Chapter 5: A Smile in the Silence

Chapter 5: A Smile in the Silence

The hallway ended in a quiet chamber, lined with thick velvet curtains and a long bench near a stained-glass window.

Kael stopped without turning.

"Stay here. Don’t wander."

Rik nodded quickly, slumping onto the bench as Kael vanished into another corridor with the same silent force he always carried.

Alone, Rik let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.

“Okay. I’m inside a fantasy world. I followed a guy who may or may not think I’m a criminal. And now I’m… sitting on a magic bench.”

He rubbed his eyes.

Suddenly—

"Whoa!"

A blur of blonde hair and oversized sleeves appeared right in front of him.

"Are you alive? You look like a soggy mushroom!"

Rik blinked. A boy — maybe his age, maybe younger — leaned forward with the widest grin Rik had seen since he arrived. His clothes were mismatched, his boots untied, and his satchel was practically overflowing with glowing books and snack wrappers.

"I’m Eli!" the boy beamed. "You must be the new weird one!"

Rik blinked again.

“…Excuse me?”

"Everyone talks about the mysterious stranger Kael dragged in. That's you, right?" He squinted at Rik dramatically. "Hmm. Yep. You totally look mysteriously confused and kind of sad. That’s our guy."

Despite himself, Rik gave a tiny laugh.

"I’m… Rik."

"Nice!" Eli plopped down beside him. "You hungry? Want a sweetcore biscuit? Smells like burnt stars, tastes like sugarclouds."

Rik looked down at the wrapped pastry Eli handed him. He sniffed it.

It did smell like burnt stars.

"Thanks… I think."

Eli chuckled. "Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it. This place is weird. But once you stop trying to understand it, it's kinda fun."

Before Rik could answer, heavy footsteps echoed again.

Kael returned, arms crossed, expression unreadable.

His eyes landed immediately on Eli.

"You’re not supposed to be here."

Eli stood dramatically, puffing out his chest.

"I was here spiritually. You can’t block the spirit."

Kael sighed. Loudly.

Eli gave Rik a wink and whispered, "He secretly likes me. That’s just his ‘I’m tough’ voice."

Rik stifled a laugh.

Kael raised an eyebrow.

"Something amusing?"

Rik, flustered, blurted,

"No, sir! I mean — Your eyebrows are very… authoritative?"

A silence.

Eli burst out laughing.

Kael stared.

Rik wanted to disappear.

But for the first time, just for a blink —

Kael’s mouth twitched, almost like a… smirk?

He turned away.

"Let’s go. Eli, leave."

"Love you too!" Eli called, skipping off with a wink.

Rik followed, cheeks warm.

What even was that?

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