"I really didn't expect this…"
Qianye's voice was so light it barely qualified as speech, drifting through the emptiness of the subway car like sleep-talk.
His gaze stayed on the tunnel wall sliding past the window at speed—rows of lights carving fleeting streaks through the dark.
Across from him, Hugo rolled a single Dennie over his fingers with effortless dexterity. The coin caught the overhead lamp and flashed—bright as the smile that never seemed to leave his lips.
"And what unexpected turn has left my treasure so perplexed?"
"…Don't call me that again, Hugo."
Qianye tilted his head slightly, cautious, watching Hugo's reaction from the corner of his eye. When Hugo didn't frown—when he only looked thoughtfully amused—Qianye finally continued.
"It never bothered me before. But now… I don't know. It's kind of embarrassing."
He hesitated, then let the confusion spill out anyway.
"I just didn't think you and Evelyn would not fight. I'd already prepared to step in—prepared to treat whoever got hurt. But she… backed down without saying a word. With the way she was earlier, I really thought…"
The sentence stopped there. Qianye swallowed the rest, as if sparing Evelyn the last scrap of dignity she still possessed in his mind.
He lowered his head, curling in on himself like a hedgehog soaked by rain.
Hugo didn't rush to speak.
If Qianye wanted to talk, Hugo would listen. If Qianye needed guidance, Hugo already had a dozen elegant speeches lined up like knives in a velvet case.
But Hugo also understood something simple: some realizations have to bloom inside the person who's suffering them. No matter how flawless another person's logic is, it turns pale beside the weight of lived experience.
Qianye was at the edge of one of those moments.
Hugo closed his eyes and waited for the subway to reach Sixth Street Station.
In Qianye's arms, Xu Ge Ya had long since fallen asleep.
After so long apart, the little Bangboo could finally cling to its familiar owner without restraint, and no one objected.
The only one who might've felt a pang of regret was Robin—the strange Bangboo that seemed to have been "trained" into a masochist by Xu Ge Ya's elbows.
…Or maybe that was simply its nature.
The car fell into a kind of amplified quiet. For some reason, the subway was unusually empty today; the silence expanded in the hollow space until it felt almost physical.
And inside that silence, Qianye's mind was storming.
To be precise, he was drowning in doubt.
Zhu Yuan's near-180-degree shift. Evelyn's sudden turn into someone controlling and forceful—someone who wanted to decide everything for him.
When he stripped away time, place, and circumstance, only one conclusion remained:
The problem might be him.
Something about him had changed. Something about him was the trigger.
And if he traced that thought backward, his mind inevitably returned to that night beneath the Lightlume NEPS branch—the underground cells—and the mysterious woman.
But even that explanation didn't fully hold.
When Zhu Yuan burst into Du Yi's massage shop and saw him with Pokona, she was already off. Already tilted into anger so violent it drowned her old restraint. Already reaching for the sharpest, most coercive authority her badge could offer—dragging Pokona and him into custody like a reflex.
If that was true, then when did his change even begin?
Qianye's fingertips absently stroked the curve of Xu Ge Ya's shell as memories surfaced in fragments.
He remembered the first time he met Zhu Yuan, when she was still a new officer—upright and uncompromising, clear-eyed and decisive, yet never abusing her power.
"Maintaining New Eridu's order is my duty."
She'd said it with a certainty that left no room to doubt.
That Zhu Yuan was nothing like the one who nearly lost herself to rage.
Then he remembered Evelyn. She used to tease him, sure—but she always respected his choices. She never forced him. Never once.
So what had turned her into someone obsessed with controlling him, down to the clothes on his back?
"You're special, Qianye. To anyone, to everyone—you're special…"
Evelyn's old words echoed now with a weight he hadn't understood at the time.
The subway lights flickered once, snapping him back to the present.
He looked at the window's reflection—his own pale face staring back. And behind his eyes, there seemed to be something hidden, something even he couldn't name.
"What are you afraid of?" Hugo asked suddenly, calm in a way that sounded like certainty.
Qianye flinched but didn't answer.
Afraid that he really was the source of all these distortions.
Afraid he would hurt the people around him without meaning to.
"Sometimes," Hugo continued, the Dennie still turning between his fingers, "our greatest fear isn't the world. It's the story we tell ourselves."
Qianye lifted his head and met Hugo's gaze.
"…What do you mean?"
"I mean," Hugo said, unhurried, "you may have changed. But that change might only be a catalyst—not the root."
He let the words settle.
