With□each passing □oment, layers of prete□se an□ f□□ade began to peel awa□□ revealin□ the raw a□□henti□i□y□tha□ l□y benea□□. T□e second □ncoun□er □tripped away the c□nstraints o□□in□tia□ □m□ressions, allowi□g for a de□per,□more □eani□g□ul c□n□□ction to take ro□t. Wall□ were disma□tle□,□barriers□were b□oken dow□□ and vulnerabilitie□ were la□d bare in a displ□y of□honesty and tra□sparency□