Five years

"Where is that man, anyway?" Sitting in the empty chair, Ema crossed her legs as she watched Diana work.

"He..." Diana was focused. "Ema, remember to give the answer to this one and that one, okay?"

"Okay," Ema took the papers, questioning her boss with her eyes.

"Well, he ran away. That idiot. He woke up today saying something about meeting someone... In another country... What does he think? That traveling is like going to the corner store?"

"Was it a woman?..."

Diana froze in place. Ema had this subtle ability to hit exactly where it hurt the most.

"It was. And the worst thing is that it was last minute. She called him and he went. Like a puppy...", the beautiful CEO bit the pen for a few moments, until she realized and added. "To me, he acts more like a cat... A stray cat. He comes, licks, plays and then leaves."

Ema smiled as she listened to her friend's musings.

She didn't pay attention, but she smiled whenever she talked about her cat.

"At least he doesn't come back dirty and smelly, right? He doesn't even need a bath and you can take him to bed right away," Ema's smile widened, pleased with her own joke.

Bewildered, Diana nodded subtly until her expression changed.

"The day he comes back smelling of perfume... That'll be the day I take him to the vet."

Ema's expression was strange.

Diana smiled.

"A neutered cat is no problem."

The two began to laugh. Soon they returned to their work and arranged to meet at Diana's house.

...

..

The sound of the chair being pulled out was soft and almost harmonized with the waltz playing in the background.

Subtle smells of flavors and alcohol filled the place.

To the keenest sense of smell, the smell of the people also mixed together. Their tension, their lifestyle, sweat, perfumes... All of this created an impressive atmosphere.

In this place, Nero offered his chair to the woman who was approaching.

When she returned to hers, she began to speak.

"You look well. Have you finally started eating again?"

He signaled to the waiter before answering.

"Human blood is refreshing." He didn't seem interested in that conversation, but he still paid full attention to the menu and what he was going to eat. "How about red wine..."

"Hmm. Good. I know a dish that goes very well."

Nero nodded. Some eyes were on them. It didn't matter.

"Why did you choose this place, anyway?"

She played with her glass. A slight smile.

"Well, you need to spend some time here too, right? The human world isn't as charming as our side, is it?"

Nero shook his head.

"Someone taught me that the most important thing is company," Nero's finger drummed on the table, his mind doing the same with a memory. Someone's face. "And don't keep throwing questions back at me, you're not very good at keeping secrets. Not when it comes to me, at least..."

His smile grew a little. As white and pure as the dishes on the table. The waiter was already serving the dishes.

It hadn't been more than five minutes since they had ordered.

"Wonderful, as always. Give my compliments to the chef," his smile was innocent. The waiter bowed and left. "Of course, how can I keep secrets from you, my love. I'm just building the mood."

Slicing the meat smoothly and elegantly, Nero couldn't help but admire that delicacy. His vision seemed hypnotized, deluded, the vision of the ordinary-looking woman was transformed.

A stunning Goddess, worthy of fairy tales, and capable of stealing any man's heart appeared before him. With her charisma, charm and elegance, the simple act of thanking for the food or wiping her lips with a napkin already made her a work of art to be admired.

"Be direct," when she spoke, all illusion gently dissolved. She no longer smiled.

"Your girlfriend... fiancée. I heard about a plan against her."

"When?"

"Maybe today, tomorrow or never," she pointed the knife at him, shrugging her shoulders. "It all depends on you."

Nero swallowed hard. His eyes went to the table, then to the clock. It had only been a few hours since he had left home.

And now he was there, immersed in his past again.

Looking out the window, a city rose up to the clouds. Highways passed attached to or through the buildings, so tall, so many of them. A completely new and stunning world, where he could spend more time exploring and enjoying that city than he would in a country on Earth.

"You liked the view. I don't think I said that. The name of this world is Nostrad, beautiful, isn't it? I found it on a random trip," she said as if it were natural to bump into a planet or two along the way. "But anyway... You don't seem too worried about your fiancée."

"I'm not. I asked someone from the association to keep an eye on her."

She laughed lightly. Nero looked to the side, she didn't look happy but she was still smiling. Feeling the discomfort of the curls on his forehead, he sighed and fixed his hair.

Nero wasn't tired. His life was in the present, he didn't think about the future, he didn't worry like humans. But he still decided to imitate one of their gestures.

"What did you do?", he spat the words in a sigh.

Erin put down her silverware and wiped her red lips before raising a hand.

Nero thought at first that she was asking him to wait. But time passed. The background sounds of conversation and laughter were the only thing that entertained them.

The open hand in front of her face was still there, showing five slender fingers and a ring.

He could almost read her mind.

'Five fingers.'

The young man struggled to understand what she meant, but he had a feeling he didn't want to hear the whole story.