"Zhu Yuan's obsession. 'Schreiber the Azure's' control. Those aren't emotions that grow overnight. You simply happened to become the fuse."
Qianye fell into thought.
Then the station announcement rang out:
"Next stop: Sixth Street. Doors open on the left. Passengers exiting, please prepare to disembark."
"Oh?" Hugo's smile returned, soft and easy. "Your destination."
"Right—let's go."
Qianye stepped out with Xu Ge Ya in his arms. He took a few steps, then realized something was missing.
No footsteps beside him.
He spun around—
The doors had already closed.
Through the glass, he saw Hugo inside the car, wearing that meaning-laden smile. Hugo lifted his hand in a small wave, signaling he wouldn't be getting off.
A moment later, the train roared forward, carrying Hugo toward the next station.
Inside the moving car, Hugo watched Qianye's small figure shrink—watched until it disappeared completely—then slowly sank into a seat.
The smile faded. He tilted his head back and released a breath that sounded more like regret than relief.
"Qianye… bats don't belong in sunlight."
His voice was so quiet it nearly vanished beneath the clatter of wheels.
"Only through a thousand and a thousand nights can a bat truly fly free. And if it wants those nights to last… it has to force itself to carry more blood."
He drew out the Dennie he'd taken from Qianye earlier, tucked it carefully into the inner pocket of his coat, then pulled a hat from his suitcase and lowered it over his face to rest.
That was when his communicator chimed.
Hugo didn't open his eyes. Whoever messaged him now could only be—
The corner of his mouth lifted.
He answered. "Lycaon, don't think I don't know what you're about to say. If your loyal dog couldn't do it, you think I can't?"
"…Hugo! Who's Lycaon?! That's not the point! Robin ran away from home!"
The frantic voice on the other end belonged to Vivian.
Hugo's eyes snapped open. He sat upright in a single sharp motion.
"Vivian? Wait—what did you just say?!"
—
On Sixth Street Station's platform, Qianye watched the train vanish into the tunnel, a hollow feeling rising in his chest.
Hugo leaving like that made him uneasy, like a support had been yanked away without warning.
Xu Ge Ya shifted in his arms, making a tiny, sleepy sound, as if it, too, sensed its owner's wavering mood. Qianye gently rubbed the Bangboo's shell, trying to borrow a little steadiness from the familiar weight.
"What's wrong with me…?" he whispered—so softly only Xu Ge Ya could hear.
Hugo's words lingered.
If he was only a catalyst, not the root—then what were those buried tendencies inside Zhu Yuan and Evelyn, and why had they been triggered now?
His thoughts slid back again to that underground night.
Sarah's figure hovered in his mind, half-clear, half-shadow. Those green eyes that felt like they could peel a person open.
Beyond the seductive touch, the murmured words, the blood-tainted kisses…
What had she done to him?
Or had she only awakened something that had always been there—something he'd never noticed?
Qianye shook his head hard, trying to throw off the chaos.
He needed clarity, not endless questions.
No matter what, he couldn't stand still.
He had to move.
—
Afternoon sunlight spilled through the glass door of Random Play, painting mottled patterns across the wooden floor.
Behind the counter, Belle was sprawled on the old sofa like a boneless cat. She idly scrolled her phone, but nothing on the screen held her attention.
"Ugh… another lazy day. I feel all soft and useless. I can't get myself moving at all…"
On the other side, Wise was organizing a new shipment of discs. He didn't even look up.
"Belle. You stayed up late again, didn't you? Let me guess—doomscrolling till midnight, then face-planting under the blanket and sleeping until the sun was high."
"Not true!" Belle sprang up like her tail had been stepped on, cheeks puffed in protest. But the energy died fast; she sank back into the sofa with a sulky huff.
"I—I at least remembered to get up and eat…"
Her fingers twisted the hem of her shirt. Her gaze drifted out the window toward Sixth Street.
"Ruen's been rescued, and Mr. Lycaon said Qianye's warrant has been withdrawn… so why hasn't he even sent a message? Just one call would be enough…"
Wise set the disc down and sighed softly.
He was worried too.
Every time the shop door opened lately, his head would lift on instinct, hope flashing for half a heartbeat—
And every time, it was just another customer.
"Belle…" he began, then stopped.
Her lashes hung low, casting a small shadow across her cheeks. The mischievous sparkle in her eyes had dulled into something tired and empty.
He swallowed the rest of what he wanted to say.
Joy doubles when shared. Pain halves when carried together.
If even he fell apart, what would Belle have left to lean on?
