The sound of pencils scratching against paper filled the quiet air of the classroom. Afternoon sunlight streamed through the windows, painting golden streaks across the desks. Joey absentmindedly twirled his pen, barely listening to the teacher's lecture. His eyes drifted toward Rael, who sat by the window, chin resting on his hand as he gazed outside.
Joey had been watching him for days—watching the way Rael's shoulders remained tense, how his eyes never lingered on anything for too long. His confession about Rishi had been a breakthrough, but Joey could tell that Rael was still trapped in the past.
That had to change.
Scene 1: An Invitation to Something New
The final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Students filed out of the room in waves, but Rael, as usual, took his time packing up his things. Joey waited for him at the door.
"Hey," Joey said casually. "Wanna go somewhere?"
Rael barely spared him a glance. "Somewhere?"
"Yeah. Just… somewhere. Anywhere. You, me, a tiny adventure." Joey grinned. "We don't have to do anything big, just—y'know, get out of your usual routine."
Rael slung his bag over his shoulder, looking skeptical. "Why?"
"Because you look like you need a break. And because I make great company." Joey wiggled his eyebrows.
A ghost of a smile flickered across Rael's lips before it vanished. "I don't know…"
Joey tilted his head, pretending to think. "Okay, how about this: if you come with me, I'll buy you something sweet."
Rael gave him a deadpan stare. "Are you bribing me with food?"
"Absolutely."
A sigh escaped Rael's lips, but there was a tiny, almost imperceptible softness in his expression. "…Fine."
Joey's grin widened. Step one of Operation: Get Rael to Enjoy Life—complete.
Scene 2: The Encounter with Rishi and Maya
The two of them ended up at a small café near the school. It was tucked away in a quiet corner of the city, the kind of place Joey imagined someone like Rael might actually enjoy. The atmosphere was warm, with soft jazz playing in the background and the scent of fresh pastries in the air.
Rael sat across from Joey, stirring his drink absentmindedly. He still seemed a little stiff, like he wasn't sure what to do in a place like this. Joey made a mental note to take him out more often.
"Do you always overthink things, or is this a special occasion?" Joey teased, taking a sip of his iced coffee.
Rael rolled his eyes. "I don't go out much."
"No kidding," Joey said. "That's why I dragged you here. You're in a café, with an amazing person sitting in front of you. Try to enjoy it."
Before Rael could reply, the sound of the café door opening caught Joey's attention. His stomach sank when he saw who walked in.
Rishi and Maya.
They hadn't noticed them yet. Rishi was talking to Maya, his expression relaxed. Maya, as always, looked effortlessly cheerful. Joey flicked a glance at Rael, watching for his reaction.
Rael's fingers tightened slightly around his cup, but his face remained unreadable.
Maya was the first to spot them. Her eyes widened slightly before she nudged Rishi, whispering something. Rishi turned, his gaze landing on Rael.
Joey braced himself for awkwardness.
"Hey," Maya greeted with a polite smile as she approached their table. "I didn't expect to see you guys here."
Rael nodded but said nothing.
Rishi lingered beside her, his posture relaxed but his gaze unreadable. "You don't usually come to places like this."
Joey watched as Rael's lips parted slightly, as if considering his words. But then, to Joey's surprise, Rael simply shrugged. "Guess I'm trying something new."
Maya smiled. "That's great! We were just grabbing something before heading to the library. Want to join us?"
Joey hesitated, but before he could speak, Rael shook his head. "No, thanks. We're good here."
Rishi's expression didn't change, but Joey swore he saw a flicker of something in his eyes—surprise, maybe? Whatever it was, it passed quickly. "Alright," Rishi said. "See you at school, then."
Maya gave them a small wave before the two walked away.
As soon as they were out of earshot, Joey turned to Rael. "That was… different."
Rael looked down at his drink, his fingers tapping against the cup. "Yeah."
"You okay?" Joey asked softly.
Rael was quiet for a moment before exhaling. "I think so." He looked up, meeting Joey's gaze. "It didn't hurt as much as I thought it would."
Joey felt something warm spread in his chest. That's progress.
Scene 3: The System's Warning
That night, as Joey lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, the system's voice echoed in his mind.
[ Host. ]
Joey groaned. "What now?"
[ You're getting too involved. ]
Joey frowned. "Isn't that the whole point? Making Rael happy?"
[ Yes. But you're forgetting—this isn't your life. ]
Joey's heart clenched. He didn't want to think about that. Not now. Not when he was finally making progress with Rael.
The system continued. [ Your mission isn't to stay. You will leave when it's complete. ]
Joey closed his eyes. He knew that. He had always known that. But then why did it feel like a part of him was starting to belong here?
Scene 4: A Moment of Happiness
The next day, Joey found Rael by the rooftop, where he often went for quiet moments alone.
"Hey," Joey called, walking up beside him. "You doing okay?"
Rael gave him a sidelong glance. "Surprisingly, yeah."
A small breeze rustled through the air. For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
Then, Joey grinned. "Wanna do something fun after school?"
Rael arched an eyebrow. "What kind of 'fun' are we talking about?"
Joey waggled his eyebrows playfully. "That's for me to know and you to find out."
To his surprise, Rael actually laughed—a quiet, genuine sound.
It was small, but it was happiness. And Joey was willing to chase a thousand small moments like this if it meant seeing Rael smile again.
Even if he wasn't meant to stay.