Chapter 63 – Something in the Silence
Elora City
Far from where Moon and Kai were discussing Drew's invention, in a completely different corner of the real world…
There hovered a massive city in the middle of space—Elora.
It was five times larger than Nova Lumina, suspended high above any planetary surface, with gleaming towers, floating highways, and a silvery-blue dome shielding it from cosmic winds.
Outside the most luxurious mall in the entire city, a pale boy with silvery-white hair tied into a messy bun stood alone. He wore a black long coat draped over a white shirt and black pants. With a flick of his wrist, he checked the time on his smart watch.
Just then, a voice sliced through the gentle hum of floating cars and the distant murmur of Elora's nightlife.
"Drew! Over here!"
He turned sharply, his eyes scanning past the hovering crowd at the mall entrance.
A sleek, silver-hovering car had just descended onto one of the soft-glow landing platforms a few meters away. The door slid open with a faint hiss, and from it stepped a girl who seemed to carry the atmosphere of a different world altogether.
Haeju.
Her long, violet hair shimmered like flowing silk under Elora's radiant sky, catching the hues of neon pinks and electric blues bouncing off the city's crystal towers. The gentle artificial breeze teased a few strands across her face as she tucked them behind her ear, her delicate fingers brushing her cheek with grace.
She was wearing a deep purple top—simple, yet elegant—and fitted blue jeans that highlighted her natural movement as she walked toward him. Her fair skin reflected the lights like polished marble, and her presence turned more than a few heads as she waved at him with a bright, genuine smile.
Drew's heart jolted in his chest.
For a second, everything else seemed to fade: the noise, the lights, the city itself.
His eyes stayed fixed on her, and without realizing it, he had stopped breathing.
She's just saying hi… Calm down. Don't overthink it.
He took a silent breath, subtly exhaled, and straightened his back—forcing a casual look onto his face, though his heartbeat betrayed him with every step.
He walked toward her, his voice steady, playful, yet barely hiding the flutter in his chest.
"You're late."
Haeju raised a brow, smirking.
"You're early," she countered with mock accusation.
"That's cheating."
Drew chuckled—soft, boyish, a little nervous.
"Fine. I missed you, okay?"
The words slipped out before he could stop them.
Haeju blinked, her eyes widening just slightly—surprised by the blunt honesty.
But almost instantly, she smiled. Not teasing. Not sarcastic. Just… warm.
She looked down for a second, biting her lower lip, then shrugged like it was nothing.
"Let's just go. Movie time!"
And just like that, the moment passed—like a warm breeze that left your skin tingling.
But deep inside, both of them knew… something had just shifted.
A wall slightly lowered.
A door slightly opened.
They stepped into the luxurious theatre, where soft ambient lighting bathed the sleek interior in hues of violet and indigo. The gravity inside was subtly adjusted for comfort—just enough to make every step feel feather-light. Unlike the large, noisy commercial theatres, this one was silent, intimate, and serene, hovering quietly above the upper district of Elora City.
Only twenty plush, reclining seats were spread out across the curved room in a wide arc around the holographic screen. Each seat had its own bubble of sound and temperature control, offering complete immersion without intrusion.
Drew walked in behind Haeju, eyes flicking briefly to the rows before selecting a pair of center seats. He removed his long black coat and gently hung it on the chrome hook behind his chair. Then he sank into the recliner, letting his body ease into the softness. He adjusted the angle slightly—head tilted back, just enough for neck support.
The lights dimmed.
A soft pulse of music marked the start of the film, and the screen exploded to life.
Explosions. Chases. Fight scenes that blurred at superhuman speeds.
3D projections surged outward with perfect depth calibration—fiery debris and flying cars zipping mere inches from their faces. The subwoofers under their seats vibrated with every impact, and laser shots flickered like lightning in a storm.
But Drew wasn't really watching.
He'd picked this movie on purpose—Haeju's favorite genre. She loved action flicks. Anything with spies, power suits, chaotic urban warfare… it excited her. It made her eyes light up.
Drew?
He couldn't care less about fictional violence.
His idea of fun was staring at the internals of a collapsed neutron core, or solving equations to manipulate synthetic wormholes. That's where he came alive.
Not here.
Not with flying punches and catchphrases.
Still, he turned his head slightly—not toward the screen, but toward her.
Haeju was fully immersed.
Her violet eyes sparkled with every shift in tension. Her lips parted just slightly in awe, and every time the stakes rose, her hands would tighten around the armrests or grip the blanket she'd pulled across her legs.
Drew studied her quietly.
The way her eyebrows rose just a little when the protagonist jumped off a skyscraper.
The subtle way she leaned forward when the hero got pinned against a wall.
The tiny gasp she let out when the villain pulled a last-minute twist.
She looked like she belonged inside that world—not because of the violence, but because she carried that same wild spirit. Unpredictable. Brave. Vivid.
