I rolled my eyes. Typical Gina. If she thought that kind of flattery would catch me off guard, she was sorely mistaken.

Still, I couldn’t help but wonder if there was an ulterior motive behind her words. Maybe she just wanted to see Jade beat me senseless. After all, Gina wasn’t exactly clueless—she had a habit of picking up on things most people missed. Unlike someone like Vinico, who probably wouldn’t have noticed if I was on fire unless I specifically mentioned it, Gina had caught me red-handed sneaking into Jade’s room the night of the festival.

She knew. She definitely understood.

Meanwhile, Alex tilted his head, curiosity evident. “How are you so good at figuring this stuff out?” he asked, leaning forward slightly. His tone wasn’t accusatory—more intrigued, like he was trying to unravel a puzzle.

I paused, feeling everyone’s eyes shift toward me. The weight of their attention was palpable, but I maintained a calm exterior.

“Just a hunch,” I said with a shrug, brushing it off.

Alex wasn’t buying it. “Come on,” he pressed. “This is next-level detective work. It’s like you’ve done this a hundred times before. And your weird hunches have been weirdly spot-on. We found the warehouse in no time thanks to you.” He narrowed his eyes slightly, teasing but perceptive. “You sure there’s nothing hiding beneath that innocent face?”

I kept my voice casual. “Just common sense. Anyone could’ve figured it out.”

“Bullshit.”

Vinico, who had been lazily sprawled in the recliner, lifted his head. “I wouldn’t have thought of half that stuff in a million years. And I’m a genius.”

Lore interjected before the scrutiny could go too far. “North’s always been good,” she said simply. “He notices patterns most people overlook. It’s not just intuition—it’s experience.”

She hesitated for a beat, then added, “It might even be his meta nature helping.”

“Alright, there’s no need to put him under the blade,” Henry interjected, cutting through the speculation. “Let’s focus on the plan, please.”

The room settled.

Henry exhaled, then squared his shoulders. “Here’s what we’ll do tomorrow. Alex, Gina, and I—we’re on Caleb duty. We’ll meet with him and dig into everything we can: closed stations, underground networks, rumors, anything that might help us pinpoint a location.”

He turned to Vinico. “You and Lore will track down every available video feed from the train stations and start analyzing it. Look for anything that stands out—people acting out of place, unusual movements, anything weird.”

Finally, his gaze landed on me, “What other days do you have to do community service?”

“Tomorrow and Friday,” I replied automatically. Then a thought struck me, and I added, “Actually… the three I’m teaching for community service—they’re not completely useless. If we end up in a fight at the auction, they could be a big help. Their meta nature are strong.”

Henry considered this for a moment, nodding thoughtfully. “Fair enough. I have no problem with that.” He glanced at the others, silently asking for their input.

Gina pursed her lips. “How strong are we talking? Because if they’re gonna be liabilities, we’re better off keeping them out of this.”

“They can handle themselves,” I said with confidence. “They’re capable. More hands are always better, especially since we don’t know what’s going to go down at the auction.”

Lore leaned back against the table, arms crossed. “You sure they can handle the stress?”

I met her gaze evenly. “Yeah.”

A brief silence. Then Lore gave a small nod. “Alright, then. If they’re solid, we’ll need every advantage we can get. No telling what we’ll walk into.”

Henry clapped his hands together, signaling that the discussion was settled. “Alright, sounds like we’ve got a plan,” he said, his tone more upbeat. “But let’s not get overconfident. Everyone needs to stay sharp, especially with something as shady as an underground auction.”

Gina leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. “What time are we meeting this Caleb guy?” she asked Alex.

“Tomorrow afternoon, after classes” Alex replied, already typing something into his phone. “I’ll text him to confirm if he’s ready to help. If so, he’ll need time to pull data and prepare.”

Vinico stretched, groaning. “Cool, so that gives me enough time to sleep for twelve hours straight.”

