[At the restaurant where Catte works]
As usual, every week Catte continued working at the restaurant, doing the same tasks — washing dishes, taking orders, and delivering food.
But everything changed with the arrival of a mysterious person, whose voice Catte had heard many years ago and used to often talk with.
Catte spotted the mysterious person and thought to himself:
"What does that strange person want at this restaurant?" Catte said in his heart.
He had no choice but to take the mysterious person's order. To his shock, when the person removed the hood of their jacket, Catte saw that it was his old friend, Taco — the friend who had disappeared without a trace after finishing elementary school.
"You... you're Taco, right?" Catte stammered.
"Yeah, that's ri-... Eh?! Catte?!" said Taco.
Both of them were equally surprised to see each other again. From afar, Mikha, who was watching, said:
"What are they doing?" Mikha wondered.
After Taco paid for his meal, he immediately asked Catte:
"Hey Catte, how have you been? Everything okay?" asked Taco.
Catte happily replied:
"Yeah, for now everything's going smoothly. How about you?" Catte asked.
"Not too bad. For now, I just need someone to keep me company for a while," said Taco.
"You... need someone? I think Frost could be your friend," replied Catte.
"Eh? Frost? You've met him?" asked Taco.
"Yeah, I met him when I moved into a small apartment near this area," answered Catte.
"Oh... in that case, could I get Frost's phone number? Maybe he could be my roommate," said Taco.
Catte then gave Taco Frost's phone number. After their conversation, Taco, busy with his office work, excused himself to head back to his workplace, while Catte continued his job at the restaurant, thinking about his brother's debt.
[Evening]
As usual, Catte took Ruby for a walk near the playground. He let Ruby run freely in the park to give her some freedom after being trapped indoors.
Catte then sat down on a bench near the playground, pulled out his phone, and saw a picture of Taco and Frost sitting together, enjoying a cheerful atmosphere.
Catte couldn't help but also wonder how Colin was doing.
He remained silent, simply watching Ruby happily playing with her friends.
[Colin's Office]
Colin's job was quite simple, but it often required him to risk his life.
Every day, he faced the aftermath of murders, drug cases, and other crimes committed by people who had no future.
But for him, it was nothing unusual.
Since childhood, Colin had been trained by his family to fight and survive, so hardship had become second nature to him.
"Same old day, huh Caleb? Every day we have to go through all kinds of challenges — killing, fighting," Colin said to Caleb.
"Shut up... you're just a Top Alpha. I'm only a Beta. You were born into a family that taught you how to fight," Caleb replied.
"Ahhh, here we go again with your lectures, Beta," said Colin.
"Whatever you say..." Caleb muttered.
Colin and Caleb had been close friends since high school, always sticking together no matter the situation.
However, ever since Colin grew closer to Catte, Caleb could only silently watch from afar, waiting for someone — anyone — who might choose him, or someone who would be right for him.
[Chapter 24: End]