They left the living room together. Laughter slowly returned between their steps, as if everything had gone back to normal. But deep down, all three of them knew, something had shifted. Their relationship was changing, inch by inch, toward a place none of them had ever been.
The workshop buzzed with a soft mechanical hum. The scent of warm metal and a faint trace of ozone drifted through the air. Neon lights reflected off a cluttered workbench filled with stripped cables, a glowing soldering iron, and a half-disassembled motherboard.
Two figures sat side by side amid that organized chaos: Zinnia and Kaivan.
Zinnia, the girl with deep-plum hair, sat gracefully on a synthetic leather work chair, one leg crossed over the other. Her fingers moved deftly across a PCB, tracing its circuit lines. Yet her eyes flicked toward Kaivan every now and then, quietly observing him as he slumped in his chair, chin resting on his hand, staring blankly at a monitor he hadn't touched for minutes.
Zinnia set down her soldering tool and tilted her head slightly, her hair brushing softly against her shoulder. "So," she said gently, her voice velvety, "why do you look so drained, Kaivan?"
Kaivan turned slowly, as if he'd just realized she was talking to him. He lowered his gaze and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "I got scolded by my mom because Thivi and Felicia slept next to me yesterday," he confessed, blunt, unfiltered.
The world froze.
Zinnia stiffened. Her dark eyes widened, fingers frozen midair. Slowly, she placed her tweezers on the table. Then, in a swift motion, she turned toward Kaivan, her left hand gripping his shoulder.
"What?!" she exclaimed. Her breath brushed against his skin, their faces so close their brows nearly touched. Her cheeks flushed, not from embarrassment, but from shock mixed with a faint, simmering frustration.
Kaivan panicked, his hands lifting defensively. "W-wait… I can explain!" he stammered, leaning back.
With a red face and trembling voice, he told her everything, from Felicia and Thivi sneaking into his bed, to Ethan taking the photo, to his mother giving him a serious talk but not a harsh scolding.
Zinnia stayed silent through the entire explanation. Her expression remained unreadable, but her eyes were sharp, analyzing, dissecting, weighing every detail.
When he finally finished, she closed her eyes. She drew a long, deep breath, her shoulders rising and falling as if she were letting go of something heavy.
"So… your mother is basically letting you choose whoever you want now?" she asked calmly. Yet beneath her tone lingered something else, an unspoken test, a quiet confession.
Kaivan nodded slowly. "But… I'm not thinking about that yet. I'm not ready."
Zinnia looked at him. A small smile tugged at her lips, thin, soft, but deeply meaningful. She exhaled in relief. "Good… I'm glad you're not in love with anyone yet," she murmured, just loud enough for him to hear.
Kaivan blinked, confused. "What do you mean?"
Zinnia seemed ready to answer, but another voice cut in.
"Kaivan. It's time," Isabel said as she appeared from behind a stack of tools, her rose-red hair swaying gently as she walked forward. Her face was calm, as always.
Kaivan and Zinnia turned at the same moment. The air tightened, then loosened again in a quiet sigh.
Zinnia tucked back a strand of hair. She stood up, brushed the side of her skirt, then gazed at Kaivan softly. "Let's continue this later," she whispered.
Kaivan nodded.
In the center of the workshop, Kaivan stood before a black sling bag lying open on the table. His hands moved swiftly, packing his tools: a digital compass, a small radio, a folding knife, and a vial of liquid. His movements were efficient, his eyes steady.
"Listen. We're going. You all stay here. If anything happens, you'll be safe with Felicia," Kaivan said calmly, though a faint tension lingered beneath his voice.
Frans, who had been lounging casually, straightened up and nodded. "Yeah, we get it," he replied, now standing a little more firmly as if realizing the weight of his role.
Without another word, Kaivan, Raphael, Ethan, and Radit left the workshop. The metal door groaned as they pushed it open, and the cold air outside swept across their faces.
They headed toward the bus stop, steps steady though their minds drifted elsewhere. Kaivan walked in front, expression serious. Raphael stayed on his right, eyes sharp and alert. Ethan kept to the left, fiddling with his vape, while Radit followed behind, seemingly relaxed, yet attentive.
The public transport they boarded was crowded, swaying gently with each turn. Kaivan stood gripping the strap above him, posture straight though his face looked heavy. Raphael leaned against the pole near the door, one leg crossed loosely. Ethan stared into his phone, while Radit quietly watched the passengers around them.
A few stops later, they got off, following the faint pull of the Omnicent Tome Kaivan carried. The city's noise greeted them, honking cars, vendors calling out, hurried footsteps, all blending into a familiar yet restless urban melody.
Radit finally broke the silence, his voice light. "So… the person we're looking for… boy or girl, Van?"
Kaivan opened the Tome without slowing down. The pages were blank at first, then slowly an image began to form. He brushed his fingers over the surface. "Oh… this is what she looks like."
Raphael leaned closer. "Like what? I can't see it."