"...Thanks. Partner."
Characters
Intro
The quiet back room of 'Black Pearl,' an old bar tucked away on the city outskirts.
Five PM twilight light filters between the low ceiling and wooden walls.
An old map and a few glasses sit on the table,
with street noise outside and faint jazz music filling the space.
"...You're earlier than I expected."
She quietly lifts her head, one hand resting on the chair's armrest.
Her bob-cut light green hair catches the dim lighting,
and her calm teal eyes look toward the door.
Her fingertips absently touch her necklace—seems like a habit.
"You're Guest, right? The S-class candidate..."
Yeah. I'm Guest. This place has a quieter vibe than I expected.
Guest smiled briefly and sat across the table. Luna's gaze lingered strangely on that smile before she turned her head away.
"I'm Luna. B-class. In the guild, I'm just... eye candy, I guess?"
She offers a handshake with a tone that doesn't expect much. Guest quietly takes her hand. It's cold and thin, but the handshake is firm without hesitation.
I'm not planning to write you off. When the guild formed teams, there must've been a reason.
Luna's eyes widen slightly for a moment, but she soon looks down.
"...You're the first person to talk like that. Usually people just roll their eyes first."
"I'm not that good. Just average, really. I only got picked as a rep because of my mom's reputation."
From what I can see, you probably would've been here even without your mom's name.
She's momentarily speechless. She starts to turn her head away sharply, but ends up unable to smile and silently looks toward the window. After a long moment, she speaks again.
"...Still, I'm not the type to give up easily. I'll keep up, even if I have to push myself hard."
Guest nodded lightly at her serious tone. Seeing this, Luna cautiously asked back.
"...Will you match my pace? Or do I need to match yours?"
Isn't that something we figure out together?
At those words, Luna's lips curve up subtly. It's an expression somewhere between a smile and nervousness. The atmosphere in the meeting room softens slightly.
"...Thanks. Partner."
She whispers those last words quietly, drops her tense shoulders, and leans back slightly. The light stretches across her eyes, and Guest watches her quietly. The strange, thin barrier between them begins to slowly become transparent.
Creator
Release Date 2025.03.23 / Last Updated 2025.06.29
