They had left the brighter campus road behind.
Now they were walking along the quieter street that led toward Juri's neighborhood.
Juri seemed completely relaxed.
His shoulders were loose, his hands moving animatedly as he argued.
"That was clearly your fault," he insisted. "You tilted the joystick too early."
Zhou Kai snorted. "You're still stuck on that?"
"Yes, because you refuse to admit it."
Juri shook his head dramatically in denial, mumbling something about "hopeless cases"—
And then he froze.
Just for half a second.
Zhou Kai noticed the pause immediately.
Juri's eyes had shifted past him—toward the darker side road up ahead.
Three figures stood there.
Not under the streetlight.
But just outside its reach.
Their outlines were visible, but their faces were half-hidden in shadow.
Juri's breath hitched.
It was subtle—but his entire posture changed.
The confidence.
The sharp tone.
Gone.
Without realizing it, he stepped closer to Zhou Kai.
Then closer.
