The warm glow of the café was beginning to fade as the afternoon slipped toward evening. Just as I was about to suggest another round of coffee, the café door swung open.
Adrian strode in, a stack of files clutched under his arm and a tired smile on his face.
"Kaein," he called out, scanning the room before his eyes landed on me. "We need to get going. Urgent case updates came through."
I sighed but nodded, closing my laptop. "Duty calls."
Lior looked up, his hopeful eyes catching mine. "More work already?"
"Yeah, I can't avoid it," I admitted, gathering my things.
Lior stood and brushed a hand through his hair. "Hey, before you go… can we do this again? Another date?"
A grin tugged at my lips. "Definitely. Where to next?"
His eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint. "How about something different? Maybe the city aquarium or the zoo? I think it's time we added some adventure to our reunion."
The idea felt perfect — playful, light, a chance to be more than the past we'd lost.
"Let's do it," I said, heart lighter than it had been all day.
Adrian cleared his throat, reminding me of reality. "Ready?"
I glanced at Lior, who nodded, his smile full of quiet promise.
"Ready," I said, feeling the pull of something new — something worth chasing.