The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows over the campus courtyard where Athena and Blair sat on a low stone wall, chatting as usual. Athena was absently sketching in her notebook while Blair watched, chewing thoughtfully on the end of a lollipop.
"I swear, Yuri must think we're boring," Blair sighed, kicking her legs idly. "She never comes with us anywhere. Just straight back to her room, every time."
Athena smirked. "I don't think it's that. She's just... distant. I mean, it's like she doesn't trust us enough to just hang out."
Blair twirled the lollipop stick between her fingers, brows furrowing. "It's not like we haven't tried. Remember the time I almost dragged her to the festival? She looked at me like I was asking her to jump off a cliff."
Athena couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah. But I did see her smile once. Remember when you drew that... absolutely hideous caricature of Astrid? Yuri actually laughed."
Blair's eyes lit up at the memory. "Oh my god, yes! It was so quick I almost missed it. She tried to hide it behind her hand, but I caught it."
"That's the thing," Athena said, more serious now. "She acts like she doesn't want to be around us, but there are moments... fleeting ones... where she lets down her guard. It's like she's afraid to get too close."
Blair bit her lip, nodding. "It just feels like no matter what we do, we're not enough to make her feel... safe."
Before Athena could respond, a figure approached from behind—a woman with sharp eyes and a determined stride. She was looking at a small, sleek device in her hand, its screen displaying a faint pulse-like glow. The woman's brows knitted together, as if deciphering something.
Athena glanced up, noticing the stranger's presence. "Uh, can we help you?"
The woman looked up, her expression softening just a fraction. "I heard you mention Yurilex. Are you two her friends?"
Blair straightened, intrigued but cautious. "Yeah. Why? Who are you?"
The woman tucked the device into her pocket, her demeanor shifting from intense to almost casual. "Name's Maliah. I'm... an old acquaintance of Yuri's. Haven't seen her in a while."
Athena couldn't help but exchange a curious glance with Blair. "You know her?"
Maliah's smile was tight-lipped, almost nostalgic. "Yeah. We used to work together. I didn't know she had... friends. She's not exactly the type to let people in."
Blair huffed a little, a mix of pride and frustration. "Tell me about it. It took forever just to get her to sit with us at lunch. We were starting to think she didn't like us."
Maliah chuckled faintly. "It's not that. Yuri just... carries a lot. Trust doesn't come easy for her."
Athena narrowed her eyes. "Why are you looking for her now? You sound like you care about her."
Maliah's gaze hardened briefly before she smiled again. "You could say that. She means a lot to me, and I want to make sure she's alright."
Blair couldn't suppress her curiosity any longer. "If you really know Yuri, could you... I don't know, help us understand her better? Maybe if we knew more, she wouldn't be so closed off."
Maliah's eyes gleamed with something unreadable. "Maybe I can. Why don't you two come with me? We'll talk somewhere a little quieter."
Blair and Athena exchanged a hopeful glance. If this Maliah really knew Yuri, maybe she could shed some light on the enigma they'd come to care about so much.