The pizza shop was quiet in the late-night stillness.
Zani and Ray settled into a booth by the window, both looking utterly drained. They slumped in their seats, stifling yawns as they waited for their belated dinner.
Zani idly twirled a strand of hair around her finger, her gaze distant and fixed on the ink-black street outside. It was hard to tell if she was lost in thought or simply letting her mind go blank.
Across from her, Ray was draped bonelessly in his chair, head tipped back, eyes shut. His breathing had grown slow and even, teetering right on the edge of sleep.
"Are you asleep?" Zani asked softly, her wandering attention finally settling on him.
"No."
His eyes remained closed, not even a flutter of his lashes. The word came out muffled and sluggish, drained of all energy.
Looking at him, Zani's lips quirked downward in a faint, knowing sigh. "That's exactly what being asleep looks like."
She completely understood his state.
After a day of non-stop, headlong rushing, the moment you finally ease the tension on a tightly-stretched nerve, the whole system just… collapses. Like a rubber band pulled to its limit and suddenly let go. Right now, even sitting quietly for a single minute was enough for that tidal wave of exhaustion to sweep over you, pulling you irresistibly into a deep, sweet slumber.
"...Still no different from when you first arrived," Zani murmured to herself.
She rested her chin lazily in one hand, watching Ray with a quiet, contemplative gaze.
She remembered when he'd first joined the Averardo Bank, fresh-faced, almost like a university student, treading with excessive caution. Every step was measured, every word carefully weighed, as if terrified of stepping on a hidden landmine.
Who would have thought... that seemingly timid, overly careful demeanor was just a carefully constructed act of self-preservation. Beneath it, he was sharp and adaptable, navigating complex situations with an almost uncanny ease. And when it came to work, he absorbed information at a frightening rate. A little guidance was all he needed to grasp a concept fully and run with it.
Gradually, their relationship shifted from senior and junior to the smoothly-operating partnership they had now.
Except...
Zani's gaze drifted lower, settling on his right hand.
There, on the back of Ray's hand, was a clearly visible Tacet Mark.
—The mark of a Resonator.
Resonators were those who could synchronize with frequencies, wielding extraordinary abilities. But for some reason, Ray had never once activated his Resonator abilities.
At first, Zani suspected he was deliberately hiding his power, perhaps harboring some secret or grand plan. But as time went on, living and working alongside him day in and day out, she gradually dismissed the idea.
It wasn't that Ray was hiding it. The truth was, even he himself didn't know what his Resonance ability was.
"Probably like a protagonist in a manga," he'd always say when asked.
'I'll only reveal my shocking talent when I'm in real danger.'
Just as Zani was lost in these musings, a faint, sharp crack pierced the midnight quiet.
Ray, already drifting deeper into sleep, didn't notice. Perhaps all of slumbering Ragunna didn't notice.
But Zani heard it.
Her head snapped up. She saw a dark silhouette dart across the rooftops. The sound she'd heard was a loose tile, accidentally kicked free, shattering on the ground below.
"...Tch. Troublesome," Zani clicked her tongue softly, a sigh of resignation and weariness escaping her lips.
She reached for her coat draped over the chair, her movements gentle yet carrying an undercurrent of urgency. Her fingers rummaged through a pocket until she found her wallet.
Pulling out a few Shell Credits, she set them down softly on the table. The faint, clear tink they made seemed loud in the quiet shop.
Her gaze then drifted back to Ray, who was still lost in his dreams, and she couldn't help but shake her head with a sigh.
"Alright, just sleep here for a bit then."
With that, she stood up and left the shop.
....
"Here's your order- Huh? Where's Zani?"
A moment later, Margherita approached the table, her hands full with steaming plates of food. Her cheerful step faltered as she arrived, finding only a soundly sleeping Ray occupying the booth.
She paused for a second before setting the plates down. Gently, she shook Ray's shoulder, hoping to wake him and get an answer. "Wake up. Where's your partner?"
Half-asleep, Ray felt the motion and pried his eyes open, his vision still blurry. He pushed himself upright a little, rubbing his eyes in a futile attempt to clear the fog. "Partner?" he mumbled, voice thick.
Margherita stared at him, exasperated. "The overtime's fried your brain. I'm asking you, where did your senior go?"
"Oh, Zani. She's... right there, isn't she?" Ray answered automatically, his gaze shifting to the seat opposite him.
It was only then that it hit him. The spot where Zani had been sitting was now completely empty.
"Where is she?" he asked, quickly turning back to Margherita with a bewildered look.
"You're asking me?" she shot back.
"Then who should I ask?" Ray ran a hand through his messy hair in frustration. "I nodded off for a second. She's... probably in the bathroom?"
"Alright, then," Margherita said with a light shrug and a practiced, polite smile. "Well, your food's here. Please enjoy it. I've got other things to attend to, so just call if you need anything."
With that, Margherita walked away, leaving Ray sitting alone at the table, staring at the generous spread of food in front of him, feeling a little lost.
So... where did Zani go?
Not that he couldn't polish off all this food by himself. Wasting it wasn't a concern.
Ray picked up his Terminal and sent Zani a few messages. No response.
He wasn't worried, though.
This wasn't the first time something like this had happened. There was a previous incident where he'd been frantic, only for Zani to show up the next morning, looking utterly drained but waving a lazy greeting from her workstation. He'd seen her in action. An ordinary person wouldn't stand a chance against her.
So, worrying about Zani's safety wasn't high on his list right now.
A more immediate concern was enjoying this meal sitting in front of him.
He picked up a few crispy, golden potato wedges and tossed them into his mouth. As he chewed, his gaze drifted longingly back to the aromatic pizza.
Just as his hand reached for a slice, a distinct, sharp gulp cut through the quiet shop.
He paused, then turned his head. Looking through the window, he was surprised to find a girl standing right outside. She was staring intently, no, longingly at the pizza on the table. Their eyes met.
"...Huh?"