Angus whistled a tune from a popular song—the kind that played in every corner of Dera Final. It blasted through worn-out speakers in stores, clung to the voices of street vendors who hummed along unknowingly, and even the elevators had it looping faintly in the background. He didn't know the name, and he didn't particularly like it either, but it was the kind of melody that burrowed into your mind without permission. Catchy, grating, and impossible to forget. Just like everything else on this damn ship.
Angus slowed his pace, his boots scraping against the cracked pavement as he made a sharp turn toward Sakura.
"Hey… you remember that beautiful speech I gave a few minutes ago?" he asked, half-grinning, his tone casual but tinged with a sense of self-aware humor.
He didn't expect her to take him seriously, but it was his attempt at lightening the mood, even if the words felt hollow coming out. Sometimes he couldn't help himself, trying to fill the silence with words that didn't really mean anything. But it felt like the right moment to toss out a joke, however ridiculous it might be.
"Yeah," Sakura replied, her voice dripping with a playful condescension, the kind that always made his stomach do a little flip.
Her smirk stretched slightly, teasing him but also giving away a flicker of warmth. She wasn't letting him off easy, but she wasn't angry either. It was the playful kind of challenge they had between them—unspoken, but obvious.
"Well…" Angus rubbed the back of his neck, his grin faltering slightly, the edges of his confidence slipping. "I've got absolutely no clue what to do next."
The smile that tugged at his lips wasn't so sure this time. The words slipped out with an awkwardness he didn't like. It felt strangely vulnerable, admitting that he had no plan, no idea, after all the big words he'd thrown out. He hated that feeling—the one that came when he realized he was out of his depth. The whole situation was chaotic, and for all his posturing, he wasn't as sure as he let on.
There was a brief silence.
Sakura didn't speak immediately, and the pause hung in the air, thick and slightly uncomfortable. Angus could feel her eyes on him, but he didn't look back. He wasn't sure he could, not with the vulnerability in his words still hanging over him.
"I figured," she said, her tone now lighter, teasing, but there was something deeper underneath.
Her smirk curved just a little wider, and there was a softness to it that contradicted the sharpness in her voice. Her lips were barely parted as she spoke, and the way her eyes flickered between amusement and something else—something softer—made his chest tighten unexpectedly.
Sakura giggled then, a quiet sound, but enough to break the tension. She quickly stifled it with her hand, the brief moment of laughter vanishing as quickly as it had come.
It was almost like a warning bell to herself—like she realized she was giving too much away. For someone so composed, it was a rare moment of unguarded ease. But even as she stifled the laugh, there was an unmistakable lightness in her expression, as if she wasn't as guarded around him as she was with others.
Sakura's smile faded as her thoughts drifted. Should I tell him about it?
She wasn't looking at him anymore, but she could feel the weight of his gaze on her—like he was waiting for her to say something. Her mind raced, and the words she'd been holding back felt like they were stuck in her throat, tangled up with doubt. It wasn't until she noticed how long she'd been silent that she snapped out of it, almost embarrassed.
"Um… yeah, I've got something that came to mind," she said, her voice trailing off, a hesitant pause in the middle of her words.
She wasn't sure how to phrase it. It wasn't something she could just throw out there, not without feeling the weight of its meaning. She had to tread carefully, because it wasn't just about finding a place to sleep. It was about something far deeper—something she didn't often let people see.
Sakura took a deep breath, glancing around the street, making sure no one was paying attention.
Her eyes darted over the street—shifting between the alleyways and the faces of the people around them. She wasn't worried about being followed; she was worried about being overheard. This wasn't the kind of thing you blurted out, not here, not now. Her voice dropped lower, quieter, almost like she was afraid the walls might hear.
"It's a place… hidden away," she continued, her voice quieter now, almost conspiratorial. "A refuge for people who need to disappear. Criminals, outcasts, anyone who's got nowhere else to go."
Her words came out more carefully than she intended. It wasn't just a matter of telling him where it was—it was what it meant. She hated having to say it aloud. The weight of her words made her feel more exposed than she wanted to be.
She lowered her voice, eyes darting nervously to the darkened alleys around them. "Look, I can't say much about it. It's top-secret, and even the wrong person knowing could get us both in serious trouble. Just follow me, and don't ask questions, okay?"
The urgency in her voice didn't escape him. He could hear the tension there, the edge of fear she couldn't completely mask. It was a side of her he rarely saw—the vulnerable part that had to be careful, that had to keep so many things hidden. It wasn't just the place she was talking about—it was the part of herself she had to keep locked away.
Angus raised an eyebrow, but the smirk never left his lips. His eyes narrowed slightly, assessing her.
He'd known her long enough to recognize when something was off, when she was hiding more than she was letting on. But the thing that caught his attention was the way she looked at him—like she wasn't just asking for his help; she was trusting him with something deeper, something she hadn't trusted anyone else with.
He nodded, his voice calm but direct. "Alright, lead the way."
There was no hesitation in his response. He could see the weight of the decision in her eyes, and it made something stir in his chest—a desire to be there for her, even when she was asking him into a world he didn't understand. The gravity of the situation hung between them, but he wasn't backing down now.
Without a second thought, he followed her through the streets.
They made their way through the neon-lit ruins of the city, the once-vibrant colors now faded, drowning in layers of grime and decay.
The shift in the atmosphere around them was palpable. It wasn't just about the physical environment—it was about what they were both walking toward. The change was subtle, but as they moved deeper into the underbelly of Dera Final, the air felt heavier, more oppressive. The world they were stepping into felt like it had a pulse of its own—dark and secretive, waiting for them to enter.
"Is there a place to get smokes at…?" Angus lowered his voice, leaning slightly toward Sakura. "At that secret place you were talking about?"
The question felt almost out of place, an attempt to lighten the mood even when everything around them was closing in. But his tone wasn't casual; it was a mix of curiosity and the faintest hint of a joke. Even when things felt serious, he couldn't help but find a way to drop in a little humor, even if it was just to distract himself from the weight of the moment.
"Just wait till we get there to find out."
She cut him off with a sharpness that made the words hang in the air, as if daring him to argue. Her eyes narrowed just slightly, a flicker of something fierce flashing across her face. It wasn't anger—more like a protective instinct, something she didn't want to explain. She wasn't in the mood for jokes anymore. The weight of the situation settled between them, and the lightness she'd tried to carry before faded into something more serious.
Sakura comes to an abrupt stop, her footsteps halting as she scans the narrow alley ahead. She stands still for a moment, her expression unreadable, before taking a slow step forward. Angus follows, staying close but silent, sensing the shift in the atmosphere.
Sakura approaches the end of the alley, where the shadows seem to stretch deeper, hiding something just beyond sight. The dim neon lights flicker overhead, casting an eerie glow. She reaches out with a steady hand and knocks three times—sharp, deliberate.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
A long silence follows, the sound of their breathing filling the space between them. Then, a low mechanical hum vibrates through the air, followed by a robotic voice, cold and lifeless.
"What is the password?"
Sakura's gaze hardens, her posture tightening as she leans in. Her voice drops to a near whisper, carrying a weight of secrecy.
"Tomorrow's wind will blow tomorrow."
The silence stretches for a heartbeat. Then, with a soft whir, the door begins to slide open, revealing a hidden passage beyond. The air feels different, thicker, as if something ancient stirs within.
Angus eyes the door as it opens, his brow furrowing. He turns to Sakura, who stands unfazed, a calm authority in her movements. Whatever this place was, she belonged here.