"Phew~, she's relentless!" Matt complained as he arrived next to the others.
Paulo nodded vigorously in agreement.
Zave watched them from the corner of his eye, a faint crease forming on his brow.
"Where did you two come from?" he asked carefully, narrowing his eyes. "You didn't get into any trouble along the way, did you?"
"W-what? N-no. Haha..." Matt's gaze flickered away, guilty yet playful, while Paulo whistled softly, staring off in the opposite direction. "I don't know what you're talking about..."
Zave let out a quiet sigh, shaking his head, these two—totally incorrigible.
Finally, the group stepped fully out of the tunnel, and the forest opened before them like a living panorama. The view seemed almost unreal, as if the world itself had tilted to reveal a hidden masterpiece.
