After spending time with Freya and speaking openly for the first time in years, Max felt as though his entire being had been reset. His mind, once clouded by heavy thoughts, now felt clear. His soul felt lighter. Every dark emotion that had been pressing upon him since his awakening seemed to dissolve, replaced by a strange calmness he had not felt in a very long time.
He stepped out of Freya's room with a fresh breath and an urge to meet Alice. He wanted to reassure her, talk to her, and perhaps simply spend a quiet moment together after everything that had happened.
But just as he exited into the corridor, he noticed a familiar figure hiding poorly behind one of the pillars in the distance.
Alice.
She peeked around the corner repeatedly, glancing this way and that with a nervous expression, clearly searching for someone. Seeing her like that, Max felt the slightest hint of amusement flicker through him.
"Let's have a little fun," he thought to himself.
