The night had deepened, thick and heavy, pressing down on the empty streets like a held breath. Rakan trailed after the stranger, his steps slow, hesitant, his mind a snarl of unanswered questions. His wound throbbed with each movement, but it was distant now, swallowed by the weight of everything else.
The man in front of him moved without urgency, hands tucked lazily into his pockets, his gait loose, fluid, as if he had all the time in the world. He didn't glance back, didn't check if Rakan was still following. It was as if he already knew the answer.
Rakan gritted his teeth. Smug bastard.
The streets stretched long and empty, streetlights humming faintly overhead, their glow flickering unevenly. The silence wasn't peaceful. It was too quiet, the kind that made the skin tighten at the back of the neck, the kind that felt like something unseen was listening.
The man didn't seem to notice. Or if he did, he didn't care.
"So," Rakan finally broke the silence, his voice sharp, edged with irritation. "You gonna tell me where we're going, or am I just supposed to follow you like some lost dog?"
A chuckle. "You are a persistent one."
Rakan bristled. "No shit. You expect me to just trust some random guy who popped out of nowhere?"
The man hummed thoughtfully. "Well, if it makes you feel better, I did just save your life."
"Did you?" Rakan shot back. "Because from where I was standing, you didn't show up until after I was already dealing with that—thing."
Another amused glance, this time over his shoulder. "Yeah? And how was that working out for you?"
Rakan scowled.
The man grinned, pleased. "That's what I thought."
Rakan exhaled sharply through his nose, biting back another retort. His fingers twitched at his side, aching to ball into fists, but his wound pulsed in warning.
He hated this. The feeling of being dragged along, of not knowing what was going on, of being at the mercy of some cocky, infuriating asshole who seemed to enjoy keeping him in the dark.
"Relax," the man said, his voice light, as if he could sense Rakan's frustration. "We're almost there."
Rakan opened his mouth to snap back, but then—
There.
A small restaurant. Tucked between taller buildings, half-hidden in the shadows, its windows dimly lit. The sign above the door was faded, the name worn away by time, leaving only ghostly traces of letters.
It didn't look open.
Hell, it didn't even look like the kind of place that should exist—as if it had been left behind by the world, forgotten by everything except the people who knew how to find it.
The man stepped up to the door, pushed it open without hesitation, and the warm glow inside spilled out onto the pavement, curling at Rakan's feet like an invitation.
He hesitated.
The strange man glanced back. "Well?"
A beat.
Then, with a sigh, Rakan stepped forward and followed him inside.
𖧼𓁿𖧼𓁿𖧼
The scent of something warm, spiced, and vaguely nostalgic curled through the air, wrapping around him the moment he crossed the threshold. The space was small, dimly lit, with a handful of booths pressed against the walls and a counter where an old man stood, half-hidden behind a paper.
The stranger strode in like he belonged there, raising a hand in lazy greeting. "Yo, old man. Still breathing?"
The old man didn't look up. "Unfortunately."
Rakan blinked.
The stranger only grinned, plopping himself into a booth near the back, stretching out as if he'd just returned home. "Same as always, huh? Guess that's a good thing."
The old man grunted. "Depends on who you ask."
Rakan hovered near the entrance, unsure whether to sit or bolt. The whole place had a strange air about it—not exactly unwelcoming, but off. Like it existed on the edges of something he couldn't quite grasp.
The stranger gestured at the seat across from him. "Go on. Take a load off. You look like you're about to pass out."
Rakan hesitated.
Then, reluctantly, he slid into the booth.
The seat was worn, the table slightly uneven. Faint scratches lined the surface, ghostly remnants of conversations long past.
The stranger leaned back, one arm draped over the back of the seat. "Alright," he said, exhaling slowly. "I suppose I did promise you some answers."
Rakan straightened, tension coiling in his shoulders. "Finally."
The stranger smirked. "But first—"
A menu slid in front of Rakan.
He stared at it.
Then at the man across from him.
"…Are you serious?"
"Deadly."
Rakan scoffed. "You brought me all the way here just to make me buy you food?"
"Hey, information isn't free." The stranger tapped a finger against the table, tone light, teasing. "You want the truth? You gotta pay up."
Rakan scowled. "You're a grown man, and you're making a high schooler pay for your food."
"I like to think of it as an investment."
"In what? Your stomach?"
"More like my well-being." The man flashed a lazy grin. "You wouldn't want me to waste away, would you?"
"Like I care," Rakan groaned, rubbing his temples. "I hate you already."
The stranger laughed, bright and unbothered. "That's the spirit."
The old man wandered over, gaze flicking between them before settling on Rakan. "He's making you pay?"
Rakan threw up his hands. "Apparently."
The old man snorted. "Figures."
The stranger pressed a hand to his chest, feigning hurt. "Why does everyone act like this is a bad thing?"
Rakan ignored him, flipping open the menu with a sigh. His stomach was already protesting, reminding him he hadn't eaten since—hell, he didn't even know what time it was anymore.
Fine. Whatever. If it meant getting the answers he needed, he'd deal with it.
He placed the order.
When the food arrived, the stranger lit up, digging in like he hadn't eaten in days. Rakan watched him, unimpressed, before finally grabbing his own food.
A few bites in, Rakan swallowed, then fixed him with a sharp stare. "Alright. Talk."
The man wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, then leaned forward, fingers tapping idly against the table.
"Alright," he echoed.
And then, with a grin, he said—
"The world you know isn't the only one that exists."
Rakan's breath hitched.
The man's gaze flickered, amusement still dancing at the edges, but beneath it—something deeper.
"Welcome," he said, "to the world of Ka'ro."