Chapter 2: Night Road
"Your order, please. Have a good night."
Margaret Monroe handed over the neatly packed meal with her signature graceful smile, watching the customer step out into the darkness.
That had to be the last one. The prepared ingredients were almost gone. It was time to close.
She turned and saw Julian sitting on a stool, resting. Exhaustion showed clearly in his posture, mixed with heavy drowsiness.
Margaret pulled the stool beside him closer and sat down. Her faint, signature fragrance drifted over.
"Julian, we're done for the night."
"Ah! Finally. I'm beat," Julian stretched, trying to work the stiffness out of his body after hours of nonstop work.
His cooking was nothing special—just barely passable.
Fortunately, his role at the Fast Feast Diner was simple: heat up the dishes the owner had already prepared, arrange them carefully in the takeout containers, and hand them off to Margaret at the front counter. Nothing complicated.
Still, repeating the same motions dozens upon dozens of times left him drained. By the time night had completely settled and supplies ran out, his arms ached and his legs felt weak from standing so long.
A short break restored just enough energy for the trip home. Julian stood. "Boss isn't back yet?"
"He messaged saying we could leave. He'll be here soon."
"Then… ready to head out?"
"Yeah. Give me a second to wipe down the counter."
After clearing the food scraps and wiping away the grease and spills, Margaret grabbed her bag and left the diner with Julian.
The night was deep. Foot traffic had thinned considerably. The yellowish streetlights cast small pools of light here and there, occasionally broken by the distant cry of a cat.
In the distance, the long street stretched toward a bright horizon until it was cut off by the wide river running through Ashford City. Across the water, thousands of lights sparkled like stars.
Margaret gazed toward that lively world and asked softly, "Julian, do you live far from here?"
"Pretty far. I have to catch the bus. Otherwise I'd walk every day just to save a few dollars."
"You really think about money first with everything, don't you?" Margaret said lightly, a hint of helpless amusement in her voice.
Julian shrugged, tone casual. "When you never know if you'll have food tomorrow, not thinking about money is a fast way to end up hungry."
Silence fell for a moment. She tilted her head slightly, studying the too-thin line of his profile.
The exaggerated complaint would have sounded like a joke from anyone else. From him, it carried an undeniable weight of reality.
Sensing the mood growing heavier, Julian quickly added, "Just kidding. I won't actually starve to death."
"There's only one year left before college admissions," Margaret smoothly shifted the topic, her sweet smile returning. "Which schools are you thinking about, Julian?"
"Silverwood University, probably. But it's going to be a stretch for me. I'll just give it everything I've got. For you though, it should be no problem."
"It's not that easy… If you're free this weekend, I could help you study after we visit the cemetery?"
Julian's steps paused briefly. "Is that really okay? I don't want to bother you."
"I offered, so it's fine. We can start on the way back from the cemetery?"
He scratched the back of his head. That timing worked perfectly.
This was probably the first time he'd heard Margaret proactively offer to help someone. The gentle girl always responded when asked, but rarely took the initiative herself.
"Sure. Thanks a lot."
"It's nothing. You help me out at work all the time."
The night wind cut sharply through their clothes, stealing warmth without mercy. When they reached the fork in the road, they stopped under the pale glow of a streetlight.
Margaret pointed down the darker path. "My bus stop is that way. See you tomorrow."
The road she indicated had very few lights. Darkness swallowed most of it, the shadows seeming to hide unseen dangers that made fear rise instinctively.
She had only taken two or three steps when Julian's voice came from behind her. "I'll walk you. It's too dark for a girl to go alone."
"…Okay… Thank you."
Julian slowed his pace to stay half a step behind her.
The cold, chaotic darkness and the eerie cat calls made his skin prickle. Even he felt uneasy.
He had already lost almost everything one could lose, yet he still clung desperately to life. Anything that could threaten it terrified him.
The oppressive silence weighed on his nerves. Julian tried to make conversation to push down the fear. "By the way, Margaret, which university are you aiming for? With your grades, you could probably get in anywhere."
"I haven't decided yet. I'll think about it later."
Her reply sounded noticeably colder, as if it had blended into the tangled night itself.
His body temperature seemed to drop further. Julian couldn't explain why, but the unease that had started the moment they turned onto this path refused to fade.
"Are you scared?" he asked suddenly.
"Not really. I've walked this route so many times—I'm used to it. But today… I feel much safer than usual."
Margaret turned to look at him. In the darkness, her smile carried a deeper meaning, still breathtakingly beautiful yet somehow unreal.
Their eyes met. For an instant, Julian felt that her gaze was completely foreign—not like the Margaret he knew at all. There was something indescribable in it… something that made his stomach tighten with fear.
His throat bobbed. He swallowed hard and quickly shook off the strange thought. Rubbing his eyes, he looked again. Margaret had already turned forward.
Her shoulder-length hair was tied back in a low ponytail, hanging down and covering her pale neck.
The familiar blue-and-white school uniform, regulation pants, and white socks visible above her canvas shoes—all of it was the Margaret he knew. The earlier feeling must have been his imagination playing tricks.
They continued walking in silence until the bus stop came into view.
"A bus is coming," Margaret said, spotting the approaching headlights. She turned to him. "Thank you for walking me. You should head back now or you'll miss your connection."
"Yeah. Get home safe."
"You too. Goodnight."
Julian turned and started walking away. After four or five steps he glanced back and saw her board the bus. Everything looked normal.
It really had just been his imagination. There was nothing off about Margaret.
...
The bus doors closed behind her with a mechanical hiss. The sound of coins dropping into the fare box rang out clearly.
Plenty of seats were open, but Margaret remained standing, one hand gripping the overhead rail. Her gaze stayed fixed out the window on Julian's slender back as he walked farther and farther away, eventually disappearing completely into the night.
The bus interior was unnervingly quiet. The few other passengers sat far in the back, keeping their distance.
The girl stood with perfect posture, her figure slim with a narrow waist and long legs. The subtle curves of youth had begun to form at her chest.
A few strands of black hair fell across her eyes, slicing the view. Her soft pink lips parted and moved silently, forming words no one else could hear…
The bus continued on its route without new passengers. Margaret watched the dark storefronts and houses blur past outside, her expression perfectly calm once more as she carefully sealed away every other emotion.