Their footsteps echoed softly along the cobblestone path, still damp from the late afternoon rain. The air carried the fresh scent of wet earth, mingling with the faint fragrance of flowers from the city park that stretched beside the sidewalk. Above them, the sky gradually changed hues, streaks of golden orange blending into deep blue.
The man walked leisurely beside the woman, who was dressed in an elegant black coat. His posture was upright, yet his movements were calm. His slightly disheveled silver hair caught the glow of the streetlights, giving it a soft shimmer that contrasted with his pale blue eyes—eyes that seemed capable of piercing through every secret.
The woman occasionally glanced at him with an expression that was difficult to decipher. She appeared to be weighing something in her mind. At times, she furrowed her brows, but she quickly returned to her usual composed, almost haughty demeanor.
"Do you always walk this slowly?" she finally asked, her voice casual, though there was a slight teasing tone beneath it.
The man turned to her, observing her for a moment before shrugging. "I'm matching my pace to yours," he replied simply.
The woman's dark eyes narrowed slightly. "Shouldn't it be the other way around?"
The man chuckled softly but said nothing. However, something in his expression hinted that he was enjoying their small exchange.
They stopped in front of a small bridge spanning a canal. The water below rippled gently, reflecting the dim glow of the city lights. The woman leaned her hands against the bridge railing, gazing at the water with a calm expression. Yet, from time to time, her eyes flickered sideways—toward the man who still stood beside her.
"I'm curious," she said, her voice softer this time. "Are you always this relaxed on a date?"
The man raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
The woman fully turned to face him now, her gaze locked onto his. "You barely react to me. You're not nervous, not trying to impress, not making any moves. You're just... here."
The man exhaled lightly, then turned his gaze toward the sky. "Isn't that a good thing?"
The woman frowned, finding his response slightly unsettling. For some reason, she wanted to see more of a reaction from him. Maybe surprise, maybe a slightly wider smile, or maybe something that showed he wasn't entirely unaffected by her presence.
With a sudden movement, the woman turned fully toward him, stepping closer. The man glanced at her, slightly surprised by her change in stance.
"What?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
The woman didn't respond. Instead, she stepped even closer until only a few inches separated them. Her dark eyes stared directly into the pale blue ones that were cooler than hers. His heartbeat quickened, but he did not step back.
"Do I have to make you react?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
And before the man could reply, she rose slightly on her toes, her fingers lightly grasping the collar of his shirt, and pressed her lips against his.
It wasn't a hesitant or shy kiss. It was a confident one, a clear statement that she had no intention of letting him remain in his relaxed composure any longer.
The man's eyes widened for a brief moment, his body tensing in surprise. But it only took a few seconds before he began to register the warmth of her lips and the faint, intoxicating scent of her perfume.
When the woman finally pulled away, she found him still staring at her with an expression difficult to define. Silence settled between them for a moment, filled only by the soft rippling of the canal beneath the bridge.
A smirk spread across her lips—subtle yet victorious. "You finally reacted," she said.
The man blinked once, still appearing slightly bewildered. Then, for the first time that night, the corners of his lips lifted into a small, uncontrolled smile.
"So that's how you do it?" he murmured.
The woman merely shrugged elegantly before leaning back against the bridge railing, as if nothing had happened. But the man continued watching her, his gaze now different. Something inside him recognized that this date had just become far more interesting.
And for the first time that evening, he found himself stealing glances at her, before regaining his composure once more.
He remained standing still, his hands tucked into his pockets, his mind replaying what had just happened. A gentle night breeze ruffled his slightly messy silver hair. Beside him, the woman seemed satisfied with herself, gazing back at the canal as if she hadn't just taken him by surprise with her sudden kiss.
"Why so quiet?" her voice broke the silence, her tone light, almost teasing.
The man exhaled and shook his head slightly. "I just didn't expect you to do that."
"Didn't expect it?" The woman rested her cheek against her hand, watching him with a knowing look. "Wasn't it obvious that I wanted to see your reaction?"
The man raised an eyebrow. "Then I should ask... did I react the way you expected?"
The woman didn't answer right away. Instead, she observed him for a moment longer, studying every subtle change in his expression. Those pale blue eyes stared back at her calmly, but there was something different now—something that hadn't been there before the kiss.
She gave him a small smile. "Not bad," she finally said.
"Not bad?" the man repeated, amused.
The woman shrugged nonchalantly. "I expected something more dramatic—maybe you'd step back in shock, or your face would turn red. But you just... froze for a moment, then went back to being calm."
"I don't lose control easily," the man replied, leaning in slightly toward her. "But that doesn't mean I didn't feel anything."
His voice was deeper now, almost a whisper, and it made the woman stiffen slightly before she could stop herself. In that instant, she realized her kiss might not have been an absolute victory. She had tried to test him, yet somehow, she was the one feeling slightly unsteady now.
Clearing her throat, she turned back to the canal. "Good to know," she said, trying to sound as composed as possible.
