The office had grown quiet long before Sylus finally closed the last spreadsheet. Most of the employees had already left. Sylus stretched his fingers once before saving the file.
Another financial trail finished. Sylus shut the laptop slowly. Whoever designed the financial structure behind the firm was very smart. They designed a firm under the guise to launder money and traffic people.
Almost like—
He stopped that thought.
Pippin floated lazily above his desk, its small glowing body spinning slowly like a bored firefly.
"You're overthinking again."
Sylus slipped the laptop into his bag. "Anybody in my shoes will."
"Yes," the spirit replied. "But it's entertaining."
Sylus glanced around the office one last time, only one other desk still had its lights on, which was Lyra's. She sat with one elbow resting on the desk, chin in her palm as she scrolled through something on her computer.
When she noticed Sylus looking, she immediately smiled. "Finally done?"
Sylus slung the strap of his bag over his shoulder. "Looks like it."
Lyra leaned back in her chair dramatically.
"I was starting to think you planned to sleep here."
"Well. That would save rent."
She laughed softly. "True."
Sylus walked past her desk toward the elevators. He barely reached the hallway before he heard her chair roll back, then footsteps, quick ones.
"Wait," Lyra called.
Sylus stopped and turned slightly.
She caught up a second later, slipping her phone into her bag.
"You're leaving now?" she asked.
Sylus nodded. "Yeah."
Lyra tilted her head, studying him for a moment before smiling again.
"Perfect timing then. I was about to head out too."
Pippin floated beside Sylus' shoulder rolling its eyes. Sylus ignored the expression. They stepped into the elevator together. For a moment neither of them spoke while the doors slid shut and the elevator began descending.
Then Lyra glanced sideways at him. "You always work this late?"
"Usually."
"That sounds exhausting."
"It's quiet," Sylus replied calmly. "Less distractions."
Lyra hummed thoughtfully. "I guess that explains why you're always so focused in class."
Sylus raised an eyebrow. "You've been watching me?"
Lyra didn't even try to deny it. "Well, yeah."
Sylus brows knitted together, her honesty was disarming.
"You're kind of mysterious."
"Mysterious?"
"You sit quietly, barely talk to anyone, and somehow still top the class and finish your work than everyone else."
Sylus chuckled softly. "That just sounds like good time management."
"Or secret genius."
"I wouldn't go that far."
The elevator reached the lobby. The doors slid open and they stepped outside into the cool night air. Sylus started walking, and a moment later Lyra fell into step beside him.
Pippin floated quietly nearby, watching. Lyra seemed completely comfortable walking beside him. Which made Sylus a bit irritated but he managed to hide his expression.
She glanced up at the sky briefly before speaking again. "So… random question."
Sylus looked at her. "Go on."
She grinned. "Do you have a girlfriend?"
Sylus blinked, the question hanging between them. Seriously? Of all things…that's what she wanted to know?
"No. I don't care about those." He replied briskly.
Lyra studied his face like she was verifying the answer. "Seriously?"
"Yeah."
She laughed. "I don't believe that."
"Why not?"
"You're tall, cute, mysterious, and apparently good with money."
"That's a strange list."
"It's an accurate one."
Sylus smiled faintly.
"Well, unfortunately for your theory, all I wanna do is clear my father's debt. And that might take ten years only if I keep working this job."
Lyra seems unsatisfied with his answer. "Huh? Ten years? That's a long time."
"Yeah." Sylus said, walking towards the subway pathway.
"Well. I was hoping you weren't taking the subway tonight," she said lightly.
Sylus adjusted the strap of his bag on his shoulder and slowed his pace a little. "Is that so?"
"Well, yeah." She shrugged. "Walking is better after sitting in front of a computer for hours. Clears your head."
"That's one way to look at it."
Lyra glanced sideways at him. "You don't agree?"
"I do," Sylus replied calmly. "I just didn't realize you lived in this direction."
"I don't," she admitted without hesitation.
Sylus finally looked at her. Lyra grinned.
"But it's not far if I cut through two streets."
The honesty was so casual that it almost sounded believable. Pippin drifted quietly near Sylus' shoulder, glowing faintly.
"She's lying," the spirit whispered.
Sylus ignored the comment.
Instead he smiled faintly at Lyra. "That's a lot of effort just to walk with a coworker."
Lyra tilted her head, studying him for a second before answering.
"Well, you're not exactly the easiest person to talk in school."
"That's because I'm always studying."
"Or pretending to study."
Sylus laughed softly at that. "You caught me."
They continued walking side by side, the street lights stretching they shadows across the pavement. For a moment the conversation drifted into silence. Lyra didn't seem uncomfortable with it though. She walked with her hands loosely tucked into the pockets of her coat, occasionally glancing around the street like she was enjoying the silence.
Sylus broke the silence first. "You do this often?"
"Follow coworkers home?" she asked, amused.
"If that's what you want to call it."
Lyra laughed. "No. I just don't like walking alone at night."
Sylus raised an eyebrow slightly. "But you're doing it now."
She stopped walking suddenly, and Sylus turned toward her. Lyra reached into her bag with dramatic flair before pulling something out and holding it up proudly.
"Tada."
A small red pepper spray can glinted under the streetlight.
"My greatest weapon."
Sylus stared at it for a moment, then he chuckled.
"That's reassuring."
"It should be," Lyra said cheerfully as she slipped it back into her bag.
"I've watched enough crime documentaries to know preparation is important."
Pippin drifted slowly around her again. Its glow dimmed slightly. Sylus noticed immediately.
"What is it?" he murmured under his breath.
Lyra glanced at him. "Talking to yourself again?"
"Thinking out loud," Sylus replied smoothly.
"Dangerous habit."
"So I've been told."
They resumed walking, after a minute Sylus asked casually,
"Have you downloaded that game everyone keeps talking about?"
Lyra's eyes lit up immediately. "The installment game?"
"That's the one."
"Of course I downloaded it," she said with a laugh. "Everyone did. Half the school was talking about it this morning."
Sylus glanced at her thoughtfully. "And?"
"And what?"
"What do you think about it?"
Lyra considered the question for a moment.
"It's strange," she admitted. "But also kind of fascinating."
"Fascinating?"
"Well think about it," she continued thoughtfully. "A game that reward real money and kind of solves your financial problems if you complete tasks? It's ridiculous… but also weirdly tempting."
Sylus nodded slowly. "That's probably why it's spreading so quickly. I wonder who created that kind of game."
Lyra looked up at him curiously. "You downloaded it too, didn't you?"
Sylus didn't know what to say. Who would believe him if he ever says the game mysteriously appeared in his phone? Instead he smiled faintly and said,
"Kind of."
"See?" she said triumphantly. "Even you is curious."
Pippin floated closer to Sylus' ear.
"She's watching your reactions very carefully."
"I know," Sylus replied silently.
Lyra was still studying him when Sylus checked the time on his phone, the faint smile on his face faded.
11:18 PM.
Lyra noticed the shift immediately. "Everything okay?"
Sylus slipped his phone back into his pocket.
"My brother," he said simply. "I need to get home soon."
Lyra blinked. "You have a brother?"
"Yes, a younger brother."
"You never mentioned that."
"He's autistic," Sylus explained quietly. "Routine is important for him. If dinner is late, he gets anxious. Which is already late."
Lyra's expression softened. "That must be a lot of responsibility."
"It's not as difficult as people assume," Sylus replied. "You just learn to structure things properly."
They turned another corner, Sylus' pace increased slightly now. Lyra kept up without complaint. Sylus checked his phone again, a message on the screen.
PLAYER 040404