[Continuation —]
"Hello…?"
Sky turned sharply, blinking as his thoughts scrambled back from the depths of the river.
Standing a few feet away was Ball, her hands folded behind her back, the late-afternoon light brushing her face.
"Oh— hey," he said quickly, trying to hide the strain in his voice.
Ball stood there — tall, poised, with a sharp yet elegant presence. Her red hair shimmered faintly in the dying sun, and her eyes carried a kind of confidence that made you instinctively straighten your posture. She didn't look familiar, not even faintly. Definitely not one of the people he'd talked to before.
"I'm sorry," she said quickly, noticing his startled look. "Didn't mean to sneak up on you. You just… looked like someone who could use a word or two."
Sky blinked, a little disoriented. "I'm fine," he murmured. "Just… clearing my head."
