Leaning against his motorcycle, Kaivan's figure looked small beneath the fading light of dusk. His jacket fluttered in the breeze; his eyes, sharp yet weary, stared at the lake as if searching for meaning in its reflection. His fingers tightened around the handlebars, the last thing he could still hold onto in a world beginning to crack.
Silence blanketed the place.
Then, the distant roar of an engine shattered the stillness. Two beams of light sliced through the twilight, their glow rippling across the mirrored water. Kaivan lifted his gaze, squinting. His heartbeat fell into rhythm with the sound of the engine.
A faint smile crossed his lips.
"Radit... Felicia..."
The motorcycles halted not far from him. Radit was the first to step off, quick, agile, like a bullet yet to be fired. He wiped his nose with the back of his hand, a familiar habit from childhood.
Felicia followed. Her steps were graceful; her long black hair swayed like a living shadow. Her crimson eyes burned softly, calm yet tense, like a drawn bow waiting for release.
Kaivan greeted them with a slight nod. His small smile was enough to thaw the chill in the air.
"Welcome," he said quietly, sincerity hidden within the simplicity of his words.
For a moment, the fractured world between them seemed to pause.
Radit smirked, hands tucked into his pockets, shoulders raised in his usual nonchalant way. "Sorry we're late," he said, though a faint trace of guilt lingered in his tone.
Felicia gave a subtle nod. Her voice was calm, sharp as glass. "We left something behind."
The evening wind brushed her hair as her eyes met Kaivan's, not just greeting, but searching.
Kaivan exhaled softly and shook his head. "What matters is that you came."
His voice was steady like the lake before them, though his heart was far less still.
A short distance away, Ethan leaned against his bike, arms crossed, eyes quietly observing every movement. He said nothing, but his gaze was that of a wolf, measuring the field before the hunt.
Radit sensed the faint tension in the air. He spoke up, "Felicia said you lost something? Don't tell me... the Tome Omnicent?"
His tone sounded casual, but its edge was sharp.
His glance flicked toward Felicia, who merely shrugged. Yet her eyes shifted to Ethan, sharp, probing, as if dissecting every inch of him with her mind.
Felicia lifted her chin slightly. Her voice was cold.
"Who is he?"
Kaivan drew in a long breath. His answer was direct.
"Ethan. He's the one who took my bike. My money, phone... and the Tome Omnicent."
A heavy silence hung between them, like evening mist refusing to be scattered by the light. Radit frowned. Felicia stayed quiet, her stare sharpening further, as though trying to read Ethan's thoughts.
Ethan knew he was being judged. He sighed, slipped his hands into his jacket pockets, and gave a crooked smile, an attempt at defense that felt forced.
"Heh, that was in the past," he said, trying to sound relaxed. "Besides, it was my friends' job. I just... went along. Now, I actually want to help you guys."
His gaze, a little uneasy, met Kaivan's calm eyes, steady, but not yet trusting.
Radit leaned closer to Felicia and whispered, "You really think we can trust him?"
Kaivan inhaled deeply, then looked straight at Ethan.
"Can we trust you, Ethan?"
Ethan straightened. "Of course you can."
Kaivan turned immediately to Radit and Felicia.
"You heard him. So, I'll believe him."
Radit scratched his head, caught between annoyance and admiration.
"I can't tell, Kaivan... are you stupid or a genius?"
Felicia shook her head slightly. Kaivan's answer was too simple, too risky. Yet after a pause, she nodded, her tone firm.