Kazuki stood at the door of his apartment, staring at the two strangers in front of him. He recognized them immediately—the silver-haired girl who always seemed to be gambling and the dark-haired guy who did… well, silly things whenever Kazuki saw him around.
"Hey, neighbor!" The silver-haired girl grinned and leaned against the doorframe, her sharp eyes sparkling with mischief. "I'm Sonnet, and this is my partner in crime, Andreas."
Andreas raised a hand in a casual wave. "Sup."
Kazuki crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes. "I've seen you two around. Why are you at my door?"
Sonnet shrugged, flipping a silver coin between her fingers. "Well, we figured you're new here and probably bored. Why not hang out? Explore the city. You know… have fun?"
Kazuki hesitated. He wasn't sure if they were trustworthy—especially given Sonnet's love for gambling and Andreas's tendency to act like a walking disaster.
"I don't know," Kazuki said slowly. "You guys seem… unpredictable."
"Unpredictable is just another word for fun," Sonnet said, tossing the coin into the air and catching it effortlessly.
Andreas nodded. "Come on, man. Worst case? You'll have an adventure."
Kazuki sighed. "Fine. But if this gets weird, I'm leaving."
---
The streets of Eidolon were just as chaotic as ever. Floating buildings shifted positions, and upside-down alleyways led to strange shops that sold things Kazuki couldn't even begin to name.
"So, what's the plan?" Kazuki asked as they walked.
Sonnet spun on her heel, walking backward. "No plan. Just vibes."
"Cool," Andreas added. "Plans are overrated."
They passed by a street market where vendors sold glowing trinkets and fruits with swirling patterns on their skins. Sonnet stopped at a stall and eyed a stack of golden dice.
"Ooh, my favorite!" she said, grabbing the dice. "Wanna play a quick game, Kazuki?"
"Uh, no thanks."
"Smart choice," Andreas said, smirking. "She's a menace when it comes to gambling."
Sonnet rolled her eyes. "It's called skill, not menace."
---
As they continued through the city, the trio became more relaxed. Kazuki found himself chuckling at Andreas's terrible jokes and Sonnet's overly dramatic reactions every time she lost a game with passing street performers.
At one point, Andreas climbed onto a floating platform and started pretending to conduct an invisible orchestra.
"Behold! The Symphony of Chaos!" he declared, flailing his arms wildly.
Kazuki shook his head but couldn't hide his smile.
"You guys are ridiculous," he said.
"Ridiculously awesome," Sonnet corrected, throwing an arm around Kazuki's shoulders. "You're gonna love hanging out with us."
---
The day stretched on, filled with bizarre encounters and harmless mischief. Sonnet and Andreas had a way of making even the strangest parts of Eidolon seem normal.
By the time they stopped at a street café, Kazuki felt like he'd known them for years.
"So, Kazuki," Sonnet said, sipping a drink that glowed faintly, "still think we're unpredictable?"
Kazuki leaned back in his chair, glancing at the bustling city around them. "Yeah. But maybe that's not such a bad thing."
Andreas raised his glass. "To unpredictability, then!"
Sonnet clinked her glass against his. "And to new friends!"
Kazuki hesitated, then clinked his own glass with theirs.