Introduction

Since the formation of Team TRANSCENDA, Quincy's behavior had noticeably changed. He frequently missed mission briefings, and his expression would tense up whenever the topic of Shadowbane arose. Concerned about his friend's strange behavior, Harold confided in his childhood friend, Tria, and the two decided to keep an eye on Quincy together.

At the same time, as Harold spent more time with Tria, he began to realize he had special feelings for her. Caught between the worry for his friend and a budding affection for Tria, Harold found himself torn by two emotions that should not have been in conflict. Driven by both feelings, he was determined to seek the truth.

1.Quincy's Change

In the TRANSCENDA team's operations room, Harold was engrossed in fine-tuning a new communication device. But he suddenly stopped, looking up. Across from him, Quincy's usual seat was still empty.

"Not coming again today?"

Harold checked his messages. Quincy had sent the same brief, detached note as usual:

"Something came up. Later."

Since the team's formation, they had held mission briefings daily, with Quincy always present, even if late, bringing his usual lighthearted energy to the room.

"Hey, Harold! Working hard again, huh?"

"Wow, that machine looks intense. No clue how it works, though!"

"Man, genius boy here never takes a break, does he?"

Harold sighed, feeling as though those cheerful words belonged to a distant past. He tried to refocus on his work, but the wiring in front of him blurred. Under the blue glow of his monitor, flashes of Quincy's recent behavior replayed in his mind like snapshots.

Since they'd discovered information about the Destrion Project, Quincy had become different. Each time Shadowbane came up in a briefing, his expression tightened just a bit, as if trying to suppress something, masking it with forced banter. Everything about it seemed unnatural.

The door to the operations room opened, interrupting his thoughts. Quincy stood there, his usual easygoing smile plastered on, yet his eyes looked dark and hollow.

"Hey, still working hard, I see." Quincy's voice had a hollow echo to it, lacking its usual warmth.

"Quincy!" Harold rose from his workstation. "What's been going on? Is something bothering you?"

"Huh? Nothing, really." Quincy waved him off, but the motion felt stiff, missing its usual carefree ease.

"I see…" Harold started to say more but stopped himself.

"Oh, right." Quincy raised his voice a little, almost as if to distract himself, his gaze pointedly avoiding the central map on the table. "I have plans tonight. But I'll be at tomorrow's briefing."

"Hold on," Harold interrupted. "You're just running away again, aren't you?"

Quincy froze, his back illuminated by the monitor's blue light, casting a long shadow across the floor.

"I'm not running," he murmured, his voice low, before walking out without another word. The quiet click of the door closing echoed through the room.

From the operations room's window, Harold could see the city under a fading orange sky. Quincy's figure disappeared into the building's shadow, his silhouette on the surveillance monitors seeming smaller and lonelier than ever before.

Harold returned to his workbench, absentmindedly fiddling with a few components, his thoughts drifting. He was weighed down by the seed of doubt that had planted itself in his mind about his trusted friend. Under the pale monitor light, his expression reflected a growing worry he could no longer ignore.

2.Growing Closer to Tria

In the early morning stillness, Harold stepped out of his room with a sigh. Normally, he would already be in the operations room, adjusting equipment, but he couldn't shake the unsettling feeling lingering from last night's briefing.

He recalled the meeting in the operations room. Eugene had displayed a blueprint of a Shadowbane research facility, sparking an intense discussion among the team. The monitor illuminated the intricate plans, showing the layout of an underground lab, which was a key location for the Destrion Project.

"This lab structure… it seems similar to Velforia," Roy had noted. Normally, Quincy would have tossed out a lighthearted comment at this point, but instead, his expression tensed noticeably. Later, when Nicholas asked about the lab equipment setup, Quincy had simply mumbled, "I… don't really know," looking away, his usual cheerfulness gone.

What troubled Harold most was Quincy's reaction when the research data from the Destrion Project was displayed. Quincy's face flashed with a moment of alarm, a look that didn't escape Harold's attention.

As Harold walked down the corridor overlooking the courtyard, he spotted Tria by the entrance, holding a broom. Her long hair was tied back, and she wore an apron, apparently just beginning her morning cleaning routine.

"Harold?" Tria tilted her head, looking surprised. "Aren't you heading to the operations room today?"

