Shauwn sighed, exasperated by the situation. He thought he had made himself clear, yet Claire didn't seem ready to give up. To him, she should have understood by now.
"It won't do any good," Shauwn said.
"I still want to try," Claire replied, determined. "So… shall we say tonight?"
"Tonight? What for?"
"My chance, of course! Lily's hosting her gallery opening in two days. I came to pick up her paintings and leave to prepare for the event. I'm counting on you to help me—and don't worry, I'll find a place for you to stay until we're done."
"That's too sudden. I can't—"
"You're free already. I already asked Wallace, and he said yes."
Of course, she was lying. Claire hadn't asked Wallace, but she was confident he would agree. Shauwn, meanwhile, felt annoyed. He hated it when someone made decisions for him.
"You—" Before he could finish, she cut him off.
"If you won't come for me, then at least come support Lily… you're friends, right? I know she'd appreciate it."
Shauwn's expression darkened, his jaw tightening. He knew exactly what she was doing. Claire was manipulating him. Mentioning Lily—his only close friend in Silver Creek—was a powerful argument, strong enough to make him go.
On one hand, Claire was right, even if he didn't want to admit it. Lily would surely appreciate his presence—but why did Claire have to be the one to tell him? If his presence were truly necessary, Lily would have asked herself…
How could she? Shauwn didn't even own a cellphone, and he hadn't bothered to get her contact info. He visited her only rarely, while she was always eager to see him and talk. It had been two weeks since their last meeting… was this really how friends were supposed to behave?
No…
That word rang sharply in his mind, clarifying his thoughts.
Shauwn had always thought otherwise. He'd never truly had friends. Most of his interactions with others had been hierarchical, despite his older sister's attempts to teach him about family. He still didn't fully understand what being friends with someone meant—but he was beginning to discover it. And so he decided: he would go.
"I'll come with you. Finish your meal."
Surprised by his response, she asked, "Where?"
"To Lily's. I suddenly… miss her," he said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
The remark stung Claire, but she didn't show it. She simply nodded, giving Shauwn time to get ready.
He hurried to the back of the diner to change, shedding his apron and the lingering smell of the kitchen.
Claire, meanwhile, finished her meal quickly and approached Wallace to ask permission to take Shauwn along. Wallace had no objections; he even seemed pleased and surprised that Shauwn had agreed to go out of his own free will.
After receiving his approval, she said goodbye and headed for the door. As she stepped outside, a man of imposing stature in a sleek black three-piece suit appeared. Golden cufflinks adorned with small obsidian stones glinted mysteriously, engraved with faint symbols that shimmered in the light.
Claire sensed he wasn't from around here, much like herself, but he stood out far more than she did, gradually blending in with the locals.
She decided not to pay him any attention—not because she didn't want to, but because she felt she shouldn't, as if something were compelling her to look away. The thought vanished as quickly as it came, and she went to her car.
The man's lips curved into a subtle, satisfied smile before he walked casually to the counter. Wallace was busy taking orders, but as soon as he noticed the new customer, he hurried over.
"You seem new around here. What can I get for you?"
"You guessed correctly. I rarely have the chance to come out," the man said, moving a nearby chair to sit. "But I didn't come for food. I'm looking for someone."
Though outwardly polite, Wallace felt uneasy. Rumors of Nopar's disappearance were spreading, and now someone had appeared from nowhere. At first, he thought the man might be from Nopar—but he reconsidered.
This man was far too calm, too composed. If he really belonged to them, he wouldn't act so friendly. And old Wallace felt something… unusual about him. Strange, to feel admiration at his age.
"I'm not sure the person you're looking for is here…"
"He is," the man said firmly. "Shauwn ARKYNAS is here, isn't he? I'm sure he'd be thrilled to see an old acquaintance…"
Hearing his name made Shauwn tense. Only one person besides himself knew that Shauwn lived here, away from everything. Though the beads of sweat on Wallace's wrinkled face betrayed his worry, he masked any hint of fear. He had to protect him—Shauwn deserved peace, a chance to live a normal life. If fighting were necessary, he would fight to keep him safe.
But why did the person he was supposed to protect throw himself straight into danger? At the very moment Wallace was about to confront the man, Shauwn—unaware of the dilemma troubling Wallace—appeared.