The city felt different now, even under the same sky. The noise was softer, not gone, but calmer. Streets still carried cars and voices, but fear no longer clung to every corner. Kai noticed the change the moment he stepped outside. It was not something he could see clearly, but something he felt deep inside his chest.
He and Aria had been back in the city for several days. They stayed in a small apartment near the river, simple and clean. It was not hidden, not guarded, and not protected by walls or weapons. That choice had been hard for Kai at first. Living openly felt like standing without armor.
Aria loved the place immediately. She liked how sunlight filled the rooms in the morning and how the water reflected light at night. She said it felt alive, like a place meant for beginnings.
