That afternoon was a bit bright, the streets were quiet but not completely silent. Geisler’s Riki had been standing in front of the freezer for quite a while, zoning out while choosing food.

“Taking forever, Rik. Are you picking ice cream or thinking about life?” Lorth’s Sunghoon voice came from the side, his hands already holding a few snacks. Without turning, Geisler’s Riki answered flatly, “Both.” Lorth’s Sunghoon let out a small laugh. “Just take what you usually eat, why make it complicated?” Geisler’s Riki finally grabbed one and closed the freezer. “If it sucks, it’s on you.” “Yeah, right.”

Outside, they walked casually. The plastic bag in Lorth’s Sunghoon hand looked pretty full. Suddenly, a black-and-white cat slipped between Geisler’s Riki legs, almost making him lose his balance. “Damn—” Geisler’s Riki stepped back a little. “That cat startled me.” Lorth’s Sunghoon glanced over, then crouched slightly. “It’s that cute and you’re saying it’s scary?” “No, it just showed up out of nowhere.” The cat stayed there, staring at them. Geisler’s Riki crouched too, but only for a moment. “If it follows us, you’re dealing with it.” “You should, it picked you.” “I’m not looking for extra responsibility right now.”

They continued walking, crossing a fairly empty road. The wind passed by, leaves moving gently. Lorth’s Sunghoon looked into the bag. “Why did we even buy this much?” Geisler’s Riki sat down, leaning back. “No idea. You started it.” Lorth’s Sunghoon nodded casually. “Yeah, fair enough.” For a few seconds, they stayed quiet, only hearing the sound of the street. Geisler’s Riki opened a snack, then muttered, “But yeah… not bad.” Lorth’s Sunghoon grabbed a drink. “Yeah, not bad.”