The festival lights faded behind Serin and Evelyn with every step they took, shrinking into a soft glow in the distance until it was nothing more than a warm blur against the night sky.
They walked side by side along the quiet street. The road was mostly empty, just the occasional car gliding past.
Evelyn let out a deep exhale, shoulders dropping. "Man… today was insane."
Serin crossed her hands. "I probably would've died from overstressing if you didn't come in time!"
A light breeze stirred the trees along the sidewalk, nudging loose a couple of dry leaves that tumbled lazily across the road.
Evelyn kicked one lightly, hands buried in her pockets. "Hey… now tell me what you and Demian were doing. Why did he even come? I didn't tell him you'd be there."
Serin groaned loudly into her hands, dragging them down her face dramatically. "OHH! Before that, tell me why you told him about Carson?! GOSH, can't you keep your mouth shut for once?!"
Evelyn stiffened, then let out a tiny nervous laugh, eyes darting anywhere except at Serin. "Ahaha—come on, Demian didn't have to run his mouth like that." she said, a sweat dropped from her forehead.
Serin glared as if she would have started a cat fight if Evelyn wasn't her best friend.
Evelyn instantly straightened, waving her hands. "Okay, okay! Look he was your friend once! Sometimes he needs updates on your life too! Now tell me what really happened. What were you two talking about?"
Serin looked away, her gaze drifting up to a cloud brushing lazily over the moon. Her voice was quiet. "…He was just being Demian."
Evelyn hummed, clearly unconvinced. "If you say so."
Serin's lips twitched. She tilted her head toward Evelyn with a blank, almost teasing expression. "I met Carson before that though. Hehe."
Evelyn stopped walking. "WHAT?!? What did you two talk about!?" She grabbed Serin's arm with both hands, eyes sparkling.
Serin chuckled at her reaction, pulling her arm back. "He said he came to watch Demian's band. We talked a bit and said goodbye."
"Small talks, huh…" Evelyn said, deflating instantly, shoulders slumping in disappointment.
Serin shook her head with a soft laugh.
"Eve… I already quit my job. Did the café owner say anything to you about hiring?" Serin looked at Evelyn with a more serious look.
"Oh! Right!" Evelyn nearly tripped over her own feet, suddenly remembering. "She told me to tell you to meet her tomorrow. Gosh, I almost forgot!"
Serin gasped, hands flying up to cover her mouth. "Oh my gosh, really?? So I can finally work near your place! though it's still a bit far from my house but I can manage!!"
Evelyn matched her excitement for a second, then quickly twisted it into teasing. She leaned forward, copying Serin's pose with hands on her cheeks. "Don't forget Demian lives near that café too, haha. You might run into him more since he's always fooling around there."
Serin dropped her hands slowly, face falling into an exaggerated deadpan. "…Aghh, I'll just pretend I don't know him."
Evelyn snorted. "Yeah right. Let's see how long that lasts."
Serin bumped her shoulder into Evelyn's, but lightly..playful.
"Shut up."
The quiet street stretched behind her. Serin slipped through the small gate of her house, careful not to make a sound. The living room was dark. Her parents fall asleep fast.
She crept past the living room, stepping lightly over the carpet.
Once inside her room, she quietly opened her drawer and retrieved a small, worn canvas bag. Inside were her camera, sketchbook, and art supplies. She paused for a moment, then added a small packet of snacks and a blanket before slinging the bag over her shoulder.
She settled down against the low ledge, pulling out her sketchbook and camera. Serin let out a soft breath, feeling the tension of the evening slowly.
"What should I draw? Maybe the outfit Demian was wearing… it looked so cool," she muttered with a small, thoughtful smile, lightly tapping the pencil against her lips before setting it to paper.
She was lost in her work, when her phone suddenly rang loudly, startling her.
"Oh gosh! That scared me to the core!" she exclaimed, clutching her chest before quickly grabbing her phone and turning it toward the screen.
"Wahh!! Mia!" Serin said, leaping slightly in excitement. "I thought you would be busy since your café was filled with students today!!"
"Oh my! I didn't think you'd be this happy to get my call, or I would've called earlier, hahaha," Mia's voice came through the speaker, warm and teasing.
