Jerry had just stepped out of the gym, shirt clinging, mind foggy. Today's awkward but kinda electric encounter with Vess still had his brain doing cartwheels.
But then he heard it.
A violin.
Not the clean, elegant kind you hear in orchestras. This was rough around the edges—intense, emotional, like someone was using it to fight off a memory.
He followed the sound, pulled by it, down the dim corridor of the west wing. The lights flickered like they were holding their breath.
Old auditorium. Doors cracked open.
Inside: Lyra.
Standing under a weak spotlight, bow in hand, eyes closed. Playing like it hurt. Like she was pouring something out she didn't want to carry anymore.
Jerry stayed quiet. Just watched.
Then the music stopped. Lyra looked up—and saw him.
Her expression tightened. "How long have you been there?"
Jerry raised both hands like he was caught sneaking snacks. "Long enough to wonder if your violin's haunted."
A tiny twitch of her lip. Not a smile, but not not one either.
"I wasn't playing for anyone," she said, voice flat.
"Kinda figured," Jerry said, stepping in a little. "Didn't feel like a concert. Felt more like… therapy with extra string tension."
She lowered her bow and sighed. "It's just how I deal with stuff."
Jerry nodded, leaned casually against the side of the stage. "Do violinists ever take cheat days? Like, ditch the bow and just air-violin to bad pop songs?"
She blinked at him. "…What?"
"C'mon. Everyone's got a dumb side. I once cried at a detergent commercial. No shame here."
Her eyes narrowed, like she was trying to figure out if he was serious.
Spoiler: He was.
"You're kind of an idiot," she muttered.
He smiled. "Yep. But a charming one, right?"
She didn't answer. But she did let out the tiniest laugh under her breath.
💻 [System Quest Triggered: Melody of Melancholy]🎯 Goal: Make Lyra smile
Bonus Goal: Make her laugh
Penalty: -2 Charisma if you mess it up
Success: +2 Intimacy – Lyra | Scene Unlock: Duet After Dark
👻 Ghost Trio Appears
Zen: "Damage report: emotionally compromised violinist detected."
Ragnar: "Ask her about her bow technique—not the flirty kind."
Alric: "Say violins are basically tortured trees. That one always works."
Jerry ignored the peanut gallery in his head.
"You want a drink or something?" he asked. "You look like you just bench-pressed your emotions for 30 minutes straight."
Lyra hesitated. "Only if it's not one of those zero sugar scams."
"I only drink real poison," Jerry said. "Full sugar or I walk."
They grabbed colas from the vending machine just outside the hall and sat on the steps outside. It was quiet, but not awkward.
Jerry popped the tab open and raised it. "To breakdowns and vending machines."
Lyra tapped her can against his. "And weirdos who don't know when to leave."
Jerry grinned. "Still not leaving though."
They sipped in silence for a few moments. Then:
"You ever just… zone out so hard playing that you forget the music?" Lyra asked, eyes on the stars above.
Jerry shrugged. "I zone out brushing my teeth. You're still cooler."
She smiled. It was small, but this one felt more real. Less tired.
Then her face changed—just a little. She looked down at her hands.
"My dad used to make me play until I got it perfect. No emotion. No messing up. Just notes. He'd say, 'You're not here to feel, you're here to perform.'"She laughed, but it didn't sound happy. "Eventually, I started believing him."
Jerry didn't say anything right away. He just sat with her in the quiet.
Then, softly:"Tonight didn't feel like performance. It felt like remembering who you were before someone told you to be perfect."
Lyra looked at him. Long pause. Blinking.
Jerry shifted, suddenly aware of how cheesy that sounded. "Okay, wow. That was dramatic. I swear I'm not auditioning for a teen romance movie."
Lyra laughed. And this time—really laughed.
Like the sound snuck out before she could stop it.
[System Update: Bonus Objective Complete]
You made Lyra laugh💖 +1 Intimacy – Lyra
"You're so dumb," she said, still smiling. "I don't know how it's working, but it is."
"I'm like a broken vending machine. Occasionally useful. Mostly chaos."
Another laugh.
She finished her drink and stood up, brushing off her skirt. Jerry followed, still holding his half-finished can.
Lyra looked at him, quieter now. "Thanks. For showing up. And not saying something stupid when it mattered."
"I did say something stupid though."
"Yeah," she said. "But somehow, it helped."
And then—she smiled.
Not a smirk. Not a pity smile.
A real one. Soft, bright, like the clouds around her had cracked open for a second.
💻 [System Alert: Heartbeat Spike Detected]🎁
Achievement Unlocked: "Smile Worth a Symphony"💖 +2 Intimacy – Lyra
Memory Bookmark Created
She turned and started walking toward the dorms, violin case bumping softly against her hip.
Jerry stood frozen.
Zen: "He's dead. Flatlined. Smile-induced cardiac arrest."
Ragnar: "A cold drink and a warm girl. That's the endgame, baby."
Alric: "RIP Firestarter. Taken down by feelings. Who would've guessed?"
Jerry watched her go.
Then muttered to himself:
"…I'm so screwed."