Axel steps into the Geheimer Garten Motel, greeted by a warm and quiet lobby. The air carries a subtle hint of lavender mixed with the scent of old carpet.
It's… fine, not dirty, not fancy, just ordinary. An ordinary that he's still getting accustomed to; nothing about it wows him, but nothing repulses him either. It's just a part of this bizarre outside world he never thought he'd experience.
At the front desk, a woman casually flips through a magazine. She doesn't glance up until his shadow falls across the counter. Her eyes lift then widen a bit, surprised by the tall, sharp-faced boy standing in front of her.
Axel gives a polite nod.
"Lovely evening, ma'am," he says smoothly. "I'm here to see someone."
She straightens up a little, closing the magazine.
"Oh? And who might that be?" she asks, her tone shifting to a more professional warmth, though a spark of curiosity dances in her eyes.
"Her name is Kristina Visscher, she told me to come here as soon as I arrive here. I'm actually new to Berlin so that's why I had to ask for directions when coming here." Axel replied.
The receptionist raised her eyebrows a bit, tapping her nails on the counter once before turning to the old computer behind her to type in the name.
"Kristina Visscher… yes, she's been with us for a few months now."
Her gaze flicked back to Axel, a spark of curiosity in her eyes.
"She did mention that someone might come looking for her eventually, but she never specified who that might be."
Axel stayed silent, and the woman nodded to herself.
"Room 304. That's on the third floor. The elevator is just around the corner. I think she might be asleep or possibly at work, but since it's the middle of the night, I can't be sure. You can go check, and if she's not there, just come back down so I can give her a call, okay?"
Axel nodded and made his way to the elevator, as he arrived he realized he had never used an elevator before and didn't know which button to press. Then he looked at the stairs just right next to the elevator. Should he use them? That was the question in his mind.
He decided as soon as he saw them and used the stairs to climb up to the third floor, he kept walking and walking and walking making his way to the third floor but he did not rush but he wanted to rush why was that even he did not know. Was he that eager to see the person who made him finally escape Soul Ocean in order to see the beauty of the outside world?
Reaching the third floor as instructed he started walking to room 304, he started checking room number by room number until he finally found room 304. He took his hand out ready to knock on the door but his hand stopped for some reason.
'Is it the right thing to do.Like that woman said it's still the middle of the night, maybe she is asleep or maybe at work.'
He looks at the door one more time and then takes the risk of knocking.The feeling of wanting to see the person who saved him still flies around his head.
Axel raised his hand and knocked on the door.
Tap… tap… tap…
But nothing. He knocked again, a bit louder this time, his hope flickering. Still, there was silence. He decided to give it one last shot, rapping with all his might, as if the sound itself could somehow conjure a response. Yet… still nothing.
His hand fell to his side, shoulders slumping. He looked down, feeling the weight of disappointment settle in his chest.
'Probably asleep… or at work. I guess I'll just come back tomorrow. Better let the receptionist know.'
He turned to leave, a soft sigh escaping his lips, when a faint clatter caught his attention.
'Where am I going to sleep tonight? I guess it'll have to be outside since I don't have any money for a room.'
He froze, his heart tightening. Slowly, he turned and saw it—a purse and a shopping bag full of groceries lying abandoned on the ground.
Axel bent down, gently picking them up. "Ma'am? You dropped this," he called out softly.
"Axel…"
The name hit him like a warm wave, cutting through the chill of disappointment. His chest tightened. He looked up and froze and there she was Kristina, tears streaming down her face, glistening in the dim hallway light. Her body trembled slightly, and her hands clutched the edge of the doorframe as if she needed it for support.
For a moment, neither of them moved. Axel's heart swelled, an ache twisting in his chest. He had imagined this moment a thousand times, but never like this.
Kristina's lips quivered, and a ragged sigh escaped her. "I… I didn't expect… anyone to come…" Her voice cracked, breaking into quiet sobs.
Axel felt a lump form in his throat. He stepped closer, carefully holding out the purse and bag. "Doctor… it's me," he said gently. "I didn't know… I didn't expect to see you like this."
Her tears fell faster, her shoulders shaking, and she finally let out a small, broken laugh through her sobs. "You… you came… even after everything… you actually came."
Axel felt a sharp ache in his chest at the sight before him, yet a comforting warmth began to spread within. He smiled gently, almost at a loss for words. "I never imagined it would be like this… but… it's you."
For a brief moment, time seemed to stand still. The quiet hallway, the soft lighting, the soothing scent of lavender all of it faded into the background. It was just the two of them, vulnerable and exposed, connected by something unspoken yet unbreakable.
Kristina's hands shook as she reached out, hesitant to make contact, and Axel carefully handed her the bag and purse.
"Here," he murmured, his voice tender. "It's okay. You don't need to say anything. Just… breathe."
Tears streamed down her face now, and she nodded, a shaky acceptance in her eyes. Axel felt a lump form in his throat. For the first time in ages, he understood that some connections, no matter how quiet or hidden, could hold more weight than fear, more than rules, more than the world itself.
In that moment, Axel realized regardless of how tough the road ahead might be, or how far the lies of Soul Ocean stretched, this… this was real.