The last light of the day lingered in thin streaks across the street as Rowen wiped down the counter. The shop smelled faintly of solder and metal, the hum of the ceiling fan the only sound.
He was reaching for the shutter when a soft knock came at the glass.
Lira stood outside, hands in her cardigan pockets, hair loosened by the evening wind.
Rowen slid the shutter up a little and stepped back. The bell chimed as she entered, her footsteps quiet against the floor.
"I was nearby," she said, voice soft but carrying something deliberate beneath the casual tone. "Saw the lights still on."
"I was just closing," Rowen replied.
She leaned against the counter, resting her forearms on the wood. The room felt smaller at this hour, the shadows stretching to the corners. Outside, the street was nearly empty—just the faint hum of a motorbike passing, then gone.
"It's always so quiet here," she said, eyes scanning the room before settling on him. "Like nothing can reach it."
Rowen didn't answer.
"You know," she continued, "I think I like this part of town more than I thought I would. There's a peace in it. Maybe… too much sometimes."
He said nothing, but he didn't look away.
"I told you I was getting married soon," she said after a pause. "It's… comfortable. Predictable. We need each other, but it's not like before. He doesn't hide his… distractions. I don't pretend not to notice."
Her voice was steady, matter-of-fact, without bitterness.
"Before all that settles… I just wanted something that feels alive. Even if it's brief."
She shifted slightly closer, one hand resting on the counter near his. Her fingers brushed against his knuckles, light but lingering.
Rowen didn't move.
The fan hummed. A car passed somewhere far away.
Lira's gaze held his for a moment that stretched longer than any words. Then she eased back just enough to let the air move again, her faint smile unreadable.
"I'll see you soon," she said quietly, and walked to the door.
As she opened it, her fingertips brushed his hand once more, deliberate this time, and the bell chimed softly as she disappeared into the evening.
Rowen stood in the stillness long after she left.
It didn't feel like his quiet anymore.