Harold stopped in his tracks. The thoughts he'd kept to himself since last night came rushing forward. Tria had grown up alongside him, like a sister, and now they were comrades in battle. He wondered if he could confide in her about this unease.

"There's… something I need to talk about," he began, hesitating before he continued, "Do you have a moment?"

After finishing her morning cleaning, Tria joined Harold on a bench in the courtyard, where sunlight filtered through the trees, casting dappled patterns. In the distance, the voices of children just waking up began to fill the air. Harold shared his observations about Quincy's behavior at the briefing, recounting the details as precisely as he could.

"I noticed too," Tria nodded quietly. "Especially when the Destrion Project files were shown. Quincy's reaction was… strange."

"He knows something," Harold said with a tone of certainty. "Something about Shadowbane that he can't tell us."

"Isn't there something we can do to help him?" Tria asked softly.

Harold kept his gaze on the courtyard. "I've been thinking about that. But he's been carrying this alone for a while…"

"Harold," Tria turned to him with a look of determination. "We're the ones closest to Quincy, right? So, I think we should keep watching out for him together."

For the first time, Harold looked directly at her. "Together?"

"Yes. If we notice anything unusual—at briefings or otherwise—let's share it with each other," she said firmly. "If Quincy is carrying something heavy, we should be there to help him bear it."

"…Thank you," Harold managed a faint smile. The burden he'd felt over the last few days seemed to lighten slightly. "We'll need to be careful so he doesn't catch on. This is Quincy, after all."

"Of course," Tria nodded, a small smile on her face. "But if it's the two of us, I'm sure we can do it."

As the morning sun cast its light over the courtyard, their shadows overlapped. The bond between them grew stronger, fueled by both concern for a friend and the uncertainty of the truths they might soon face.

3.A Budding Romance

After the night's strategy meeting had wrapped up, and the team members were heading home one by one, Harold lingered in the operations room, citing equipment adjustments as his reason to stay. Quincy sorted some files, waved a casual goodbye, and left. Harold watched him go, quietly seeing him off.

A few minutes later, Tria also rose quietly. "I'll be heading out too," she said, cradling some documents in her arms as she left. But in the brief glance they shared, an unspoken understanding passed between them.

About ten minutes later, Harold left the operations room and met up with Tria, who was waiting in the orphanage courtyard. They sat side by side on a bench under the moonlight.

"We still haven't figured anything out, have we…" Tria murmured softly. Her profile, bathed in moonlight, caught Harold's gaze, and he found himself unable to look away. It was a face he'd seen countless times before, but lately, he couldn't help being drawn to it in a new way.

"Oh, uh, yeah…" He hastily looked away, his chest tingling with a sensation he couldn't name. He'd never felt this way before. They'd grown up together in the orphanage, childhood friends who'd shared everything. But lately, it seemed that "important" was taking on a new meaning when it came to her.

The two walked silently through the quiet night, heading back to the orphanage. It was the same path as always, but tonight, the streetlights, the cool night air—everything felt different, almost magical. Every time her shoulder brushed his arm, Harold's heart skipped a beat.

"It's only been about six months since we met Quincy, hasn't it?" Tria mused aloud. "But it feels like we've known him so much longer."

"Yeah, it does," Harold replied, recalling their first meeting. "That day in Velforia… he just showed up and suggested we form a team, just like that."

They both chuckled, sharing a brief, nostalgic smile. But behind his smile, Harold felt a slight ache. Concern for his friend, mingled with a growing affection for the girl beside him, twisted together inside him. The way her hair moved in the breeze, the delicate gesture of her fingers tucking it back, the soft tone of her voice—all of it captivated him in a way that felt completely new.

"Hey, Harold," Tria suddenly stopped, her eyes fixed on him, illuminated by the moonlight. "I'm finding it harder to talk to Quincy lately. I'm really worried about him."

Her earnest gaze left Harold momentarily speechless. Seeing the worry in her expression, he nearly reached out but pulled back, surprised by his own impulse. When had her every little gesture started to affect him so deeply?

They continued to walk in silence, the occasional brush of their shoulders or touch of their hands making Harold's heart pound wildly. They'd walked together like this so many times before, yet tonight, it felt completely different.

