Shadows of the Quiet City

Amidst the shimmering city streets, Evelyn's car glided through the quiet roads despite the late hour. The reflections of neon lights on glass windows and the people still awake deep into the night gave the scene an air of ceaseless vitality, as if the city refused to sleep.

Her phone rang suddenly, breaking the silence inside the car. She glanced at the screen—"Guardian Lee." Without hesitation, she answered in a firm tone:"What is it?"

Lee's voice came through, calm and professional, as expected of him:"We have safely escorted everyone home after thoroughly verifying their backgrounds, just as you requested."

She nodded in approval, even though he couldn't see her."Well done, Mr. Lee."

But then, her tone shifted, growing sharper, colder—as if the air itself had chilled with her words:"There's something else I need you to look into... regarding Miss Lilia and her connection to Leo."

A brief silence followed. Lee was momentarily taken aback, and a sarcastic thought crossed his mind—"Don't tell me you're jealous?"—but he swallowed the words before they could escape. Instead, he responded in his usual composed manner:

"Can you hear me, Guardian Lee?" Her sharp voice pulled him from his thoughts.

He immediately straightened up, replying with precision, as if receiving a direct order:"Yes, of course."

Then, he began his report with professional accuracy:"Lilia Evans, 24 years old. She lives with her family. Her social and family status is stable. She works at Joga Corporation, where she met Leo in her second year. They became colleagues and friends."

Evelyn listened in silence before responding coolly,"I see... Thank you."

She ended the call without another word.

Her gaze shifted to Leo, asleep in the passenger seat beside her. She observed his peaceful features with an unreadable expression. Raising an eyebrow slightly, she murmured:"Just a friend, huh?"

Moments later, the car came to a stop in front of Leo's apartment building. Letting out a soft sigh, she stepped out, then opened the passenger door to help him up. He swayed slightly—whether from exhaustion or alcohol, she couldn't tell. Supporting his arm, she steadied his unsteady steps.

She shot him a stern look."Don't tell me you forgot your keys?"

Leo blinked sluggishly at her, looking utterly lost before mumbling in a groggy voice:"I... didn't bring them..."

She froze, momentarily stunned by his carelessness. Then, taking a deep breath, she fought the urge to scold him."Leo! How can you be this irresponsible?"

Before she could continue, the apartment door suddenly swung open. A familiar figure stood in the doorway, raising an eyebrow in surprise.

"Evelyn? What are you doing here?"

She turned toward the voice, momentarily caught off guard, then blinked slowly as she registered his presence."Oh... You're here..." she murmured before gesturing toward Leo, who was leaning against her. "He was too drunk. I couldn't just leave him outside."

Rianel glanced at Leo, who could barely stand, then let out a quiet chuckle, laced with amusement."Let me help you."

They stepped inside, closing the door behind them. Rianel guided Leo toward his room while the latter mumbled incoherent words. As they reached the bed, Rianel lowered him down gently, his tone laced with teasing sarcasm:"Why the hell are you this late, you damn bastard?"

But Leo was in no state to respond. He simply rolled over, slipping into deep slumber.

Rianel returned to the living room, where Evelyn had settled onto the couch. Their eyes met in silent acknowledgment before she finally spoke:"I didn't know you were back from your trip. Leo didn't mention it."

He sat across from her, pouring himself a cup of tea before responding:"I returned just yesterday. It hasn't even been a full day."

She nodded slowly, taking a sip from the tea he had offered her. Then, with a faint smile, she commented:"It's been a long time since I last saw you..."

Rianel sat on the couch, resting one arm on the backrest, watching as Evelyn placed her coffee cup in front of her without taking a sip. A quiet smile played on his lips before he began recounting some of his recent adventures in the Kingdom of Oria and the Veron Empire.

"I visited Asteria City a few weeks ago—where the sky looks like a mirror reflecting the endless twilight. There, in the night market, I met an eccentric man selling maps of places no one had ever heard of. He insisted he had a map leading to the Isle of the Blue Mist. For a moment, I almost believed him, but I quickly realized he was just a skillful storyteller, selling illusions to those hungry for adventure."

Evelyn chuckled softly, raising an amused eyebrow. "And he managed to fool you? I can't believe you fell for someone's trick so easily!"

He laughed as well, shaking his head in surrender. "I didn't fully believe him, but curiosity got the best of me, so I bought the map. Of course, there was no blue mist, but the journey itself was worth it... I ended up in a small village on the empire's outskirts, where I stumbled upon a strange festival celebrating the stars."

