"Yo! You're in here again, Nixxin and Oniu," Aeolous said as he draped his arms over both of them. He wore a straw hat tilted slightly to one side and a pair of sunglasses that reflected the bright afternoon light.
Oniu glanced at him and raised a brow. "Oh, we were actually trying to find you."
Aeolous pulled down his sunglasses just enough to reveal his eyes, smirking. "Am I too handsome, to the point boys like me now?"
Nixxin forced a thin smile. "Yeah, you're handsome, sure. But we're actually here to ask something about Lurain."
Aeolous slipped off his sandals and sat down on the bridge, letting his feet dangle above the water. "Really? What was it?"
Oniu sat beside him, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "It's just that I noticed something about him."
Aeolous stared out at the sea, his expression softening. "Maybe, just maybe, he's underwater."
Nixxin groaned and lay back against the metal bars of the bridge. "Uhh, can you just say it directly?"
Aeolous sighed. "Lurain is my cousin. Not a close cousin, but still family. My grandfather's father's brother is the father of Lurain's grandfather. Those brothers were air and fire users. That's why we're from the same clan, just with different specialties in magic."
Nixxin tilted his head slightly. "Okay... and?"
Aeolous kept his eyes on the waves. "I think it's because his father can't work anymore. His mother is gone, and he's an only child. His father can't continue as a fire magician, so Lurain doesn't know what to do. He's stuck choosing between quitting the tournament to support his father or continuing and trusting his chances there."
Oniu frowned. "So he's struggling."
"They're not rich," Aeolous added quietly. "He's drowning. Not just in life, but right now too."
Nixxin sat up. "What do you mean right now?"
Aeolous pointed out toward the sea. "Look at him. That's Lurain. He's actually drowning."
Both Nixxin and Oniu froze before snapping their attention toward the water. A figure struggled in the distance, arms barely staying above the surface.
Oniu reacted first. He cut his hand lightly and pressed it against Nixxin's foot. A faint glow spread as the buff activated, strengthening Nixxin's legs.
"Go!" Oniu shouted.
Nixxin nodded and sprinted forward before launching himself into a powerful jump, clearing a huge distance toward the water.
Oniu ran after him without hesitation, while Aeolous stood up and followed at a calmer pace. On the way, a small kid handed Aeolous a stick of barbecue.
"Thank you, spider kid," Aeolous said casually, taking a bite as if nothing urgent was happening.
By the time they reached the beach, Nixxin had already pulled Lurain closer to shore. The waves crashed around them as Oniu rushed forward to help drag him fully onto the sand.
Aeolous walked up, brushing sand off his hands. "Hey, Lurain, what happened to you?"
Lurain coughed violently, gasping for air between breaths. "The boat turned over. I got stuck with it. It sank, and the fish I caught got away."
Aeolous dropped onto the sand dramatically, hugging the ground. "Ahhh, you're so bad at this job. Just quit it."
Oniu ignored him and examined the nearby boat. "There are still some fish in here. About six or seven."
Nixxin looked down at Lurain. "You're trying to be a fisherman?"
Lurain lay flat on the sand, exhausted. "Yeah."
Aeolous perked up and reached into the tilted boat, catching a fish that flopped out. "Hey, we can grill these."
Just then, Aeolous' father approached them from the direction of the house. "Lurain, your father is here. Come on, let's eat. And invite your friends too."
Aeolous waved enthusiastically. "Dad, there are seven fish here. Let's grill them!"
Lurain slowly stood, still catching his breath, and followed Aeolous. Nixxin and Oniu exchanged a glance before trailing behind him.
As they walked, Nixxin spoke quietly. "Lurain, wouldn't it be better if you became an entrepreneur instead of fishing? You could sell products made from fish. I can help you with it."
Lurain did not answer immediately, but the idea lingered in his expression.
When they arrived at the house, the place was packed. Voices filled the air, and laughter echoed from every corner.
Nixxin instinctively stepped back, overwhelmed, but Aeolous grabbed his arm and pulled him inside. "Why are you backing off? It's just people."
"Why are there so many people here?" Nixxin asked.
The four of them settled near the grilling area outside. Lurain crouched in front of the grill, preparing the fish.
"There's a birthday," he said. "That's why so many people are here."
As he worked, a drop of blood from his earlier struggle fell onto the grill, causing the fire to flare up suddenly. He quickly grabbed the tongs and placed the fish over the flames, focusing on cooking.
Aeolous returned moments later carrying cups of juice. "Here you go, man," he said, handing one to Nixxin.
Nixxin accepted it but kept his eyes on Lurain. After a moment, he spoke. "Lurain, I can ask my uncle to give you a title as a hero. Do you want that?"
Aeolous nearly dropped his drink. "We can be heroes?!" He grabbed Nixxin and shook him.
Nixxin raised a hand calmly. "I said Lurain."
Aeolous froze, then slowly let go, his face falling. "Why not me?"
"Because you can't control magic," Nixxin replied bluntly.
Aeolous immediately pulled out his sword. "I can use this, you know."
Nixxin rolled up his sleeve and revealed a tattoo on his arm. "Do you have gates?"
Aeolous leaned closer, examining it. "Oh yeah, I have two. They're called Pasiensio and Kalidos."
Nixxin blinked in shock. "You have two gates? Why didn't you use them?"
Aeolous summoned a small key, spinning it between his fingers. "I don't need to use them actively. Kalidos has a permanent effect. It makes everything around me kinder, like the world is always helping me."
He paused, then continued. "And Pasiensio is also permanent. It prevents me from dying. It gives me a path that is mine. If I lose something, then it just means it was never meant for me. That's why I do whatever I want. I'm not going to die."
He smiled at them, completely at ease with his own words.
Before anyone could respond, the crowd inside the house suddenly grew louder. Voices joined together as the celebration began.
Everyone started singing happy birthday, their voices overlapping in cheerful chaos as the party officially began.