Joe lingered by the training ground, peeking through the net before heading home. As his feet touched the ground in front of his house, he opened the door and stepped inside. The Imperium Prince's suit shimmered, morphing back into his regular outfit. He glanced around briefly, then climbed the stairs after feeding Frosty, his loyal feline companion.
Inside his room, Joe flopped onto the bed. Moments later, his Eldrath ringer vibrated on the nightstand. Reaching for it, he tapped the stone on the device, and a holographic screen flickered to life—blank and unresponsive.
"Who's there?" Joe asked, raising an eyebrow at the empty screen.
No reply.
"Hello?" he repeated, his tone firmer this time. Still nothing. Scoffing, he tapped the ringer's stone again, severing the connection. Lying back on the bed, he stared at the ceiling, replaying the encounter he had with the king earlier that day.
The ringer buzzed again, pulling him back to the present. Frustrated, Joe grabbed it and tapped the stone, revealing the same blank screen. He sat up and glared at it.
"The person on the other end—if you want to talk, do it now. I'll count to three." His voice carried a sharp edge.
"Three… two… one…" Joe began, only to stop mid-motion as a familiar voice broke through the silence.
"Joe… it's me, Liya," the voice said hesitantly. Her image was initially absent but slowly flickered into view.
"I'm sorry for calling without your consent," Liya apologized softly, her expression sheepish.
"It's no problem," Joe replied, adjusting his posture.
"I got your ringer's serial number from Keji," she admitted, looking down nervously.
"What can I do for you?" Joe asked, resting his jaw on his fist, his eyes half-lidded with casual curiosity.
"I was wondering… if you were available," Liya began, brushing a strand of crimson hair behind her ear.
"And if I was?" Joe teased, lowering his head slightly and smirking. His seductive tone made Liya's cheeks flush as she quickly covered her face, her voice quivering.
"I… I wanted us to meet up," she said, peeking shyly at the screen.
"Okay," Joe agreed, smiling.
"You mean it?" she asked, her voice tinged with excitement.
"Of course. Or should I not?" he teased again, causing her to chuckle nervously.
"No! You should come. I'll meet you at the park entrance," she said before ending the call abruptly.
Joe sighed, leaning back with a grin. "Good heavens. She's one hot-blooded lady," he muttered.
Frosty sauntered into the room, hopping onto the bed with a soft meow. Joe scratched behind her ears as she purred contentedly.
"Frosty, Daddy's going to be out for a few hours tonight," he said. She meowed again in response.
"I know. I won't be long," he reassured her with a chuckle.
"Meeting a girl, are we?" Arna's voice echoed playfully in his mind.
"Stop scanning my thoughts," Joe replied with an eye roll.
"Your whole body is screaming it," Arna teased, laughing.
"Shut up," Joe muttered as he stood and opened his wardrobe. He selected a light linen evening outfit, checking the time: 7:34 p.m. Heading downstairs, he laced up his boots and stepped out the door.
After taking a carriage to the park's entrance, Joe spotted Liya approaching. She nervously tucked her face into the high collar of her white turtleneck sweater, glancing around with uncertainty.
"Good evening, Joe," she greeted him softly.
"Good evening," he replied warmly.
Without warning, Liya looped her arm around his. Joe glanced at her action, and she quickly looked away, her face flushed. Her heartbeat was almost audible in the stillness of the evening.
"Shall we?" he asked with a gentle smile.
"Y-yes," she stammered, walking beside him as they explored the capital's park. The park was a spectacle of magical beauty, adorned with statues of great leaders and filled with luminous magical birds.
They laughed and chatted, her initial nervousness giving way to comfort as they shared stories.
"So, I was just standing there watching Frosty as she ended up covered in cream," Joe recounted, shaking his head at the memory.
"She could've just waited for you to get it for her," Liya replied between giggles.
The pair eventually found themselves seated on a bench overlooking the river. The moonlight reflected on the water's surface, casting a serene glow over the scene. A brief silence fell as they both gazed at the rippling reflection.
"I wanted to ask…" they both said in unison, then paused.
"Sorry, you go first," Joe offered.
