Its a date

Sol leaned back against the bar, fingers idly tracing the rim of his glass, deep in thought. Candy, standing to the side, observed him quietly, her sharp eyes catching the subtle tension in his posture. He was planning something—she could see it in the way his gaze darkened, his lips pressed into a thin line. He had no intention of getting tangled in Madam Elise's web, but he wasn't naive enough to think she'd simply let things go. She was watching him now, and that meant he had to stay ahead.

As she kept looking at him, she found herself noticing things she hadn't before. The way his features were sharp yet refined, the way his deep purple eyes gleamed under the dim lighting. He had a quiet intensity, something both dangerous and alluring, and it made her stomach twist in a way she wasn't used to.

Why had she never really looked at him like this before?

She had always found Sol amusing—the way he effortlessly dodged trouble with that cocky smirk, the way he handled himself like the world was just another puzzle to solve. But now, watching him like this, lost in thought, there was something else beneath the surface. Something she hadn't quite caught onto before.

He wasn't just some clever drifter with a sharp tongue. There was a weight to him, an edge that set him apart from the usual troublemakers who passed through the Cosmic Drift. It was in the way he carried himself, like he'd seen too much and yet still walked forward with an unshaken confidence. Like nothing in this world could truly rattle him.

And damn if that wasn't attractive.

Candy bit the inside of her cheek, forcing herself to snap out of it. She didn't get distracted by men—especially not ones who were wanted by half the underworld. But still, she couldn't deny the way her eyes lingered a second too long on the curve of his jaw, the way his fingers moved absentmindedly over the glass, the way his smirk—when he finally glanced up at her—sent an unexpected flutter through her chest.

She clicked her tongue and turned away, busying herself with wiping down the counter. Nope. Not going there.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sol stand up, tossing down some credits onto the counter with a mischievous smile. Immediately, her instincts flared. She had seen that look before—right before someone did something incredibly stupid.

Narrowing her eyes, she cautiously asked, "What are you planning?"

Sol turned to her, the picture of innocence. "Nothing much. Just gonna go say hi."

Candy's brow furrowed in confusion—until she followed his gaze and realized exactly where he was heading. Her stomach dropped.

He was walking straight toward Madam Elise's people.

Candy stared in pure, dumbfounded shock.

Did he not listen to a single damn thing she just said?

Casually, as if he were meeting old friends, Sol pulled up a chair at their table and leaned back like he belonged there. The entire group stiffened, eyes locking onto him in an instant. The tension in the air shifted, heavy with the weight of unspoken words.

One of them, a wiry man with sharp features, cautiously asked, "Do we know you?"

Sol let out a small chuckle. "Oh, my bad, I forgot." He snapped his fingers, and in an instant, the illusion around him dissipated. His original appearance reemerged—jet-black hair falling messily over his sharp features, piercing dark purple eyes gleaming under the dim lights. At the same time, Peach materialized on his shoulder, blinking lazily at the group.

The shift in atmosphere was palpable. The group collectively tensed, their eyes widening slightly. A few of them swallowed hard. They hadn't expected Sol to be so bold as to just show up at their table like this. But then, as they exchanged glances, a silent understanding passed between them—they remembered the rumors.

The madman who walked into danger with a smirk.

The man who put people through nightmares.

Their gazes flickered toward the bear on his shoulder. Of all the whispers they'd heard about him, that stuffed bear was always part of the story.

And now, seeing it in person, they couldn't help but feel uneasy.

Sol casually leaned forward, resting an arm on the table as he flashed a lazy grin. "So, I heard you people are looking for me. What exactly does Madam Elise want?"

The group exchanged glances before the wiry man from before cleared his throat. "Right, uh… I'm Ledo." He gestured to the others. "That's Vanna, Marlo, and lex. We work under Madam Elise."

Sol noted how stiff they were, the subtle way their hands twitched as if they were unsure whether to stay relaxed or prepare for a fight. He frowned slightly. "Why are you all acting like I'm about to bite?"

Vanna, a woman with sharp green eyes and cropped dark hair, scoffed but didn't meet his gaze directly. "You're not exactly known for being... predictable."

Marlo, a heavyset man with cybernetic enhancements on his arms, crossed his arms. "Yeah. We heard the stories. Didn't expect you to just show up like this."

Lex, the youngest-looking of the bunch, nodded slowly, his gaze flickering to Peach. "And the bear… that thing is in all the rumors. The nightmares, the mind tricks—people say it's not normal."

Sol sighed dramatically, leaning back in his chair. "So that's it? I show up, and suddenly you're all acting like I'm some monster? I swear, people really do exaggerate." He smirked slightly. "I mean, come on. Do I look that terrifying?"

The group remained silent, exchanging hesitant glances but refusing to answer. Their unease was obvious, and Sol could practically hear their thoughts running wild.

Before he could push further, Candy, who had been listening from behind the bar, suddenly burst into laughter. The sound was abrupt, cutting through the tension at the table. She tried to stifle it, covering her mouth with her hand, but the damage was done. Sol shot her an annoyed look while the group shifted uncomfortably, as if trying to pretend they hadn't just been called out.

Sol exhaled, clearly exasperated. "Whatever. What do you want?"

Ledo straightened slightly, exchanging another glance with his group before answering. "Madam Elise would like to meet with you."

Sol immediately scoffed, cutting him off. "Let me ask you something—if some big shot from the underworld summoned you for a 'talk,' would you go?"

The group fell silent, their previous tension thickening. None of them had an answer, and their hesitation spoke volumes.

After a long pause, Vanna finally spoke, albeit cautiously. "Madam Elise promised no harm will come to you. She just wants to talk."

Sol rolled his eyes. "Right. And if a mob boss said that to you, would you believe them?"