That was when Fairy's gentle chime sounded, the familiar synthetic voice smooth as ever:
"Master. I have good news for you and your blood relative."
"What good news…" Belle mumbled weakly, barely lifting her head. "Don't tell me—Qianye's back?"
"Master," Fairy replied, "your intuition is remarkably accurate."
The room froze for a single beat.
"Really?!" Belle shot upright so fast she nearly knocked over a stack of magazines. Her eyes lit up like stars, her whole body snapping back to life.
Then Fairy added, in the same calm tone:
"However, he is currently surrounded by Sixth Street residents. The situation is… quite lively. According to my monitoring, the crowd at the street entrance has exceeded twenty people and continues to grow."
"What?!" Belle grabbed a jacket off the chair and yanked Wise by the wrist toward the door, not even bothering to change out of her fluffy slippers.
She nearly tripped on the threshold; Wise caught her in time.
"Slow down," he said, dragged along by her momentum, but his gaze softened. "Qianye isn't going to run away."
"But if we're late, we won't be able to squeeze in!"
Belle shouted over her shoulder, voice bright with pure, unfiltered joy.
—
Sixth Street in the afternoon was warm and kind, sunlight spilling over the road in just the right measure.
Belle, still wearing her favorite fuzzy slippers, barreled into the swelling crowd like a determined little fish. Wise followed a step behind, half pulled, half letting himself be pulled.
The soft slap of her slippers against stone made a rapid pat-pat-pat—like her heart sprinting ahead of her.
Wise watched her profile—pink cheeks, bright eyes—and felt a knot he hadn't noticed in his chest loosen.
The gloom that had haunted her face for days was gone.
His own lips curved into a smile he hadn't worn in too long.
Ahead, the street had already become a scene of celebration.
Neighbors stood in layered rings, crowding around Qianye as if guarding something precious that had finally been returned.
Asa from Golden Finger forced her way through first. Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around the still slightly stunned Qianye and pulled him into a tight hug—so tight it felt like she wanted to press all her worry and longing into his bones.
"Qianye! Wuu… you're finally back!"
She buried her face against his narrow shoulder, voice thick and shaking.
"These days… I—we—everyone on Sixth Street missed you so much!"
Off to the side, Master Tinman remained unhurried as ever. He even held a cup of freshly brewed coffee, as if he were merely passing by.
But the neighbors who knew him well noticed it—the faint tremor in his voice, the barely controlled vibration beneath his usual steadiness.
He looked at Qianye through his electronic gaze and offered, gently:
"Would you like to taste the new beans?"
Chef Jopp wasn't that subtle.
His big hand reached straight through the crowd, caught Qianye by the arm, and started hauling him toward the noodle shop.
"Hold on! Let me talk to Qianye first!" Belle's voice was swallowed by the flood of greetings and questions.
Jopp clicked his tongue, scanning Qianye up and down with open concern.
"Look at you—gone for how long, and you've already lost weight! You definitely didn't eat right out there. Don't stand around. Come on—Chef Jopp's going to make you a proper bowl of our signature ramen. We'll put back every bit you lost!"
Wise stayed on the outer edge, no longer trying to force his way in.
He watched Belle struggle and wriggle toward the center, and he shook his head—helplessly amused.
But the warmth in his eyes was real.
Maybe this messy, noisy, crowded chaos was Sixth Street at its most ordinary—
And most precious.
Every voice, every hand, every tug on Qianye's sleeve carried the same feeling:
pure relief.
Wrapped in that heat and kindness, Qianye's gaze moved slowly—from Asa's red eyes, to Tinman's trembling hand, to Jopp's worried face, and finally to Belle's expression when she finally squeezed close enough for him to see her clearly.
So many words surged up in his throat.
In the end, only one came out—simple, steady, and full:
"I'm back."
And nothing else needed to be said.
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 147)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter185)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter105)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter215)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 185
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 170
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/1
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 206
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 190
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/23
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 106
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 125
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 105
I Can Copy Unique Skills 90
Summoning an Evil God, but the 70
Supernatural Multiverse 90
My Harem Is Indescribable 80
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 86
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 68
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 81
Still playing traditional Honk 65
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 65
What Should I Do After Switchi - Volume2/3
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 57
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 45
Transmigrated as Sukuna 59
Checking In in Demon Slayer 59
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 73
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 45
My Best Friend Into a Slime? 36
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel 40
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero? 60
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 30
Why did they assign me to Uma 35
MYGO Beauties 43
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 30
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 31
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