Too Good to Be True

In the midst of the escalating chaos, Arga and Sana found themselves further trapped among the moving bodies. Arga squeezed Sana's hand tighter, ensuring he wouldn't lose her again in the madness.

"We need to get out of here before things get worse," Arga muttered, his tone firm despite the anxiety in his voice. Sana nodded quickly, her eyes scanning the crowd with sharp focus, searching for a way out amidst the increasingly dense mass of people. They needed to find an escape route—and fast.

The crowd grew increasingly chaotic, and suddenly, Arga felt a strong pull on his arm. He jolted, separating from Sana. Panic gripped his chest immediately. "Sana!" he called out, but his voice was swallowed by the escalating commotion.

He turned around, intending to protest, but froze the moment he saw who had grabbed him. A woman stood before him, her sharp gaze piercing and her expression unreadable. Her jet-black hair was neatly tied back, and a long katana hung on her back, appearing as if it were a natural extension of her body.

Arga swallowed hard, fear beginning to creep into his thoughts. The woman stared at him intently, unblinking, as if assessing something. After what felt like an eternity, she finally spoke. "Who are you? What do you want from me?" he stammered.

The woman didn't respond, simply pulling him away from the crowd. Her steps were firm, purposeful, as if she knew exactly what needed to be done. The people around them seemed reluctant to get in her way, as though her cold aura was enough to part the sea of bodies.

Eventually, they reached a quieter area, far from the bustling throng. The woman stopped, releasing her grip on Arga, then looked at him briefly before suddenly smiling. The smile transformed her entire demeanor—from harsh and cold to warm and friendly.

"Ah, I'm Kirana. Nice to meet you," she said casually, as though the earlier incident had never happened.

Arga could only stare at her in confusion. The drastic shift was too sudden. What had moments ago seemed cold and dangerous now appeared so amicable. His mind struggled to make sense of the situation. "Am I dealing with a psychopath?" he wondered.

Nervously, he gave a small nod and introduced himself. "Ah, yes. I'm Arga... nice to meet you too," he said, his voice still slightly trembling. His eyes darted briefly to the katana on Kirana's back, which felt too intimidating to ignore.

Not long after, Arga spotted Sana emerging from the distance with a man who exuded a relaxed yet confident aura. His steps were light, but something about the way he carried himself suggested he was no ordinary person. Arga quickly evaluated the figure as he approached, while Kirana, standing beside him, greeted them with curious interest.

"Hey, where did you guys come from?" she asked, raising an eyebrow slightly.

Sana caught her breath before answering, "We were trying to get out of the crowd earlier, but it was pretty difficult. Luckily, he helped us." She glanced at the man beside her, signaling that he had been their savior during the earlier chaos.

Kirana nodded slightly, then gave a faint smile. "Oh, this is my friend. His name is Nico."

Nico, who had been silent until then, extended his hand with a friendly smile. "I'm Nico. Nice to meet you," he said, his voice cheerful, almost too casual for the situation they had just been through.

Arga shook Nico's hand politely. "I'm Arga, and this is my friend, Sana," he said, glancing briefly at Sana. Then, turning to Kirana, he added, "Oh, and Sana, this is Kirana. She's the one who helped me out of the crowd earlier."

After the handshakes, the tension between them began to ease. Kirana looked at Arga, crossing her arms. "So, you two just got here?" she asked, her tone now more relaxed.

"Yeah," Arga replied with a nod. "Sana and I only met recently, and there's still a lot we don't know about this place."

Sana offered a warm smile toward Kirana and Nico. "Thank you so much for helping us out earlier. If it weren't for you, we might still be stuck in there."

Nico returned her smile with a wide grin. "Ah, no problem. If a beautiful woman falls from the sky, I'm always ready to help."

Sana merely gave a polite smile, though her eyes conveyed an unreadable expression. There was a fleeting glance that suggested she was debating whether to respond or let it slide.

Before she could say anything, Kirana acted swiftly. With one quick motion, she kicked Nico's leg hard enough to make him stumble back slightly. "Idiot! How dare you flirt with a woman you just met!" she scolded, though a hint of laughter lingered at the corners of her lips.

Nico winced in pain but didn't retaliate. "Hey, Kirana, you're so harsh! I was just joking," he said, rubbing his leg where she had kicked him.

Arga, watching the interaction, took a deep breath and glanced at Sana. Inwardly, he thought, "If only he knew Sana always complains about her age and calls herself old, he'd probably take back his words and be shocked."

However, Arga chose to remain silent, keeping his thoughts to himself, and smiled slightly as he observed the budding dynamics of this new group.

Sana and Arga joined in the smiles, watching Kirana and Nico's playful banter, which resembled that of old friends accustomed to each other's antics. Slowly, the tension that had initially hung over them gave way to a warmer atmosphere. Though they had just met, there was something that made them feel they might become more than strangers in this place.

"Alright, hope we meet again," Kirana said with a wide smile, raising one hand as if bidding farewell.

Arga and Sana nodded politely. "Thank you again for helping us earlier," Arga said sincerely.

They began to walk away, but Kirana suddenly turned back. "Hey, do you two have a place to stay for the night?" she asked.