Chris was on her way to a nearby café for lunch.
She walked through the streets of Genorex City with her phone in one hand, scrolling through reels without paying much attention to what was happening around her. Three years had passed since everything had changed, and somehow, ordinary days had become almost strange to her.
She reached the café, grabbed her lunch from the counter, and sat down at one of the tables.
While waiting for her food to cool, she continued scrolling.
Another reel appeared.
This time, she stopped.
It was a news report.
A foreign reporter was standing on a street somewhere outside Genorex City, speaking directly into a camera.
"Genorex City continues to remain one of the most dangerous cities in the region. Despite increased military presence, reports of unidentified creatures continue to surface—"
Chris watched for a few seconds.
Then she sighed and lowered her phone.
"Same story every day…"
She took a bite of her lunch.
Meanwhile, across the city, Twilight was having a very different kind of day.
He had no classes today.
Normally, that would have been the perfect excuse to stay at home, sleep for hours, and avoid everyone.
But there was one problem.
He was too lazy to cook.
So instead, he decided to visit his favorite café.
It had been a while since he'd last gone there.
The moment Twilight stepped through the door, the owner looked up from behind the counter.
His face immediately brightened.
"Twilight?"
Twilight raised a hand casually.
"Hey."
"You finally came back!" the owner said with a laugh. "I thought you forgot about us."
"Just got busy."
The owner shook his head.
"Still the same?"
Twilight nodded.
"My usual."
"Coming right up."
Twilight took a seat near the window.
He leaned back and looked outside while waiting.
His phone suddenly rang.
Twilight reached into his pocket.
But before he could grab it properly, the phone slipped from his hand.
It hit the floor.
Clack.
Twilight looked down.
"Oh, come on…"
The phone slid across the floor.
It passed his table.
Then another.
And finally stopped beside the table next to him.
Twilight turned toward the person sitting there.
"Excuse me, could you—"
The girl sitting at the table bent down and picked up the phone.
She turned around.
Twilight froze.
Chris froze too.
For a moment, neither of them said anything.
Three years.
Three entire years.
And yet, somehow, the person standing in front of them looked exactly like someone they remembered.
Twilight stared at Chris.
Chris stared back.
Neither seemed to know what to say.
The café suddenly felt strangely quiet.
Twilight finally pointed toward the phone.
Chris blinked.
"Oh…"
She looked down at it.
Then back at him.
"This is yours, right?"
Twilight nodded.
Chris handed it to him.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome."
That was it.
No questions.
No explanation.
No conversation about the past.
They simply turned back toward their tables.
Chris sat down again, staring at her lunch.
Twilight placed his phone on the table.
Both of them seemed to be thinking the exact same thing.
Why now?
Before either could say anything, the owner called from the counter.
"Twilight! Your order is ready!"
Twilight stood immediately.
"Coming."
He walked to the counter, picked up his lunch, and headed toward the exit.
Chris glanced up.
She watched him leave.
For a few seconds, she remained completely still.
Then she quickly gathered her things.
She stood up and walked outside.
The street was crowded.
Chris looked left.
Then right.
Nothing.
"Where did he go?"
She stepped farther onto the sidewalk.
Then she spotted him.
Twilight was walking toward the subway entrance across the road.
Chris's eyes widened.
"Twilight!"
He didn't hear her.
Or perhaps he did and simply didn't turn around.
Chris hurried across the road.
"Twilight!"
By the time she reached the other side, he had already disappeared into the subway.
Chris followed.
Inside, the station was packed.
People were talking on their phones, rushing toward platforms, checking schedules, and squeezing through the crowds.
Chris looked around.
There.
She caught a glimpse of Twilight.
He was heading toward the platform.
"Wait!"
She hurried after him.
The crowd made it difficult.
She had to move around people one by one, apologizing as she passed.
"Sorry—excuse me."
Twilight continued walking.
A train was approaching.
The sound of it echoed through the station.
Chris pushed herself forward.
The doors opened.
Twilight entered through one of the first doors.
Chris reached the train a moment later and entered through the fourth or fifth door.
The doors closed.
The train began moving.
Chris looked toward the front.
She could barely see him between the passengers.
"Seriously…"
She started moving forward.
One step.
Then another.
The train was crowded, and every few seconds someone would block her path.
She kept going.
Eventually, after squeezing through several groups of passengers, she finally saw him.
Twilight was standing near the doors at the front of the carriage, looking outside through the window.
Chris stopped for a moment.
She had finally caught up.
She walked toward him.
Twilight noticed someone approaching from behind.
He turned.
Chris gave him a small smile.
"Hi."
Twilight looked at her.
For a second, he seemed almost surprised that she had followed him this far.
Then his expression softened slightly.
"Hello."
He turned back toward the window.
Chris stood beside him.
Neither spoke.
The train continued rushing through the underground tunnel.
The silence between them wasn't uncomfortable.
It was simply… unfamiliar.
Three years ago, they had known each other differently.
Now they were standing beside each other like strangers who happened to remember the same past.
Chris looked at Twilight.
Twilight continued staring through the window.
Neither of them knew what to say next.