It was the kind of day that slipped past unnoticed—neither warm nor cold, not cloudy enough to feel gloomy, not sunny enough to lift anything. Just a stretch of time that existed quietly, like most of Rowen's days.
He had finished reassembling a midrange tablet and was noting down the serial number when movement passed the front of the shop. He didn't look up immediately. People passed all the time. But something in the corner of his eye made him glance.
It was her. Alone.
She wasn't in a hurry. She walked with an ease that didn't look planned, like she had no destination in mind. She slowed slightly as she neared his shop, eyes flicking once toward the window. Just for a second. Then she kept walking.
He watched the empty doorway for a moment after she passed, then returned to his notebook.
An hour later, she came back.
The bell above the door chimed again. She stepped inside, not with surprise this time, but like someone who already knew the place. She was holding nothing.
"Hey," she said, tone casual. "Sorry to drop in again. I just wanted to ask something."
Rowen looked up. She stood a little away from the counter this time, less like a customer, more like someone unsure of the reason they were still standing there.
"The phone I picked up yesterday—do those models usually have recurring issues?"
He shook his head. "If there's water damage and it's cleaned properly, it usually stays stable."
"Good to know," she said, brushing her fingers along the zipper of her bag. "I was just being paranoid."
He didn't respond. She didn't leave.
She glanced around the shop. The same quiet shelves. The low hum of the ceiling fan. Then back at him.
"I never expected to find someone from school here."
Rowen said nothing.
"I'm Lira, by the way. You probably remember that."
He gave a slow nod. "Yeah. I do."
She smiled faintly, not forced. Just a small ripple in her expression. "This area's... nice. Quiet. My fiancé likes it. He's been scouting some warehouse space nearby. Might open a branch if things work out."
Rowen didn't shift, but something behind his eyes registered the information.
"It suits you too, I think," she added. "This place."
"Yeah."
She waited a moment, then nodded once and stepped back. "Alright. Just wanted to check. Take care, Rowen."
"You too."
The door closed behind her, the bell giving the same sound it always did. The stillness returned like it never left.
Rowen stood there a little longer than usual, gaze fixed on the door. Not thoughtful. Not emotional. Just quiet.
Something had shifted again. Not much. Not enough to matter. But he could feel the edges of his routine starting to blur.
He turned back to the workbench. The tools hadn't moved. The job remained the same. But the silence... felt slightly less obedient.