After the intense discussion, the atmosphere in the room gradually started to relax. Everyone was worn out from the day's events, but the tension that had been hanging in the air was finally lifting. Lore and Alex took over in the kitchen, opening beers and putting together some light snacks to keep everyone going. While they waited for the takeout to arrive from a nearby restaurant, the rest of the group lounged on the sofas and chairs, chatting idly or mindlessly scrolling through their phones.

No one had planned for a sleepover, but as the night stretched on, it became obvious that no one was leaving anytime soon.

Meanwhile, my phone kept buzzing in my pocket—Jade. She’d sent me dozens of messages, a mix of curiosity and frustration. Even earlier, while we were making plans, I’d been sneaking glances at my screen, firing off quick replies to keep her in the loop—and, more importantly, to keep her from getting too annoyed.

She wanted to come over to Lore’s place. That much was obvious. But for whatever reason, she was holding back. Maybe she wasn’t completely comfortable around everyone yet. Maybe it was something else entirely. Either way, from the way she kept texting, I could tell she was struggling with the decision.

----------------------------------------

Me: You okay? I can feel you staring at your phone through the screen.

Jade: Don't flatter yourself. I'm just wondering what's taking you so long. (｀⌒´メ)

Me: We've been talking about the plan. It's complicated. You sure you don't want to come? Lore and rest won't bite.

Jade: Yeah, I'm sure. Besides, I don't think I can stand Vinico and his jokes for more than five minutes. (￣へ￣)

Me: Fair. But you'd get to see me. (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧

Jade: I see you every day. And anyway, why haven't you sent me any pictures? (˃̣̣̣̣̣̣︿˂̣̣̣̣̣̣ )

Me: Pictures? Of what? Lore's apartment? It's nothing special.

Jade: Of you, idiot.

Jade: Gosh, how can you be so clueless. (-̩̩̩-̩̩̩-̩̩̩-̩̩̩-̩̩̩__-̩̩̩-̩̩̩-̩̩̩-̩̩̩-̩̩̩)

Jade: I miss you.

I chuckled under my breath, shaking my head. Classic Jade. Even over text, she was both exasperated and completely unapologetic about it.

My fingers hovered over the keyboard before I finally replied.

Me: I look like I've been dragged through hell today. You really want that?

Me: (⌒_⌒;)

Jade: Every version of you is my favorite version.

I felt my face warm up slightly.

Me: (⁄ ⁄•⁄-⁄•⁄ ⁄)⁄

I glanced around, making sure no one was paying attention before subtly angling my phone. One quick snap later, I forwarded the picture to her.

A second later, a bright red heart popped up on my screen.

Then another.

Then another.

Jade: See? Adorable.

I was speechless.

Jade:(ﾉ≧∀≦)ﾉ ‥…━━━★

Jade: I changed my mind. What are you doing now?

Me: Sitting here, watching Alex burn himself with hot coffee. Very entertaining.

Jade: Poor Alex.

Jade: But seriously, when are you coming home?

I glanced up briefly, taking in the mess of people sprawled across Lore’s apartment. Gina was half-asleep, Vinico was claiming way too much couch space, and Henry looked like he was about to start stress-planning again. Alex, meanwhile, was swearing under his breath while fanning his burned tongue, and Lore… well, Lore was trying to pretend none of us existed.

Me: Not sure. It's kind of chaotic here. Why? Miss me so much?

Jade: No. (｀⌒´メ)

A second later—

Jade: Yes. \

Jade: Ugh, shut up. When are you coming back? (>﹏<)

Me: I'll leave as soon as I can. Promise. (｀･∇･´)ゞ

Jade: You better. The cookies I made are already gone cold.

Me: Please tell me you didn't eat them all already. (°ロ°)

There was a long pause.

Then—

Jade: Well... (｡ŏ﹏ŏ)

Jade: There were twenty when I started. (⌒_⌒;)

I blinked.