Again, silence. The uncertainty on their faces was almost amusing.

Then, Lex, the youngest of the bunch, hesitantly raised a hand, clearing his throat. "Uh… can we at least connect you to her through the communicator?"

Sol turned his gaze to him, then smirked. "See? At least one of you has some common sense."

Ledo hesitated before pulling out a sleek communicator, tapping a few buttons before holding it up. The device let out a faint chime before the line connected.

A smooth, commanding voice came through. "So, did you find him?"

For a brief moment, no one answered. Then, after an awkward pause, Ledo cleared his throat. "Uh… he's sitting right in front of us."

Silence.

Then, a small chuckle, almost inaudible, but there. "I see."

Madam Elise had expected resistance, maybe even some clever evasion, but not this. Not him strolling right up to her people. She truly couldn't figure out what he was thinking at all.

Sol casually reached out and plucked the communicator from Ledo's hand, spinning it between his fingers before bringing it up to his ear. "Well, Madam Elise, since you went through all this trouble to find me, I figured I'd save you the effort."

A brief pause, then a low chuckle. "You're an interesting one, Sol. Most people in your position would be running the other way."

Sol smirked. "Most people aren't me."

"That much is clear," she mused. "Tell me, do you always make a habit of inserting yourself into dangerous situations, or is this just a special occasion?"

"Call it curiosity," Sol said, leaning back in his chair. "I like to know who's trying to put a leash on me."

Elise let out a soft laugh, though there was an undeniable sharpness beneath it. "A leash? Now, now, I assure you, I have no interest in caging something like you. If I wanted you as a pet, I would have sent someone more… persuasive."

Sol suddenly let out a mad laugh, the kind that sent a chill down the spines of the people sitting in front of him. "Persuasive? I would truly love to see that. See, I myself can be very persuasive too."

The shift in tone made the group at the table visibly uneasy, exchanging nervous glances with one another. Even Madam Elise remained silent for a moment, caught off guard by his response. She hadn't expected him to be so bold, to challenge her so directly.

Then, she chuckled, though there was a hint of intrigue in her voice. "It seems the rumor about you being a bit crazy isn't entirely false."

Sol's smirk widened slightly, but his eyes remained cold. "Then what do you want?"

Elise didn't answer right away, as if assessing him from afar. "A conversation. I prefer to meet intriguing people face-to-face, but I understand your hesitation. So let me make this simple—I have a business proposition for you. One that might be mutually beneficial."

Sol tapped his fingers against the table. "Business, huh? And what exactly do you think I can offer you?"

"A great deal, actually. But let's not get into details over a communicator. Meet with me, and I'll tell you everything."

Sol chuckled, shaking his head. "You really think I'm just going to walk into your den?"

"I do," Elise replied smoothly. "Because I think you'll find what I have to say very hard to ignore."

Sol leaned forward slightly, his voice laced with amusement. "And if I do ignore it?"

Elise let out another soft chuckle. "Then you'd be passing up an opportunity that doesn't come often. I'm not your enemy, Sol. If I wanted you gone, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

Sol drummed his fingers against the table. "That's what everyone says before they put a knife in your back."

"Fair point," she admitted. "But I don't operate that way. You've already seen the kind of business I run. I don't deal in senseless violence. I deal in results. And right now, you're an anomaly I find… fascinating."

Sol raised a brow. "Fascinating, huh? You sure you don't just want me out of your hair?"

"If that were the case, I wouldn't have bothered reaching out. I see potential, and I'm giving you the chance to do something with it." Her voice was smooth, controlled, but Sol could hear the subtle weight behind her words. "Meet with me, and I'll explain everything. Or, you can walk away and keep dodging people who want a piece of you. Your choice."

Sol let the silence stretch for a moment, pretending to consider, though he already knew his answer. Then, with a smirk, he exhaled through his nose. "Fine. Let's see what you've got to say. But I pick the meeting spot."

Elise hummed in approval. "Smart. Name your place, Sol. I'll be there."

Sol thought about it for a moment before deciding. "The fountain that spews out nebulas in Luminara. Should be a fitting backdrop, don't you think?"

Elise was silent for a beat, then chuckled. "Interesting choice."

Sol smirked. "What can I say? Can't just pick any random place for a first date."

Silence. The entire group at the table froze, their jaws nearly dropping. Candy, who had been listening from the bar, nearly choked on her drink. The sheer audacity of Sol actually hitting on Madam Elise left them all speechless.

But to their collective surprise, Elise didn't seem offended in the slightest. Instead, she laughed, a smooth, rich sound that sent a shiver down some of their spines. "How romantic. It's a date then."

With that, the line cut off.

Sol tossed the communicator back onto the table, leaning back with an easy grin. The group, clearly not wanting to interact with this madman any longer than necessary, quickly exchanged silent glances before making their exit as fast as they could—without outright running.

Candy, who had been watching the entire exchange from behind the bar, finally walked over, giving Sol a long, incredulous look. "I've heard some of the rumors calling you crazy, but I thought they were just rumors." She shook her head in disbelief. "But now? Wow."

Sol rolled his eyes as he stood up, stretching slightly. "You exaggerate too much."

Candy chuckled, easily keeping pace with him as he made his way toward the exit. Just as he was about to step out, she reached forward and grabbed his wrist, stopping him. When he turned to face her, she flashed him a charming smile and pulled out her communicator. "Give me your contact, lover boy. I wanna hear all about your date later."

Sol laughed before tapping his communicator against hers, syncing their contacts. "You jealous?"

Candy scoffed, slipping her device back into her pocket. "You wish."

Sol smirked as he stepped through the doorway, glancing back at her one last time. "Then I'll take you somewhere even better next time."

Candy just shook her head with an amused smile as she watched him disappear into the neon-lit streets.