The streets of Jinzhou's shopping district buzzed with life, lanterns glowing warm against the dusk sky. Vendors called out, the smell of roasted meat and sweet pastries drifting through the air. Jeff walked slowly, exhaustion heavy in his steps, his muscles still sore from sparring and endless waves of Tacet Discords. In one hand he carried a bag of food something simple for him and Rover to share later.
Just as he was about to head back, something made him stop. In the window of Ganxue's souvenir shop, propped up on a wooden stand, was an acoustic guitar. Its body gleamed under the shop lights, worn but elegant, the strings promising melodies long forgotten.
Almost without realizing it, Jeff stepped inside.
"Well, well it's you again, mister," Ganxue greeted, her eyes curving into playful crescents. "What can I get for you this time?"
Jeff's gaze didn't leave the guitar. "How much for that one?"
She followed his line of sight and chuckled. "Ah, the antique. Six hundred shell credits. Worth every coin." Her voice softened with curiosity. "So… you can play guitar, huh?"
Jeff smirked, rubbing the back of his neck. "Something like that. I can play almost all string instruments. I even dabbled with the piano, though I'm not that good at it." His tone carried that half-teasing flex, the kind that said he wasn't bragging, but knew it was impressive.
Ganxue's eyes sparkled, clearly charmed. "Really? Are you planning to become an artist here in Jinzhou? If so, I'd love to hear you play."
Jeff chuckled, shaking his head. "Nah, nothing like that. I just… plan to serenade someone. You know, completely sweep a girl I'm interested in off her feet."
Ganxue gasped, squealing like a schoolgirl with a juicy secret. She leaned over the counter, eyes wide. "Oh my god, is it her? The beautiful woman you bought that necklace for? Rover, right?"
A sheepish smile tugged at Jeff's lips. "Yup. That's her."
Ganxue clasped her hands dramatically against her chest. "That's so romantic!"
Jeff tilted his head, suddenly unsure. "You think so? I hope it's not too cheesy. Maybe a little old-school."
"Nonsense!" Ganxue waved her hands as if dismissing the very thought. "Girls like us love things like that. Trust me. I guarantee she'll melt."
Her certainty lit a flicker of confidence in him. Jeff grinned, more sure of himself now. "Thanks. I'll take it then."
Ganxue hesitated, then leaned forward conspiratorially. "Because of that, I'll give you a discount. Just four hundred credits."
Jeff blinked. "You don't have to—"
"Nope," she interrupted, wagging a finger at him. "Take it. My way of showing support. Consider it… an investment in true love."
Jeff laughed, shaking his head, but warmth reached his chest. "You have my gratitude."
He paid her the four hundred, and she carefully wrapped the guitar in cloth before sliding it into a slim case. As she handed it over, her smile was mischievous but kind. "Good luck. I'm sure Miss Rover will be touched by your gesture."
Jeff slung the case over his shoulder, its weight strangely reassuring. "I hope so."
As he turned toward the door, Ganxue cupped her hands around her mouth and called after him: "Tell me all about it when you come back!"
Jeff glanced back, chuckling under his breath. "Sure thing."
Outside, the lanterns flickered against the night sky, and Jeff felt a tiny spark of nervous excitement bloom in his chest. Girls really did love gossip, especially when it came to romance.
The streets had quieted by the time I left the marketplace, food in one hand and the newly bought guitar slung across my back. The lanterns along the road flickered lazily in the evening breeze, casting long shadows over the stone pavements. My legs ached from the day's battles, but there was a strange eagerness stirring in my chest. I couldn't wait to see Rover's face when I surprised her.
Then I saw him.
Sitting on an empty bench just off the road. Head tilted back like he had all the time in the world, legs crossed in his usual nonchalant manner.
My heart stopped.
Ethan.
My best friend. My comrade. My brother in arms. A man I had watched die bleeding out in the mud right in front of me.
No. Not possible. Not here. Not again.
My pulse spiked, but I forced myself to breathe. Stay calm. Getting worked up won't help. You know what you need to do. You know how to keep it together.
A low, familiar chuckle rolled across the night. "You'd know all about conducting yourself well, wouldn't you?"
I didn't even flinch when he spoke. Somehow, I knew he would.
He leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees, smirk carved across his face. His dark hair was as messy as ever, black-framed glasses sliding a little down his nose. Denim jacket, dark t-shirt casual, like he'd just walked out of our old world.
Of course. Ethan would show up now. To haunt me.
"I wondered when you'd appear," I muttered flatly, voice low. My throat tightened as names surfaced. "Who's next, huh? Mom? Dad? Lena?"
He shrugged like it was nothing. "Depends on you if you get to see them or not. Oh wait you can't. They're all dead. Just like me." He laughed, sharp and careless, but it sliced right through me.
I swallowed hard. The truth always hurt more when it came from his mouth.
"Even dead, you still manage to be a fucking asshole."
His smirk widened. "So," he drawled, "you're convinced now you didn't actually die when you were transported here. Why's that?"
I met his gaze, jaw set. "Because it'd be too cruel if I was dead and this was some purgatory."
"Maybe. Maybe not." He hummed like it was a riddle only he knew the answer to. "But deep down? You're still not sure."
Frustration gnawed at me. "Is there any fucking way to be sure in my circumstances?"
He tilted his head, conceding. Then his grin sharpened. "I heard you bought a guitar for Rover. Planning to serenade her, huh? How romantic that's just like you. Last time I saw you do that was in high school. You got the girl all flustered, and you dated her after, right?"
I shot him a deadpan glare. "For like a month. Typical high school romance."
Ethan chuckled, glasses catching the lamplight. "You were such a mess back then. Dating a different girl every year, wasn't it? What a playboy."
"Fuck you."
He laughed harder, undeterred. "Nah, I mean it. You were never a bad boyfriend. You just had… other priorities. Studies, work. Real-life problems kids your age shouldn't have been carrying. Except Lena, of course. Your college sweetheart." His voice softened. "You really loved that woman."
The name hit me like a punch to the gut. I looked away, shrugging stiffly. "That was life back then."
"True," he admitted, tone shifting. "But are you still the same?"
I frowned, confused. "What do you mean?"
"Are you still that good guy deep down? The one who wouldn't intentionally hurt a girl?"
My brows furrowed. "Why ask that?"
His tone turned deceptively neutral. "I want to know how far you'd go to stay alive. Especially in a world like this. Would you hurt her out of desperation?"
My chest tightened, but I didn't hesitate. "I wouldn't go that far. Who the hell do you take me for?"
Ethan's smirk faded into a skeptical stare. "Wouldn't you?"
"I'm not that desperate."
"Aren't you?"
Heat crawled up my neck. I dragged a hand down my face, exasperated. "What do you want me to fucking say?"
He leaned back on the bench, unreadable. "Just confirming things, is all."
Silence stretched between us until a deep, resonant bell tolled somewhere in the distance.
Ethan's eyes flicked toward the sound. "To think you actually got transported here. Unbelievable."
I let out a humorless laugh. "I can't believe it either. Honestly? I don't know what I'm doing. All I know is… I have a vow to keep to Rover. And that's what I'm gonna do."
Ethan's smirk softened into something almost nostalgic. "A vow, huh. You're still the same. Our Captain. The Reaper of the Eastern Front." He chuckled. "Pretty ironic nickname for a combat medic. You would've been a decorated war hero… if only we didn't lose."
My fists clenched. "I don't want to dwell on the past. It distracts me from the now."
Ethan barked a short laugh. "That's just like you."
His gaze drifted upward, catching the fading light. His smile dimmed. "Looks like you need to hurry."
I rose slowly, gripping the guitar strap tighter across my shoulder. "Yeah. No time to waste."
As I turned to leave, his voice chased after me quiet, yet cutting. "Just… make sure you stay alive, huh? Don't forget your vow to us, too. To remember."
I stopped, frowning at the strange phrasing.
"I know." My voice was steady. "I won't forget the vow we made. I was the last one left back then. That's how it's always been. I'll take you guys with me—your names, your memories, everything. I'll carry you all the way to the end."
For once, Ethan's expression faltered. His eyes glimmered with something raw, and human. He looked moved, though he tried to mask it with a crooked grin.
I didn't say anything more. Couldn't.
I just turned and walked into the lengthening shadows, his gaze heavy on my back. My chest felt tight, haunted by his presence, his questions… by the man I used to be.
And through the dark, a question gnawed at me with every step:
Am I still that man? Or has this world already changed me in ways I don't want to admit?