North: ...How many are left?

Another long pause.

Jade: Maybe four. Or three. Or... (・・;)ゞ

Jade: I don't want to talk about it. (〃⌣̀_⌣́〃)

Jade: (⁄ ⁄•⁄-⁄•⁄ ⁄)⁄

I stared at my phone, torn between amusement and horror.

Me: You ate SIXTEEN cookies?!

Jade: Listen, in my defense, they were really good.

Jade: I think I'm really good baker. Even better than you.

Me: Yeah, definitely better than me.

I shook my head.

Me: But, eating so many cookies alone? That’s not a defense. That’s a confession.

Jade: A delicious one.

I groaned, running a hand down my face.

Me: I can’t believe I’m in the middle of stopping a global crime syndicate while you’re out here committing cookie crimes without me.

Me: What happened to yours partner in crime promise?

Jade: …I could make it up to you.

Me: How?

Jade: By describing how good they are (¬‿¬)

Me: I hate you.

Jade: I love you too.

Me: Not talking.

Jade: My greatest achievement. ✧✧

Me: You need to say one more nice thing.

Jade: My heart aches. My soul weeps. The world is cold without you.

Me: …Wow. That was dramatic and cringe even for me.

Jade: You’re rubbing off on me.

Me: Alright, but save one cookie for me, at least. I want to taste this masterpiece you keep bragging about.

Me: (˃̣̣̣̣̣̣︿˂̣̣̣̣̣̣ )

Jade: I'm not bragging!

Jade: But they are really good. You'll see when you get here. If there's any left.

Jade: (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧

I narrowed my eyes at my screen. She was definitely eating another one as we spoke.

Me: You're terrible at surprises, you know that?

Jade: ( ˘͈ ᵕ ˘͈♡)

Jade: I'm not terrible! I'm just bad at waiting!

Me: Sounds the same to me.

Jade: Whatever. I had more surprises planned, but now you've ruined the mood.

Jade: No more cookies for you.

Jade: (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻

Jade: (￣^￣)ゞ

I chuckled under my breath. She was so dramatic sometimes.

Me: What kind of surprises?

Jade: Wouldn’t you like to know?

Me: Jade—

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Jade: Nope. No spoilers.

Me: Suffering.

Jade: Too bad. You'll just have to come home and find out.(˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)

I stared at the screen, drumming my fingers against my knee. Now she was just messing with me.

Me: What if I don’t make it home in time? What if I get eaten by another mutant monster?

Jade: Then I’ll be sad. But I’ll get over it. With more cookies.

Me: Wow. Ruthless.

I sighed dramatically

Me: Fine, I'll wrap up here soon. But seriously, you didn't eat all the cookies, right?(⊙﹏⊙)

Jade: ...I might make another batch. Or maybe something else.

Jade: (〃∀〃)ゞ

Jade: Cheesecake. I know it’s your favorite. (˃ᴗ˂)

I groaned. She really knew everything about me.

Me: You're impossible.

Jade: How could you? You know, I'm learning all this just for you.

Jade: (╥﹏╥)(˃̣̣̣̣̣̣︿˂̣̣̣̣̣̣ )

Me: You didn't let me finish.

Me: I wanted to say, I'm looking forward to it. And... you. (˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)

A pause. Then—

Jade: Of course you are.

Jade: Sorry.

Jade: I'm the best thing in your life. (˘︶˘).｡.:♡

I chuckled under my breath, shaking my head.

Me: You're not wrong. (♡°▽°♡)

Jade: I want to hug you and kiss you. (っ˘̩╭╮˘̩)っ

My heart fluttered a little at that.

Me: Me too.

Me:(っ˘̩╭╮˘̩)っ

Me: I love you.

Jade: I love you too.

Me: …That’s it? No teasing? No dramatic response?

Jade: What, do you want me to be dramatic about loving you?

Me: Kind of.