He smiled faintly, eyes softening.
She really loves this, he thought. And that's enough reason for me to be here.
He let his head sink further back into the cushion, body warm from the low hum of the seat's ambient heater. The screen still flashed and rumbled, but his mind began to drift.
Haeju laughed at something on screen—light, melodic, unfiltered.
He barely heard it.
His eyes grew heavier. The pulse of the soundscape faded. And then, gently, without even noticing…
He fell asleep.
Right next to her.
Three hours later…
They exited the theatre, the streets now misted with a soft drizzle under the city's lights.
"That last fight scene was insane! Did you see how she jumped off the tower and—wait, were you even awake for that?" Haeju nudged him, narrowing her eyes playfully.
Drew scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, about that… I may have… sort of… slept through half of it."
"You jerk!" she laughed. "I should've made you watch a rom-com as punishment!"
"Please don't," he grinned. "Anyway, I'm starving. Let's grab something to eat?"
She nodded.
They walked through glowing pathways to a cozy little restaurant tucked between two gravity elevators. Inside, they ordered without much thought—Drew went with cold coffee, fries, some burger, and a pizza. Haeju ordered her usual: hot pot with extra spice.
The restaurant sat quietly nestled in a curved corner of the floating district, its walls made of tinted, transparent glass that gave a full view of the city beyond. Outside, the rain had started—not heavy, but gentle, like it knew the city didn't want to be disturbed. Droplets tapped softly against the glass, leaving thin trails that glowed under the reflection of Elora's moons.
There is no natural atmosphere in any artificial city , but to make it look natural there is a timely order of doing things like rain , sunny, sometimes even unpredictable.
Inside, everything felt still.
The rush of the world had faded. The crowd had thinned. Waiters moved silently like shadows. A low jazz melody played from the embedded ceiling speakers—notes soft as velvet, as if the music itself was hesitant to intrude.
At a booth tucked beside the window, Drew sat with one arm resting casually against the back of his chair, fingers gently circling the rim of his coffee glass. The cold brew had mostly melted into a soft swirl of cream and ice. His posture looked relaxed, but his mind wasn't.
Across from him, Haeju was still picking at the last bit of broth from her hot pot, twirling her spoon slowly in circles without really paying attention. Her violet hair had started to fall over one eye, slightly frizzed from the humid air, and her face—half-lit by the window glow—seemed lost in thought.
They hadn't spoken much since the movie ended. Not because there was nothing to say—just that neither of them felt the need to fill the silence.
It wasn't uncomfortable.
It was intimate.
Drew took another sip of his drink, eyes shifting from the cityscape to the girl sitting across from him. He watched her quietly—the way her lashes dipped downward as she stirred, the way her lips pressed together in focus, the slight furrow in her brow.
She's thinking about something, he thought. Or maybe nothing. Either way… I could watch this forever.
Then, as if sensing his gaze, Haeju looked up.
Their eyes met.
It wasn't one of those cliché moments where time froze dramatically.
No.
It was quieter than that.
Still.
Like falling into a soft pond with no splash—just ripples echoing inside the heart.
She didn't blink.
Neither did he.
A heartbeat passed.
Two.
And then Drew looked away, sharply, heat rising to his ears like a silent alarm. He reached for his coffee again, pretending to be focused on his straw, but the tremble in his fingers gave him away.
Haeju watched him for a second longer, then smiled softly.
Without saying a word, she leaned forward—resting her elbow on the table for balance—and gently reached out. Her fingers brushed the edge of his jaw as she wiped away a faint crumb stuck just below his cheekbone.
Her touch was gentle. Barely there.
But to Drew, it felt like an electrical pulse surging through his skin and straight into his chest.
"You've got sauce here, genius," she whispered, the teasing tone in her voice softened by something warmer. Quieter. Closer.
Drew froze, eyes locked to hers for a split second longer than he intended.
Then he let out a short breath, chuckled under his breath, and rubbed the back of his neck.
"Guess I was too focused on the fries."
Haeju tilted her head. Her lips curled into a sly smile.
"Or maybe…" she said, drawing out the words, "…you were just daydreaming again."
Drew's gaze returned to hers, slower this time. Softer. More open.
"Maybe I was."
He didn't smile this time. He didn't have to.
The look in his eyes said enough.
Haeju didn't say anything back.
But she also didn't look away.
The jazz in the background faded into a slow, dreamy piano solo. The rain outside continued its gentle rhythm. And around them, the world carried on like always—cars gliding, people walking, neon signs flickering…
But at that table—within that moment—there was no pressure , no inventions, no hunting , and no pressure to speak.
Just two people.
Two hearts.
Beating a little faster than usual.
Sitting in a floating restaurant, in a hovering city, on a quiet rainy night.
To be continued…