I'll skip the Author's note up here, and go straight to the story. :)

+-|Chapter 3|-+

"H-Haia?"

The familiar figure looked up suddenly at Layfon's voice, and turned around. Layfon saw Haia's face for the first time in 8 years...

The face was longer, making him look older, more mature. His hair had grown out a bit, and the look around his eyes told Layfon that he was tired. Very tired. Haia looked at Layfon in surprise, before he smirked at him, and said, "Hey, Myunfa, look – it's Layfon."

The figure beside him, whom Layfon hadn't noticed till now (he was too busy looking at Haia), turned around, and Layfon saw the girl's face had undergone the same changes as Haia's. There was a blush across her cheeks, though that was fairly normal for the shy girl. She smiled timidly at Layfon, who smiled back.

Layfon turned back to Haia. "Where have you been all this time? I've been looking for you..."

Haia blinked, before he grinned. "It seems that great Artists think alike – I was looking for you as well."

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to ask you something... but that can be saved for later. Why were you looking for me?"

"Because I wanted to invite you back to the Salinvan Mercenary Gang." Layfon noticed Haia's shocked look, and he smiled. " 'It isn't the same around here without Haia and his girlfriend' – that's what everyone's been telling me, but I have my own reasons for wanting you to come back."

"Which are?"

"We need someone who is as strong as you – someone who was able to match swords with me, someone who knows how to command those who are under him..."

"Why do you need someone like that?"

"Because I need someone who can lead the Mercenary Gang in my place, should I ever be unable to do so myself."

Silence. Layfon prayed that Haia, if nothing else, wouldn't say "no" automatically. Please, don't just say no, don't say no - Haia!

"...I'll think about it." Layfon breathed a sigh of relief. "But give me some time – I need to think things through..."

"How long do you want?"

"...a week. I'll give you my answer a week from today."

"Very well. I look forward to talking with you again soon, Haia."

Eko watched as the two men walked calmly past each other, wondering, Why does Layfon look so happy? He looks like he just saw... a long-lost friend...

Eko was broken out of her thoughts by Layfon's voice. "Eko-chan – are you coming?" Layfon had turned to look at her, and she shook her head and hurried after him. Falling into step beside him, she glanced sideways at his face. His face... it looks so calm. Like some burden had been taken off his shoulders, or something...

"Hey, Layfon?"

"Yes, Eko-chan?"

"Who is that Haia person to you?"

"He's... a very important friend of mine. Though," Layfon continued with a chuckle. "I doubt that he would agree with me saying that..."

"...If you say so, Layfon."

"Oh, that's right, Eko-chan," Layfon said suddenly. He paused and turned to her with a small smile. "I've been meaning to ask – whatever happened to 'Layfon-sama'? I thought that that's what you were going to call me from now on..."

"Well, I was, but, well, it's so difficult to say, so I've been trying to come up with a different one..."

"How about Lay-ton?"

"Lay-ton?"

"Yeah... some friends of mine used to call me that back at Zuellni."

"Lay-ton... Lay-ton..." Eko said, trying the name out. She smiled then. "Yeah, that works – then, Lay-ton it is!"

Layfon laughed a bit as Eko punched her hand in the air in triumph. They reached her house, and Layfon absently looked at his watch. "Well, I'll see you later Eko-chan."

"Yeah, see you."

Layfon waited until Eko had walked into the house before turning to walk away, thinking. For some reason he was reminiscing about the past two years of traveling that he'd done. Between fighting Filth Monsters, traveling between cities, and having Alsheyra-sama insist that he come back once every 6 months (which meant he only got to see one Regios city usually before he was forced to head back), his life had become quite hectic...

And then I realized my feelings for Leerin on top of everything else... He thought in sardonic amusement. Well, I'm home... He had reached his apartment that he was staying at (since the roaming buses were too cramped for him to feel comfortable), and, without really thinking about what he was doing, he pulled up a chair and sat down at his desk, taking out a diary and opening it. Getting out a pen, he thought for a moment, before shrugging, thinking, I'm not going to go into detail about this – only one important thing happened anyway.

05/09/3027 – Liten City

I met Haia while walking Eko-chan home. I told him that I wanted to have him back in the Gang, and he said he'll think about it – I'm just glad he didn't just say "no". He said he had been looking for me, as well, saying he wanted to ask me something... I wonder what he needs to ask me?

Sitting up and stretching his arms, he walked over to his dresser and got ready for bed. The moment he flopped down on the mattress, he instantly fell into a false sleep.

+-|Author's Note|-+

Yeah, I know – it's shorter than usual, isn't it?

But the problem is that the next thing that I have in mind that's going to happen will have a lot of action, and since it's my first time writing a REAL action scene, without skipping over (hopefully) some important details during the fight, it's a) probably going to take me a while, and b) will probably take up most of the chapter as well (unless I decide to make it REALLY long, or something) – let's all pray for Yume-ka's success at writing her very first action scene! *crosses fingers* Yeah, I don't have much confidence. :P

Yeah, moving on, a quick note:

About my promise to update daily for this week (I'm not going back on it, I swear), I have just one thing to say: If I don't update on one day, be prepared for TWO updates the next day to make up for it.

There, I said it.

And, no, I will not be explaining this again – far, far too lazy, people. :P