Jade: AHEM—

Jade: OH, MY BELOVED! The very air I breathe is meaningless without you! My heart weeps in your absence! I yearn for the moment I can hold you in my arms once more!

Me: …Never mind.

Jade: Too late. You asked for it.

Jade: Oh, woe is me! I shall waste away in sorrow until you return!

Me: Regret. So much regret.

...

Jade: By the way… we need to go shopping this weekend.

Me: …Why?

Jade: Because I have nothing to wear.

Me: That’s a lie and we both know it.

Jade: It’s not a lie! I’ve checked my entire wardrobe, and there is literally nothing in there.

Me: Your entire wardrobe?

Jade: Yes!

Me: Your wardrobe is bigger than my bedroom.

Jade: That’s an exaggeration!

Me: It’s really not. I’m pretty sure if I put a bed in there, I could live inside it.

Jade: But I have nothing to wear! ( ˃̣̣̣̣̣̣︿˂̣̣̣̣̣̣ )

Me: That’s impossible.

Jade: Nope. Everything is either: 1) too old, 2) doesn’t match my mood, or 3) something I’ve already worn.

Me: That last one is how clothes work. You wear them.

Jade: Not if I want to keep life exciting!

Me: Deep sigh.

Jade: Come on, pleaaase? It’ll be fun!

Me: You bought new ones just last week.

Jade: That was for a different mood.

Me: What mood is this for?

Jade: The “I’m cute and I deserve new clothes” mood.

Me: …That’s every mood for you.

Jade: Exactly! So, shopping trip?

Me: Do I get anything out of this?

Jade: …You get to look at me in cute outfits?

Me: …Fine.

...

...

...

Jade: I’m sleepy…

Me: Then go to sleep.

Jade: Can’t.

Me: Why not?

Jade: You’re not here to cuddle me. (っ˘̩╭╮˘̩)っ

Me: Poor Baby.

Jade: Don’t mock me.

Me: Just hold a pillow and pretend it’s me.

Jade: Not the same. Pillow doesn’t kiss me goodnight.

Me: …I’ll make up for it when I get back.

Jade: Promise?

Me: Promise.

Jade: Okay. I guess I’ll wait. But you owe me so many cuddles.

----------------------------------------

“Why are you smiling so much staring at your phone?”

Vinico’s voice interrupted my moment of peace like a stick suddenly stuck in a wheel, and I barely resisted the fall. Of course, he noticed.

I quickly wiped the grin off my face, shoving my phone into my pocket with what I hoped was a casual movement. “Nothing,” I said, a little too quickly.

That was my first mistake.

My second mistake was thinking I could get away with it—because Gina was already watching me like a hawk, her grin stretching ear to ear.

“Let him be,” she said, voice full of amusement as she leaned back into the sofa. “He’s talking to his girlfriend.”

The word hit the room like a bomb.

Vinico froze, his eyes narrowing in instant suspicion. “Wait. Girlfriend?”

His expression was pure betrayal—like I’d been secretly leading a double life and he’d just found out.

“Since when do you have a girlfriend?” he demanded. “And who?”

I sighed. “It’s not a big deal—”

That was my third mistake. Because Gina, sensing blood in the water, pounced.

“Not a big deal?” she echoed, her grin turning wicked. “It’s Jade.”

That effectively derailed everything.

“What?!”

Vinico’s jaw practically hit the floor. He stared at me like I’d just confessed to being a supervillain. Henry, who had been casually scrolling on his phone, suddenly froze mid-swipe. His head snapped up, his face a mix of shock and something else—disappointment, maybe?

“Wait, wait, wait.” Vinico waved his hands wildly, like he was trying to physically swat away the idea. “You mean Jade? Our Jade?” His voice actually cracked on the last word.

Excuse me.

What do you mean ‘our’ Jade?

She was mine. My Jade. I felt personally offended. It took me three hundred years to find her. How dare they!!!!!!

