Jayden's hover bike hummed low as it cut through the morning air. The sun had risen higher now, warm rays spilling over the city, painting the skyline in gold and pale blue.
On his way back home, he branched by the park, weaving through the quiet paths until he found the familiar marker.
He jogged, climbed, and pushed through the motions. Every pull-up, every sprint was half for the system, half for himself. By the time the notification chimed softly, a sheen of sweat lined his brow. He wiped it off, exhaled, and finally made his way home.
The house came into view, its familiar presence grounding him after the whirlwind of the past two days. As he stepped inside, Harleen peeked from the kitchen, Jacob from the living room, both curious about his whereabouts.
He gave them the simplest version of the truth: "gala business, got home late, crashed at a friend's place."
It was enough. In fact, they were even glad to know that he was becoming more social.
