The library door pushed open with a soft creak, letting in a sliver of afternoon light.
A cheerful voice followed it inside.
I'm back, Mom!
A girl stepped through—light brown eyes, a crossbody bag bouncing lightly against her hip, her hair a bit wind-tossed as if she had hurried there.
Hearing that familiar voice, Perun turned from the shelves and started walking toward the counter. Vaelor trailed a step behind him, still asking about the ending of the Instewl Hollander novel.
Perun explained, There are nine volumes of it. I just told you the basic outline. If I start explaining everything, It will take several days.
Vaelor sighed dramatically. Nine? What?
Still at this pace of conversation, they reached the counter.
The girl's eyes lit up the moment she spotted Perun. She hurried to him without a second thought, her steps full of excitement—and something else beneath it. She grabbed his arm tightly.
Perun! Where have you been all this time? You didn't come, you didn't call, and I don't even have your address. I even went looking for you…
Her voice faltered near the end, and a dim sadness crossed her eyes.
Perun gently held her palm with both hands, trying to calm her.
"I'm sorry," he said softly. I know we're friends… I just wasn't in the right state of mind. But I'm fine now.
He released her hand slowly, and she let out a small breath, calmer than before.
Trying to lighten the moment, Perun gestured to Vaelor.
And I'm here with my cousin. Serin, this is Vaelor. Vaelor—Serin. He's on vacation from his university, so I'm giving him a tour of Norus.
Vaelor gave a small wave. Nice to meet you.
Serin replied with a shy smile. Nice to meet you too.
All of this unfolded under the quiet observation of Mrs. Alisa, who finally cleared her throat with an overly dramatic ahem and shook her head with a smile.
"You kids… you've suddenly become very mature," she joked. I'm happy you care for each other, but aren't you making a little too much noise in the library?
Until then, every reader in the hall had been secretly listening, pages frozen mid-turn. But after Mrs. Alisa's comment, they all quickly pretended to return to their books again.
Perun bowed his head slightly. Sorry, Mrs. Alisa.
She waved a hand. No, no, why are you apologizing? You weren't the one causing chaos. Someone else was.
Her eyes slid meaningfully toward Serin.
"Me?" Serin gasped. How can I be the culprit? Am I not your lovely daughter?
Mrs. Alisa smiled. "Yes, yes, my lovely daughter. Now go outside and get some fresh air. This is your vacation don't stay cooped up in the library all day."
But Mom, the library—
I can manage it, Mrs. Alisa said with a playful firmness. "Go."
A moment later, Perun, Vaelor, and Serin stepped out into the warm street. They headed to a nearby restaurant, found a round wooden table, and took their seats opposite one another as the quiet hum of lunchtime chatter filled the air.
Serin leaned forward on the table, resting her chin lightly on her palms.
So… what are you doing these days, Perun? Do you have free time now? We could hang out together.
Perun rubbed the back of his neck. I'm working at the supermarket. But on weekends, the owner handles everything himself big or small and he has to settle all the accounts too. So I get two days off.
Serin brightened. Great! Then the three of us can go out together.
Perun blinked. "Go where?"
Vaelor, who had been looking around curiously at the restaurant's décor, spoke as if it were obvious. "Somewhere people dance and enjoy themselves."
Both Perun and Serin exchanged a slow glance.
"A bar…?" they said at the same time.
In Norus there are lounge inside the bar. Where people can dance and enjoy.
The bar aside for meals, and drink.
Vaelor clueless about bar...
"Well," Serin said hesitantly, going to a bar isn't bad… as long as we don't drink. And Mom always told me to explore new things. He said it mostly to reassure himself.
Serin raised a finger. But—I'm not eighteen yet.
Perun added, I just turned eighteen. But Vaelor… doesn't have any ID.
Vaelor shrugged. "Do you really need all that to enjoy something?"
He started to add something else "Well, I could just mess up their mi—"
But Perun quickly cut him off with a firm shake of his head and a warning stare.
Serin narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Why did you stop him? What were you two talking about?
Perun's mind scrambled for something that sounded believable. "Ah—he's good at acting. So, that why he says he can mess up their minds. Because he will divert attention and we can just slip inside the bar without IDs."
Vaelor leaned closer to Perun and whispered, barely audible, I have no idea what you're talking about.
Just act, Perun whispered back. I'll handle the rest.
Across from them, a man who had been sitting alone shifted his weight. He looked older than the three of them late twenties, maybe. A faint beard lined his jaw, and a dark brown fedora sat low over his eyes. He kept checking his wristwatch, tapping the glass every time it ticked too slowly.
At one point, the metal ring on his finger clicked sharply against the table.
The sound cut through the conversation.
The man abruptly stood up, chair scraping the floor, and walked toward the counter to pay his bill.
At the exact same moment, Vaelor also pushed back his seat, intending to head somewhere restroom, maybe, or just stretch his legs. Their paths crossed too closely.
The two collided.
There was a sudden, tense silence.
Both straightened.
They locked eyes Vaelor's startled expression meeting the man's intense, stone-still gaze.
The man leaned in slightly. "Hey, kid."
Vaelor lowered his head instantly. "Sorry, sir."
Perun and Serin also bowed apologetically from behind him. "Sorry!"
The man's stern look softened into a small, unexpected smile.
"No harm done. I should be the one apologizing. I wasn't looking."
He nodded, paid his bill, and stepped out of the restaurant leaving behind only the faint scent of old cologne and an unshakable sense that something was unusual about him.