“You’re kidding, right?” His tone shifted from disbelief to something dangerously close to heartbreak. “Tell me she’s just messing with me.”

“Nope,” Gina chirped, clearly reveling in the chaos. “They’re basically inseparable. Every time they’re together in class, she’s always secretly peeking at him.” She smirked, enjoying this far too much. “Seriously, Vinico, how have you not noticed?"

Vinico blinked, his brain struggling to process the words. “Wait, what?”

Gina—no, traitor—leaned in with a smirk. “Oh yeah. She even has an entire drawing book filled with their imaginary scenarios. Full-on sketches. North and herself in all kinds of scenarios. Some are cute. Some are… let’s just say, imaginative. It was only she left it unintended that I had been able to peek inside. Otherwise, she's very secretive about it.”

Her voice dripping with mischief. “And, apparently, our boy North is no behind her in that department.”

I let out a long sigh, dropping my head into my hands as their reactions hit me full force. “This is exactly why I didn’t say anything.”

“Dude,” Vinico said, his voice thick with betrayal. He leaned forward, eyes pleading. “You’re joking, right? Please tell me she’s just messing with me.”

“She’s not,” I said reluctantly, glancing at Gina, who was way too pleased with herself. I want her to beat her, but something in my mind stopped me.

Vinico’s expression was pure devastation, like I’d personally robbed him of his last shred of happiness. “You’re serious? You and Jade?! …She really has a whole book?”

“I—look, it’s not like I planned it,” I said, trying to sound as reasonable as possible. “It just… happened.”

“Oh, come on,” Henry groaned, rubbing a hand over his face. “You and Jade? Really?”

I narrowed my eyes, “Why is this so hard to believe?” I felt more cornered by the second.

“Because it’s Jade,” Vinico threw his hands up. “I’ve had a crush on her for about three months now. She’s dead gorgeous, terrifying, and could probably take down an entire room of people without breaking a sweat! And somehow, you—of all people—just accidentally ended up with her?! I was sure I had a shot if I just found the right moment.”

“I don’t accidentally end up with people—”

“And Crush? Three months?” I repeated, blinking in surprise.

Henry suddenly stood up and walked to the window. His shoulders were tense, his jaw tight.

Then he let out a slow, heavy sigh. “You know,” he said, voice low, “there’s even a bet going between all the boys in class. About who’d ask her out first.”

I stared at him. “A bet?”

“Yeah,” Vinico admitted, arms crossed, his tone bordering on bitter. “Everyone’s been trying to see who’d work up the nerve to ask her out first. But she’s, like, impossible to approach.”

He frowned slightly, as if replaying past failed attempts in his head. “Every time I got close, I’d just… magically forget what I wanted to say. It was weird, man. I know my memory’s not bad.”

Henry groaned, rubbing a hand down his face. “Or worse, she’d give you that look—you know the one. The one that makes you feel like an idiot for even existing.”

I blinked, caught off guard by their sudden confessions.

“…You guys, I—”

“And you?!” Henry cut me off, spinning around to glare at me with a mix of betrayal. “You just swoop in and take her like it’s nothing? What the hell, man?”

Vinico slumped onto the couch like he’d just suffered a fatal wound. “I thought I had a shot, dude. I really thought I had a shot.”

They both went quiet for a moment, staring at the ground as if they were mourning a collective lost opportunity.

I ran a hand down my face, exhaling slowly. “Okay, first of all, I didn’t steal her from anyone. She chose me, alright? We just clicked, and I didn’t force her into anything, okay?”

Henry scoffed, folding his arms. “Doesn’t make it hurt any less.”

Gina, still lounging on the couch, was practically crying from laughter. “Oh my god. This is even better than I imagined.”

Alex finally let out a low whistle. “Man, this is the massacre of century. So entertaining.”

Vinico glared at Alex first—probably just for existing—then turned his full scowl on me. “She chose you because you were already hanging out with her all the time. You had a head start. That’s cheating.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but he wasn’t done.

