"I guess it's just us, huh?"
Benjamin watched their figures fade between the moving bodies and the hanging signs until even the green of Eric's hair was no longer visible, swallowed by the distance and the press of strangers.
He turned forward again and began walking, his steps unhurried against the hot stone.
The street they entered was less crowded; the press of people was thin, leaving clearer space between the shopfronts and longer stretches of open cobblestone that gleamed under the high sun.
The afternoon light slanted across the upper stories, catching on ironwork and faded paint, turning ordinary buildings into something briefly beautiful.
"As expected of Benjamin~"
Katana's voice came from his left, warm with amusement, possessing that particular lilt that belonged only to her.
She matched his pace without effort, the pale skin of her arms catching the light, the movement casual and unconscious.