A warm smile spread across her lips as she leaned back against the couch, as if traveling alongside his words to those distant worlds. But after a brief moment, she let out a quiet sigh, lowering her gaze before murmuring in a tired tone,

"Sometimes, I wish I had more time with you both... but work never lets me catch my breath. Festivals, parties, conferences... everything keeps piling up so fast, and I feel like I'm trapped in an endless cycle."

A short silence settled between them. It wasn't heavy—more like a brief pause that gave his next words more weight. Rianel looked at her with calm eyes before speaking in a voice that carried both gentleness and sincerity.

"That's life. There will always be exhausting things, but don't forget that there are also beautiful moments worth living for. Adventures aren't just about traveling to distant places. Sometimes, the real adventure begins when you stop for a moment and allow yourself to breathe."

She looked at him, as if considering his words, but she didn't reply. Instead, she slowly stood up, as if suddenly feeling the weight of the hours that had slipped by unnoticed. She glanced at the clock on the wall before saying,

"It's getting late. I should go."

Rianel stood up as well, gesturing toward the door. "I'll walk you out."

But she smiled lightly and waved a hand dismissively. "I have my own car, don't worry."

She walked toward the door but hesitated for a brief moment, as if wanting to say something else. Turning back to face them both, she offered a small smile before saying,

"I'll see you soon."

Once the door closed behind her, Rianel remained standing for a few moments, staring at the spot where she had just been. He exhaled quietly, then returned to the couch, sitting down slowly and resting against the armrest, his gaze settling on the untouched coffee cup Evelyn had left behind.

Reaching for the cup, he studied the still surface of the coffee before lightly swirling it with his fingers, as if expecting to find an answer hidden within. A faint smile crossed his lips as he muttered to himself,

"Always in a hurry, Evelyn."

He got up and walked to the kitchen, placing the cup in the sink. For a moment, he stood still, drumming his fingers against the metal edge. Then, with a small sigh, he turned on the faucet, letting the water wash away the last traces of black coffee, while his mind drifted into thought.

"When was the last time she truly took a break?"

He wasn't sure if the question was meant for Evelyn or for himself.

Just as he finished cleaning the cup, a faint thud sounded at the door, followed by the unsteady shuffle of footsteps. Raising his head in confusion, he turned to see Leo leaning against the wall, struggling to keep his balance, his half-lidded eyes staring into the void.

"Rianel... this... this place is spinning. I swear it's spinning..." Leo slurred, then suddenly burst into laughter for no apparent reason.

Rianel arched an eyebrow before frowning in clear disapproval. He approached him with steady steps.

"Is this what you were up to? Partying alone while I was sitting here, staring at that damned TV?"

Leo laughed again, attempting to point at something, but he lost his balance for a moment. Rianel quickly reached out, catching him before he collapsed.

"You idiot..." Rianel muttered, dragging him toward the couch before pushing him down to sit. Without hesitation, he headed to the kitchen, grabbed a glass of water, and handed it to him. "Drink. Before you end up passing out right here."

Leo took the glass with a trembling hand, sipping a small amount before letting out a deep breath. He closed his eyes for a moment before slowly opening them, as if regaining some clarity.

After a short silence, he lifted his head and looked at Rianel with a faint smirk.

"Hey... do you remember that song we wrote back in high school?"

Rianel stared at him for a moment, then let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head.

"Of course, I remember. How could I forget our old nonsense?"

Leo suddenly smiled with excitement, setting his cup aside. He took a deep breath before starting to sing in a soft voice, slightly wavering from the effects of alcohol:

"I've made some mistakes along the way... I've made some mistakes along the way... yeah..."

Rianel shook his head in mock disapproval but couldn't help smiling. A few seconds later, he joined in, his voice steadier as he tapped a light rhythm on the table with his fingers:

"Left out in the cold, nowhere to go..."

Leo closed his eyes and tilted his head back, as if the words were pulling him into the past:

"I've made some mistakes along this way... (along this way)..."

Rianel followed, his voice flowing smoothly alongside Leo's unsteady one, as if they were reliving an old memory:

"I've made some mistakes along this way... (along this way)..."

Leo slowly opened his eyes and glanced at Rianel, something nostalgic flickering in his gaze before he smirked."Now I paint the pavement red everywhere I go... from the bleeding inside..."

Rianel continued, his tone warmer this time, as if the words carried a deeper meaning than they seemed:

"So I'll stay in you again... in you again... in you again..."

And in a softer voice, almost like an unspoken confession, Leo finished the last line:

"My only friend..."

Silence settled between them for a brief moment after the song ended, before Leo let out a quiet chuckle and shook his head.

"Man... still holds up, doesn't it?"

Rianel smiled, closing his eyes for a second as he leaned back against the couch.

"Yeah... and we're still fools, just like we were back then."

