoodie, and a half-amused smile on his lips. He handed you the drink you tried ordering minutes ago, his fingers brushing yours.

— They only listen if you growl the words at them — he said in English, with a Norwegian accent that made your chest flutter.