Arthur and Luna arrived home from the cosplay festival, their laughter still lingering in the air as they stepped through the front door. The familiar sound of sneakers squeaking on the gym floor caught Arthur's attention. To his surprise, they found Emily and her father, Sam, waiting for them, comfortably seated in their gym.
"Uncle Sam! Emily!" Luna greeted them warmly, her eyes lighting up. "Why didn't you call? Come upstairs, it's getting late. You should stay for dinner. Come on, I'll whip something up. It's already night, after all."
As Luna disappeared into the kitchen, Emily trailed after her to help. Meanwhile, Arthur stayed behind with Sam, both sitting across from each other in comfortable silence.
"Uncle Sam," Arthur began after a moment, his voice lowering slightly. "I've been meaning to ask about Max." His fingers fiddled with the hem of his shirt as he continued, "I'm planning to write a letter to him, to ask him to stop investigating Luna's identity."
Sam chuckled softly, his eyes warm. "No need for that," he said, leaning forward. "That's actually why I came here tonight. I've got some good news about that situation."
Arthur's brow furrowed in curiosity, but before he could ask more, Luna's voice called from the kitchen, announcing that dinner was ready.
The meal was lively, the conversation flowing naturally between the clinking of plates and glasses. But after dinner, as they all settled in the living room, Sam cleared his throat, catching everyone's attention.
"Max is going abroad," Sam began, his tone casual but carrying a weight of importance. "He's leaving on a business trip, and it's likely he'll have to stop investigating Luna for a while. He'll be tied up for a few months, and who knows? He might drop the whole thing altogether."
Arthur and Luna exchanged glances, the tension they hadn't even realized they were carrying suddenly lifting. Their faces broke into relieved smiles.
"That's such a relief," Luna said, her voice soft but full of gratitude.
Arthur nodded, his mind already spinning with thoughts of how their peaceful days could continue for just a little longer.
As the night grew late, Emily and her father took their leave, their warm farewells echoing in the quiet house. With a sense of tranquility, the siblings headed to their rooms, the promise of restful sleep finally within reach.
But what they didn't know was that Max had already discovered the truth about Luna—about her secret identity as the CEO of Nexus.
On the other side of the city, Max was boarding his flight, the hum of the airport buzzing around him. His sharp gaze remained fixed ahead as his men loaded the last of his luggage. His secretary, walking beside him, hesitated before asking the question that had been weighing on his mind.
"Sir, if I may… why are you so interested in Luna? I mean, she's your rival."
Max's lips curled into a small, knowing smile. "You'll see the reason for my interest when I get back."
Meanwhile, the peaceful days Arthur and Luna hoped for continued. As the weeks passed, something began to shift. Nora, once distant and cold, gradually started warming up to her classmates. Slowly, she gained more friends, but it was clear to everyone—Arthur remained her favorite.
Unbeknownst to him, Arthur's own feelings for Nora were beginning to change. He couldn't quite place it, but he found himself drawn to her in ways he hadn't noticed before.
As the months flew by, midterm exams arrived. The entire school buzzed with predictions—Arthur was expected to come first again this year, just as he always had. But when the results came out, the school was left in shock. Nora had taken the top spot, with Arthur coming in second.
The news spread quickly, whispers flying through the halls of Sunrise High. Arthur's friends were stunned, even angered at him for losing his first place to a transfer student. But Arthur, ever calm and composed, didn't mind the second-place ranking. He simply smiled, as unbothered and peaceful as ever.