"Thank you… for saving me that day in the cave," Liya said, her voice earnest.
"It was nothing. My body just moved on its own," Joe replied, his gaze still fixed on the water.
"But I'm alive because your body moved on its own," she countered, her fingers brushing against his hand. Her emerald-green eyes locked onto his hazel ones, her expression full of gratitude.
"Tell me more about you," Liya said softly, turning her gaze away as if afraid to meet his eyes.
"Me?" Joe asked, chuckling as he glanced around, searching for something noteworthy about himself.
"There's nothing special about me," he began with a shrug. "I'm just an orphan from the west village. I moved to the city when I enrolled in college."
He paused, smiling faintly. "I guess that's all there is to me. Nothing special at all."
Liya turned back to him, her voice gentle but curious. "What happened to your parents?"
Joe's smile faded instantly. His expression darkened, the light in his eyes dimming as the question hit a nerve.
"I'm sorry. That was insensitive of me," she apologized quickly, noticing the shift in his demeanor.
Joe turned his face away, blinking rapidly to keep tears from falling.
"Do you need help?" Arna's voice echoed in his mind.
"No, I'm fine," Joe replied silently, his gaze fixed on the moon's shimmering reflection on the river. He let out a deep sigh before turning back to Liya.
"No, it's fine," he said, his voice steady but low. "I don't have any memories of them."
He hesitated, then continued, his tone thoughtful. "I was told they found me in the cold woods during winter. Some hunters and their dogs were out for game when they saw a white wolf—the god wolf—carrying a basket in its mouth."
Liya's eyes widened slightly, her full attention on him now.
"The wolf was trying to keep the baby in the basket warm. When it saw the hunters, it approached them without malice, gently set the basket down, and let out a long, mournful howl before turning away. The hunting dogs approached the basket, sniffed it, and responded with howls of their own—as if showing respect to the god wolf."
Joe's voice softened as he recalled the story. "When the hunters opened the basket, they heard a cry. It was a baby… and that baby was me."
Liya's eyes glistened with tears. "That's the story they always told me at the orphanage whenever I asked about my parents," Joe finished, smiling faintly at the memory.
"I'm sorry I brought it up," Liya said, sniffling as she wiped her tears away.
"It's okay," Joe reassured her. "Sometimes it's good to be reminded that I have no one to protect me in this world. It gives me a reason to protect others—to make sure no one else has to feel what I feel."
He gently wiped a tear from her cheek with his hand. "That's why I stayed behind during the cave incident, so others could get to safety."
Liya smiled faintly, her voice softening. "About the cave incident… what did you tell the peace organization officers?"
Joe hesitated, his thoughts racing. "There's no way they'd believe the truth," he thought to himself.
"Of course not," Arna chimed in, amused.
"I only told them what actually happened," Joe lied smoothly.
"But Joe… what really happened during the time you were missing?" Liya pressed, her curiosity unrelenting.
"Why is she so persistent with her questions?" Arna asked.
"I don't know," Joe replied internally, though he smiled outwardly to mask his thoughts.
"Don't worry about the past," he said gently, hoping to shift the conversation. "The past is behind us."
Clearing his throat, he pointed to the sky. "Let's change the subject. Do you know what it's like out there?"
She followed his gaze to the starry night. "Out there? What's there?"
"Just massive balls of gas burning millions of miles away," Liya replied with a chuckle. But as she turned to see Joe's face, the way his eyes lit up while gazing at the stars made her heart skip a beat. She smiled, captivated by his expression.
"Joe, I can feel someone's heart leaping for you in the Eldrath stream," Arna teased.
"What?" Joe thought, startled.
"I can sense her heartbeat," Arna added, amused.
Joe turned to look at Liya, her eyes fixed on him with a soft smile.
"Hey, Joe, it seems she—"
"Quiet," Joe interrupted Arna in his mind, a small smile forming on his lips.
"Let her enjoy this moment," he added, watching as Liya continued to gaze at him with a look of contentment.
"I wish this moment could last forever," Liya thought silently, savoring the tranquility of the starry night.
This evening, under the shimmering stars, marked the beginning of something neither Joe nor Liya could foresee.