“And what’s worse?” He gestured wildly at me. “You’ve got that whole ‘mysterious, untouchable’ thing going on. How the hell were we supposed to compete with that?”

Henry nodded, crossing his arms. “It’s true. He’s got that brooding, strategic mastermind aura. Girls eat that up.”

“It’s not some nonsensical aura, it’s just me,” I grumbled.

Gina snorted. “Yeah, well, it works.”

I felt like I was trying to headbutt a bull. The sheer force of their bottled-up emotions hit me like a freight train, and I had no idea they’d been carrying so much weight beneath the surface.

To be honest, I had a sneaking suspicion this was Jade’s doing.

Maybe she’d been subtly messing up their thoughts, distracting them from really thinking about her, making them unable to approach. It wasn’t that far-fetched—Jade was way too perceptive to not have noticed half the guys in school were lowkey infatuated with her.

Because without that explanation? There was no way they’d be acting like this—like hooligans ready to explode. Their restraint had evaporated, leaving behind raw, unchecked frustration.

“You’re being ridiculous,” I said, “And besides, Jade’s not a prize. She’s a person. Treat her with respect—”

I let my gaze sweep over both of them, my tone lowering as I added, “Otherwise, I won’t mind putting some sense into both your heads.”

Alex raised an eyebrow, clearly amused but also watching closely, like he wanted to see where this was going.

Gina, on the other hand, let out a low whistle. “Damn. Protective, aren’t we?”

I continued, “And, If either of you had asked her, she would’ve have let you guys know her thoughts.”

“Alright, alright. Relax, man. No one’s disrespecting her.”

Henry nodded, still watching me carefully. “Yeah. We get it.” He sat down, “You could’ve said something sooner. Would’ve saved us the trouble of, you know, some sleepless nights.”

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. “I didn’t think it was relevant.”

Judging by their stares, that was the wrong thing to say.

“Not relevant?!” Vinico repeated, eyes wide again. “Dude. You basically won the life lottery and just—just forgot to mention it?”

I held up a hand in surrender. “Okay, bad wording—I just meant that I didn’t think it mattered to you guys. But… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to blindside you.”

Vinico let out a deep, heavy sigh, running a hand through his hair. “Whatever. It’s not like I ever had a real shot, anyway. She’s way out of my league.”

“And mine,” Henry added quietly, his tone laced with reluctant acceptance.

Slowly, the tension in the room finally began to fade, giving way to an easy, unspoken understanding. Vinico leaned back in his chair, shaking his head with a wry smile that only appeared on a fool's face.

Before long, the dining table was crowded with takeout containers, the rich aroma of Chinese hot food filling the air. Whatever tension had lingered earlier seemed to dissolve as everyone dug in. The quiet clinking of utensils against plates, the occasional scrape of a chair, and the rhythmic sounds of chewing created a comforting, almost peaceful atmosphere.

“By the way,” Alex broke the relative quiet, leaning back in his chair as he pointed his chopsticks directly at me. “You never told us about the whole ‘phasing through attacks like a ghost’ thing. How come we’ve never seen you use it before?”

I barely suppressed a groan. Why did I feel like I was being interrogated everywhere today? It was frustrating. And sad.

Everyone on the table turned to look at me, their curiosity sharpened like knives. Even Lore—who usually had better things to focus on—raised an eyebrow in my direction.

I tried to play it cool. “It’s not a big deal,” I muttered, reaching for a piece of soup dumpling, hoping to bury the conversation under carbs.

Alex, of course, was having none of it.

“I thought it was really cool,” Gina chimed in, grinning. “Seriously, though—how long have you been hiding that?”

I chewed slowly, dragging out the bite to buy time. “I haven’t been hiding anything,”

Lore hummed, giving me a look like she was peeling back layers with her eyes. “Then why do you sound guilty?”