They laughed together, the echoes of the song lingering in their minds, a reminder of the years that had passed—and the friendship that had remained unchanged despite everything.

Leo slowly stood up, swaying slightly, his half-lidded eyes making it clear he was still trying to grasp his surroundings. He ran a hand over his face, rubbing his eyes tiredly before taking a deep breath and stretching with a quiet groan.

"Alright, I think I'm gonna crash... I've got an important day tomorrow."

Rianel raised an eyebrow, leaning back against the couch as he eyed his friend with clear skepticism.

"An important day? You?" he asked, his tone laced with sarcasm.

Leo laughed, shaking his head before pointing a finger at him in mock reproach.

"Yes, don't mock me. I'm serious this time."

Rianel sat up straighter, frowning slightly as if trying to make sure he hadn't misheard.

"And what exactly are you doing? Don't tell me you've finally decided to wake up early and join marathon races."

Leo let out a short laugh, running a hand through his hair.

"No, not that extreme. I have a business meeting to continue the 'Goja Cola' project."

Rianel paused for a moment, clearly not expecting that answer. His frown deepened as genuine curiosity flickered in his expression.

"Wait... what project?"

Leo sighed before sitting back down on the couch, resting his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands together. He seemed fully sober now.

"I'm meeting Evelyn tomorrow. We're working together on a promotional song for the drink. She signed a contract with 'Joga Mart' as the official singer for the campaign."

Rianel's eyes widened slightly before he stared at him in surprise.

"Evelyn?! You're kidding, right?"

Leo smirked and shook his head."No joke. It's real."

Rianel fell silent for a moment, as if his mind was rearranging old memories that had suddenly resurfaced. He leaned against the table in front of him, his eyes glimmering with deep thought.

"Evelyn, huh?..." he murmured, as if the name alone carried a thousand untold stories. Then, he looked back at Leo, curiosity evident in his gaze."When was the last time we saw her?"

Leo exhaled a long breath, as if trying to recall the exact moment."Since we left 'Shining Stars High School,' right? I don't think I've seen her since then."

Rianel slowly nodded before leaning back again, folding his arms behind his head as he stared at the ceiling. A faint smile played on his lips:

"You were the one who introduced me to her, right?"

Leo laughed, this time more heartily, and nodded. "Yeah, and I never imagined you two would get along so well. I thought you wouldn't mesh with someone as energetic as her."

Rianel smiled, closing his eyes for a moment as he recalled their first meeting.

"We studied magic together, and she was the star of the class. Everyone talked about her—her abilities, her unique talent… There wasn't a single person who wasn't captivated by her."

Leo nodded in agreement, a smirk tugging at his lips.

"She really was the best in her field. Her voice carried a rare magical energy. When she sang, she didn't just empower her allies—she also quelled the fear and terror that monsters instilled."

Rianel took a deep breath, as if reliving the weight of those memories, then murmured with a warm smile, "She could turn any hopeless battle into a victory. Just hearing her voice was enough to make us believe everything would be okay."

The two exchanged glances before suddenly bursting into laughter, realizing how far their reminiscing had taken them from the present moment.

"Never thought I'd be sitting here, years later, talking about high school like it was some historic event," Leo said, shaking his head with amusement.

He stood up again, this time more steadily, stretching his arms lazily before heading toward his room.

"Alright, good night. I need sleep before I forget the melody I have to work on tomorrow."

But before he could leave, Rianel's serious voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Wait a second."

Leo turned around, eyebrows raised. "What?"

Rianel's face had shifted to something more resolute, his eyes gleaming with a hint of restrained excitement.

"Tomorrow, I'm going to take my magic aptitude test and receive my ranking as a Hunter."

Leo froze for a moment, as if processing the words carefully. Then, a small smile formed on his lips. There was a flicker of envy, but he didn't let it show.

"Really? That's amazing," he said calmly, yet sincerely.

Rianel raised an eyebrow mischievously.

"You sure you're happy for me? You don't seem as excited as I expected."

Leo chuckled, running a hand through his hair in fake nervousness.

"No, no, I am! It's just… I guess I got used to the idea that you weren't interested in fighting."

Rianel rolled his eyes before replying nonchalantly, "Well, maybe I just feel like trying something new."

Leo gave a small nod, smiling. "Then I wish you luck. Just don't do anything reckless, alright?"

Rianel smirked confidently. "I'll come see you when you guys record the song. I'll call you after the test."

Leo raised a hand in acknowledgment, yawning. "Alright, I'll be waiting… Now, off to bed before I turn into a ghost from sleep deprivation."

They both exchanged a final smile before heading to their rooms—each lost in his own thoughts, anticipating what tomorrow would bring.