The man chuckled softly, noticing her subtle shift. But he chose not to say anything more. Instead, he leaned against the bridge railing beside her, standing in silence.
The night deepened, and the air grew colder. The woman crossed her arms, pulling her coat closer around her. The man watched her for a moment before, without a word, he removed the scarf from around his neck and draped it over her shoulders.
She turned to him, slightly surprised. "I don't need this," she said, though she made no move to take it off.
"But you're cold," he responded casually.
He said nothing more, leaving her to decide whether to keep the scarf or return it. For a moment, she hesitated, then ultimately let it stay.
"For someone who supposedly doesn't react to me, you're being quite considerate," she muttered, though a faint smile played on her lips.
The man only gave a small, knowing smile. "I never said I didn't react. I just don't show it the way you expect."
The woman paused before letting out a long sigh. "Alright," she said, glancing at her watch. "I think that's enough for tonight."
"Does that mean our date is over?"
"Yes," she nodded. "I have an early meeting tomorrow that I can't miss."
The man nodded in understanding. He had expected that answer.
"I'll walk you home," he said without hesitation.
She looked at him briefly, then gave him a small smirk. "If you insist."
As they walked side by side, the streetlights bathed them in a warm golden glow. The city was quiet now, with only a few cars passing by.
When they finally reached the front of a luxurious apartment building, the woman stopped and turned to him.
"Thanks for walking me home," she said.
The man gave a slight nod. "You're welcome."
The woman studied his face for a moment longer before saying, "I enjoyed tonight."
The man smiled faintly. "Me too."
She held his gaze a little longer before turning toward the building's entrance. But after taking a few steps, she paused and looked back.
"Don't think you've won," she teased.
The man raised an eyebrow. "Won?"
She smirked. "I still want to see how you react next time."
And with that, she disappeared inside, leaving him standing there.
A soft chuckle escaped his lips as he slipped his hands back into his pockets.
"Wow, IPC really nailed this update. The recovery capsule works wonders now," he muttered, recalling his past frustrations with it before turning away.
Above him, the moon shone brightly, illuminating a city that never truly slept.
"This game is getting really interesting, the NPCs really feel alive "
___________
That morning, the sun hung low in the sky, casting its golden light through the gaps between the leaves of the city park. The air was still cool, carrying the fresh scent of morning dew, mixed with the earthy aroma of damp soil from the previous night's rain. Birds perched on the branches, occasionally fluttering their wings before soaring into the sky.
The city park was beginning to fill with life. An elderly man sat on a bench, reading a newspaper while sipping coffee from a small thermos. Nearby, a young mother strolled leisurely while pushing a baby carriage, while a small child ran across the grass, laughing joyfully as he chased a butterfly hovering low to the ground.
Amid this peaceful scene, someone emerged from the pathway that cut through the park.
A man with silver hair and piercing pale blue eyes walked slowly under the shade of the trees. His long coat swayed gently with his calm stride. His hands were tucked into his pockets, his thoughts drifting back to the events of the previous night—his meeting with that woman.
Her last words still echoed in his mind.
"I stillwanttoseehowyoureactnexttime."
A faint smile almost formed on his lips when—
Theworldcollapsed.
Suddenly, the bright sky turned dark in an instant, as if someone had torn away the blue expanse and replaced it with a vast void. The sunlight flickered and vanished like a candle blown out, leaving behind elongated shadows that slowly consumed everything.
The air grew heavy, suddenly thick with an unbearable pressure. The wind ceased to blow, as if the entire world was holding its breath. The sky trembled like a glitched holographic screen, flickering with chaotic patterns.
Then, the sound came.
The first crack echoed from a distance—like the shattering of a colossal pane of glass. Its resonance spread through the air, traveling down to the ground, which began to tremble violently. The people who had been laughing moments ago fell silent, turning their heads in confusion toward the sky, which was now fracturing like a broken mirror.
And then, the world began to unravel.
The once lush park transformed in mere seconds. Majestic trees withered instantly, their leaves turning to ash before being carried away by an unseen wind. Flowers melted as if scorched by invisible flames, their petals darkening and disintegrating into the quaking earth.
Then came the people—their forms began to disappear.
The people around the man suddenly distorted, their bodies stretching and warping as if being pulled into an unseen void. The young mother who had been smiling now wore only an expression of terror as her body slowly fragmented into tiny particles and vanished without a sound. The child who had been chasing butterflies reached out for his mother's hand, but before their fingers could touch, he too dissolved into nothingness.
No screams. No resistance. Only emptiness devouring them one by one.
And then, the cracks reached him.
An invisible force seized his body, pulling him toward the abyss opening before him.
His eyes widened, his body stiffened.
"What the hell is this?" he thought, but no sound escaped his lips.
An unfamiliar pressure wrapped around him, like unseen waves of energy drawing him deeper into the unknown. He tried to move his hands, but his body felt paralyzed in this formless space.
Slowly, his vision blurred, the sounds of the world faded, and his body sank into the consuming darkness.
In an instant, everything vanished.