I sighed, setting my fork down and leaning back in my chair. “Look, it’s complicated.”

Vinico smirked, clearly thriving on the sudden shift in attention. “Complicated? You’ve got an awesome power and just decided to keep it under wraps?” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “What’s next? Are you secretly a billionaire too?”

“Yeah, and I bet he owns half the city,” Alex added dryly.

“Oh my god,” Gina gasped, playing along. “Are you Batman?”

I rolled my eyes. “If I were Batman, I wouldn’t be stuck here getting grilled like a suspect.”

Lore tapped a finger against the table. “So why didn’t you tell us?”

I hesitated, the words sticking in my throat. Part of me wanted to brush it off, to come up with some excuse and move on. But looking around the table at their expectant faces, I realized we were going to fight alongside each other for quite a long time. And maybe, after everything we’d been through today, they deserved the truth.

“It’s not a meta ability,” I said finally, “I didn’t get it like you guys did—through my meta nature. It’s a spell.”

The room went silent for a beat.

“A spell?” Henry repeated, blinking like I’d just told him I was an alien.

“Yeah,” I nodded, pushing my plate aside. “I got it from a mage. He… well, let’s just say it was part of a deal.”

Alex leaned forward, his curiosity clearly piqued. “What kind of deal?”

I took a slow sip from my glass, letting the suspense build. Then, with a smirk, I leaned back in my chair. “A secret deal.”

The immediate groan from across the table was so satisfying.

“Oh, come on,” Alex muttered, exasperated. “You can’t just drop that and then refuse to explain.”

Vinico scoffed from his seat, rolling his eyes so dramatically it was a wonder they didn’t get stuck. “Ah, I get it now.” He jabbed his fork in my direction, “The mysterious act. Classic move.”

I raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to elaborate.

He clicked his tongue in wonder. “This is why Jade fell for you, isn’t it? Acting all cool and untouchable, keeping everyone guessing. How the hell were we supposed to compete with that?”

The table erupted in quiet laughter.

Gina nearly choked on her drink, clapping her hands in amusement. “Oh my god, he’s right!”

I chuckled softly, shaking my head but not denying it. “Believe whatever you want, Vinico.”

Vinico threw his hands up. “See? He knows it’s true.”

Alex smirked. “Damn. Maybe I should start being more cryptic.”

Gina snorted. “Please. You’re physically incapable of shutting up for longer than five minutes.”

Alex gasped in mock offense. “Wow. Betrayal from my own team.”

Lore, sipping her coffee, muttered, “She’s not wrong.”

As the laughter died down, Henry leaned back in his chair, still watching me carefully. “Jokes aside, that’s pretty interesting.”

I shrugged. “Yeah, well. It is what it is.”

Gina narrowed her eyes playfully. “One day, you are going to tell us the full story, right?”

I rolled my eyes at her, taking another sip of my drink. “Maybe.”

Dinner wrapped up soon after and the conversation gradually shifted to lighter topics.

One by one, everyone began to leave.

The atmosphere at Lore’s apartment grew quieter with each goodbye. Henry was the first to head out, muttering something about needing sleep before trudging toward the door. Alex and Gina followed close behind, still caught up in their discussion about Caleb and their plans for tomorrow.

Vinico lingered by the door, fiddling with his phone. “You sure you don’t want to tell me your secret, North?”

I shook my head. “See you tomorrow, Vinico.”

He sighed dramatically, shoving his phone into his pocket. “Fine. But one day, I will figure it out.”

“Sure you will.”

I glanced at Lore, leaning casually against the doorframe as she watched everyone go.

“Thanks,” I said after a beat, offering her a small smile. “For… everything today.”

She met my eyes briefly before nodding. “Yeah. Get home safe.”

I gave her a small wave before stepping outside.

It was raining heavily.

I exhaled slowly, watching my breath fog up in the cold night air.

I picked up my pace, heading home.