The smell of sizzling skewers and sweet confections drifted through the open air, curling into the afternoon warmth. Colorful banners swayed above the plaza, catching sunlight in their fabric as if the whole place was dressed for a celebration. Students bustled in every direction—some balanced armfuls of decorations, others argued over stall placements, and laughter carried like scattered bells between the chatter. Tomorrow marked the start of the big event, and Zhero Academy had transformed into a hive of noise and motion.
Liora sat on the edge of a long wooden bench beside Klyden, the rhythmic splash of the nearby fountain punctuating their idle chatter. She bit into a soft, steaming bun, the bread puffing slightly in her grip, while Klyden crunched through something far crispier—his jaw working with exaggerated effort, like he was trying to make the sound louder than the crowd.
"So…" Liora spoke between bites, her eyes flicking sideways, "you seen Wads anywhere?"
Klyden swallowed and tilted his head back, squinting at the sky in thought. "Mm… nope. Haven't seen that guy for… what? Two weeks? Maybe he turned into a hermit somewhere in the training halls." He grinned, his sun-bright expression almost smug. "Probably too busy turning himself into a monster. You know him—push 'til he drops, then push again."
Liora smirked, the image in her head making her snort. "Right. Passing out mid-swing, waking up, then going at it again."
Her eyes wandered from the fountain's rippling water to the flurry of activity around them. Nearby, a group of first-years struggled to tie a series of lanterns between two tall poles, the string sagging dangerously in the middle. A vendor adjusted rows of candied fruits, the glossy syrup catching every shard of sunlight. A tailor's stall displayed bright festival garments in rippling lines, the colors so rich they almost looked wet. Even the air had a festival taste—warm, sweet, and touched with the faint tang of paint from fresh decorations.
Despite the noise, there was a small, still corner in Liora's thoughts. Wads wasn't the only one pushing himself—everyone was. It felt like a quiet race, the kind where no one said the rules out loud, but everyone understood: if you slowed down, you'd fall behind. She thought back to years ago, when she'd still been taller than him, when she'd rest her elbow on his head just to watch him fume. He'd been scrawny back then—messy hair, awkward posture, way too stubborn for his size. She almost laughed out loud at the memory.
And then—she did laugh.
But her own laugh startled her when it merged with another sound—one deeper, closer. A voice she knew almost too well.
"What's so funny?"
Her body stilled, breath catching before she turned her head. The sun hit her eyes first, blurring her vision before it framed the figure looming just behind her. His shadow cut clean against the fountain's shimmering edge.
Wads.
He was looking down at her, one brow arched in mild suspicion, his rectangular glasses catching the light in a sharp gleam. That same earring glinted at his left ear, and the two tiny moles on his neck were exactly where they'd always been—yet somehow, they drew her gaze longer than they should have. His Zhero uniform looked almost too fitting now, the white shirt lines crisp even with his necktie hanging slightly loose, the sleeves rolled enough to show forearms that hadn't been that defined before.
He wasn't bulky like Klyden, but every movement carried a new steadiness—like his body had been carved down to something sharper. Taller too.
Liora realized she'd been staring, and the heat rushed to her ears. So she did what she always did: hide it under teasing.
"Guess you didn't vanish after all. Thought maybe you'd finally passed out for good."
Instead of answering her, Wads stepped forward, his gaze shifting to Klyden. He clapped a firm hand against Klyden's shoulder in greeting.
"Look who decided to crawl out of his cave," Klyden said, beaming so wide it made the corners of his eyes crinkle. "Man, you've been ghosting us. What'd you do, take a vow of silence while you were at it?"
"Something like that," Wads replied, a small curve in his lips that almost counted as a smile.
Klyden gave an exaggerated once-over, nodding with mock approval. "Alright, I see you. New height, sharper jaw, arms look like they can actually carry something now… What's next? You gonna start smiling at people?"
Wads raised an eyebrow, but his silence only made Klyden laugh harder. "Don't tell me all that training burned the humor out of you."
Liora hid her own smile by leaning back against the bench, but her eyes followed Wads without meaning to. The faint wind tugged at the ends of his hair, the crowd shifting and blurring behind him. She couldn't quite place it, but there was something heavier about his presence now—not just stronger, but… more grounded, as if he'd rooted himself somewhere she couldn't yet see.
"You're late to the party," Klyden said, still sunny, still leaning forward with elbows on his knees. "Big event's tomorrow. You plan on showing everyone what that two-week disappearing act was for?"
"We'll see," Wads said simply.
And even though it was just two words, Liora could hear the weight in them.