Serin bounced slightly on the rooftop, stamping her foot playfully. "You know! I was waiting to talk to you and tell you everything!"
"Right! I let a friend manage the café for a bit… now tell me, did something happen today??"
Mia had been Serin's first online friend, three years older and full of warmth and energy. They had met online through Serin's photography and art posts. Mia liked watching Serin's posts.
Whenever Mia trusted someone, she trusted them fully. And for that reason, Her ex-boyfriend betrayed her and ran off with her savings. Starting a café with her parents' help was her way to recovery. And for her charm and beauty, the café was doing very well.
Serin took a deep breath, sitting cross-legged on the rooftop, as she began telling everything.
Mia gasped and laughed at all the right moments. "Serin! Your high school life is so… fun! I wish I was born late and had the chance to enjoy this with you, lol!"
"Mia! Don't joke! This was actually sooo exhausting!" Serin's voice came out mock-angry, and she playfully thumped the top of her sketchbook with her hand. Both of them bursted into laughter, the sound echoing softly across the rooftop.
They settled into an easy rhythm, the two of them swaying between laughter and serious chatter. Mia would vent about heartbreaks, Serin would scold the fools who hurt her and cheer her up, and Mia would gush about how Serin would have made such a perfect boyfriend if she was a guy. It was their everyday ritual. Serin would slip up to the rooftop after coming home, while Mia, having finished her work at the café, would call to catch up. So saying Evelyn was Serin's only friend would be completely wrong—Mia was a piece of Serin too.
By the time they finally hung up, Serin's hands were tired, her pencil worn down, and the sky had grown dark. She leaned back against the ledge, stretching her arms above her head and letting out a satisfied sigh.
"I should call Eve and tell her to accompany me to my café interview…" she muttered, looking at the picture of Evelyn and her on her wallpaper, her voice barely above the whisper of the night.
During the call, she had been nibbling on a small snack from her bag. Now, she wrapped the soft blanket around her shoulders, letting the warmth settle in.
The city below was quiet, the occasional car leaving fleeting streaks of light in the distance. Her sketchbook rested on her lap, her camera lying nearby. Slowly, her eyelids grew heavy, the soft hum of the city and the gentle night air lulling her into a light, peaceful sleep.
A few streets away, the neon glow of a game café cut sharply through the night.
Demian sat in the game café, fingers flying over the controller as his friends cheered and shouted around him. The glow of the screen lit his focused, emotionless face. He was just about to finish the final level when his phone buzzed on the table beside him.
He glanced down at the screen.
"I can't give you your guitar tomorrow. I have to take Serin to the café near the school for her interview." —Evelyn
His expression didn't change, but his hands froze mid-move, controller hovering awkwardly in the air. A quiet, almost confused sound slipped out from him.
"Huh?"
On the screen, his character tumbled to defeat, and his friends immediately erupted in frustration.
"Dude! What are you doing?!"
"Bro, you literally just lost us the game!"
"What the hell, man!"
Demian's puzzled eyes flicked back to the message. "What are they even up to now..."
Demian blinked at the game screen, the realization of defeat slowly sinking in. He leaned back in his chair, letting out a lazy sigh.
"Shit… we lost a big one, huh…" His tone was flat, almost like it barely mattered.
His friends immediately erupted.
"Bro! This might not be big for your richness, but how are we supposed to pay?? We lost the bet for you!"
Demian let out a frustrated sigh, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees, his face twisting into a faint scowl. After a moment, he pushed back in his chair and slowly stood up.
He said in a cracky teasing tone, masking the thought running through his head,
"Sorry, sorry. I'll give you all a treat at some café tomorrow."
He tried to keep a blank expression, though a tiny smile tugged at the corner of his lips, betraying his excitement.
His friends froze for a moment, then burst into a mix of irritation and disbelief.
"You think you can buy us with meals??"
One of them spoke again, this time his voice was slightly softer, "Which café are we talking about, though?"
Demian tilted his head, eyes flicking upward as he rested a hand on the back of his neck, pretending to ponder.
"Hmm… the one near our school, I guess? Haha," he said, shrugging casually. "We have to figure out which one though."
One of his friends suddenly leaned forward, voice rising to a scream,
"THE ONE WHICH IS RAN BY THAT BEAUTIFUL WOMAN?!"