The late afternoon sun cast a warm, golden hue over the quiet street in Grushia, but the air between the three figures standing there was cold, tense.
Eratz walked slowly toward Kian and Lila, his hands buried deep in his pockets. His white hair caught the fading light, but his crimson eyes remained shadowed, unreadable. Kian and Lila flinched at his approach, exchanging hesitant glances. Their breaths were shaky, their postures stiff, as if they were bracing for a storm.
Eratz stopped a few feet away, tilting his head slightly as he looked at them. The silence stretched painfully long before he spoke, his tone casual.
"Well, where to begin?" he said, his voice steady, almost too calm. "Congratulations on being recruited by Infinite Twilight. You're reaching a big agency so early. It's impressive, really. Makes me a little annoyed since they're our main rival, but that just means you're doing great. Good job."
