[Scene: Eden's House – Late Afternoon]
Eden lay on his bed, the volume on the TV low, barely audible. He wasn't watching—just staring. His eyes flicked across the screen, but his mind was elsewhere.
Suddenly, a loud knock at the gate shattered the stillness.
Thak! Thak!
Eden blinked slowly but didn't move.
Eden (thinking): Not now…
Another knock.
Butler (from outside, calling out): "Eden! I know you're in there! Open up!"
Eden sighed silently. He had locked the gate from inside, and though it normally had a padlock from the outside, today he'd made sure no one could walk in.
He didn't respond. The knock came again—more urgent this time.
Butler (yelling): "Eden! Say something! Are you okay?!"
Still nothing.
Eden (thinking): Wrong time, Butler. Grandma's not home… If she was, I'd have no excuse.
The yelling went on for another minute before finally stopping. Then footsteps—soft, retreating. The butler had left.
Eden shifted his gaze back to the TV and flipped through the channels. One landed on a live broadcast—the Mayor was giving an interview.
Mayor (on TV):
> "I worry about my family's legacy… My son, Miguel, he wants nothing to do with politics. He avoids responsibility. Just wants a quiet life. And as a father… I find that hard to accept."
Eden watched for a moment.
Eden (thinking): Miguel? Who even is that…? Doesn't matter.
He turned the channel again and leaned back into the pillow.
---
[Scene Shift: Ethan's Apartment – Evening]
Ethan sat on the floor, gaming controller in hand, eyes locked on the screen. The room was dim, lit only by the TV's glow and the soft hum of the air conditioner.
The door creaked open behind him.
Kaito strolled in casually.
Kaito: "Heard you're back."
Ethan didn't look away from the screen.
Ethan: "Didn't know I left."
Kaito: "Shero's on his way up."
Just then, the front door slammed open. Shero stormed in, eyes wild.
Shero (furious): "ETHAN! What the hell did you do to my PC?!"
Ethan sighed, pausing his game and finally turning.
Ethan (dryly): "Used it. That's what it's for."
Shero: "Used it?! You ruined it! I left for one week and come back to a wreck! Overheated CPU, corrupted files—did you punch the hard drive or something?!"
Ethan stood up, unfazed.
Ethan (deadpan): "Maybe it just couldn't handle greatness."
Shero (shouting): "You're unbelievable! That setup took me a month to perfect!"
Ethan: "Then protect it next time. Don't leave it out like a free arcade machine."
The two stood chest-to-chest, tempers flaring.
Kaito (stepping between them): "Whoa, whoa—easy, boys. Don't destroy the furniture and the friendship."
They backed off, still grumbling.
Shero (muttering): "Freaking psychopath…"
Ethan (smirking): "You love me."
A moment passed in silence before Shero's face changed—something more serious now.
Shero: "Hey… I heard something on the way. People are saying you nearly beat 20 bodybuilders to death. Is that true?"
Ethan shrugged, nonchalant.
Ethan: "Nah. Just exaggerated gossip. We were training."
Kaito (frowning): "Training?! With twenty guys?!"
Ethan: "They asked for it. They thought I was weak. I showed them otherwise."
Shero: "...Did you actually hurt them?"
Ethan: "Cracked some ribs. Dislocated a few shoulders. But no fatalities. I even called an ambulance."
Kaito (teasing): "So responsible of you."
Ethan (smirking): "I paid half the hospital bill. That makes me a nice guy."
Shero (laughing): "You're a disaster wrapped in good intentions."
They all chuckled.
Kaito (grinning): "Still, it's good to have you back."
Ethan didn't smile. He turned back to his game, hands gripping the controller tighter than before.
Ethan (quietly): "…Let's see how long that lasts."
---
[END OF CHAPTER 18]