"Hey," Harold looked up at the sky, his voice trembling slightly, "being able to talk with you like this… it's, well…"

He couldn't find the words to continue. Her presence was beginning to take on a weight he hadn't noticed before. Despite his confusion, there was one thing he knew for sure.

Seeing her smile filled him with happiness, and seeing her sad tore at his heart. Being with her brought a calmness, yet also made him inexplicably nervous. He never wanted to be apart from her, yet he couldn't quite define their bond as "just like a sister."

"Thank you, Harold."

Her voice brought him back to the moment. "I probably would have missed Quincy's changes if it weren't for you," she said with a soft smile. "I'm really grateful you noticed."

Her words made his heart pound. His worry for his friend and his feelings for the girl in front of him clashed, creating a turmoil he didn't understand.

They reached the orphanage, exchanging a brief "Goodnight." As they parted ways, Harold glanced back. Tria's small figure receded down the hallway, lit by the moonlight, until she finally disappeared from view. Watching her go, Harold became acutely aware of his heartbeat.

Back in his room, Harold's heart continued to race, refusing to calm down.

4.The Sunset Hill

Harold and Tria had been tracking Quincy's steps but now found themselves standing at a deserted hill, their search coming to a halt. A gentle breeze swept through, rustling their hair. It was Tria who first noticed the change in the sky.

"Hey, look…"

At her words, Harold turned to see a breathtaking view. Clouds dyed a deep crimson stretched across the sky like torn silk, and rays of golden sunlight broke through, casting ribbons of light over the landscape. The silhouette of the town lay beneath, with every window catching and reflecting the glowing sunset.

The colors in the sky shifted moment by moment—from a deep red to soft pink, then orange to pale gold. The colors seemed to melt together, like spilled paint blending on a canvas. Drawn in, they stopped to watch.

Settling down in the tall grass, they let the wind rustle around them. The sunlight filtered between blades of grass, creating tiny specks of light that seemed to dance in the air. Far off, white clouds transformed as they caught the sun's colors, from pure white to faint rose, then to a burning red. The scene changed constantly, never the same from one moment to the next.

A hint of wildflowers drifted on the wind, mingling with the deepening shades of twilight. What had been a brilliant blue sky was now transforming into the unique, rich hues of sunset, the blue merging softly with the fading crimson in watercolor-like gradients.

"Tria," Harold began, eyes fixed on the sunset-stained field. He spoke with resolve. "I can't keep lying to myself. I… I think Quincy might be a spy for Shadowbane. I've started to doubt him."

The setting sun cast shadows across Tria's face as she stood beside him, her hair catching the fading light, scattering golden flecks in the breeze.

"I never wanted to say it aloud," Harold continued, his fists clenching. "But… his gestures, his expressions, everything he does—it all feels suspicious…"

The words faded on his lips. Though a stunning sunset stretched out before them, his heart was clouded in darkness. The golden-lit world around them suddenly felt distant.

Then, a warm touch brushed his hand. Tria had quietly reached over, placing her hand over his. Her fingertips glowed in the light, almost translucent.

"I feel the same way," Tria's voice was soft yet steady. "I've thought he might be hiding something too. But, Harold… whatever the truth may be, I'll be by your side."

"Tria…"

"We'll get through this together. And Quincy, he'll come back to us too…"

Her words, as warm as the light around them, seeped into Harold's heart, easing his doubts. Tria's hand in his began to dissolve his unease, little by little.

The wind swept through the field, rustling the grass between them. The sky, now an intense shade of crimson, bathed the land in gold. Harold found himself gazing at her. In the soft glow of the sunset, Tria looked more precious to him than ever before.

A gentle warmth spread through his chest—pure and yet tinged with a hint of longing. This feeling was different from the suspicion he held toward Quincy; it was simple yet complex, and he didn't yet have a name for it.

"Thank you, Tria," Harold said, looking up at the sunset-streaked sky.

"With you here, I feel like I can face whatever comes next."

The sun continued its descent, disappearing slowly beyond the horizon. As the last light bathed the land in red, their shadows stretched long, blending together on the grass.

As the sky darkened to indigo, Harold quietly embraced the shape of his new feelings. It was a mixture of anxiety and hope, a tender yet bittersweet emotion. In that moment, he looked at Tria with a renewed gaze, seeing her anew.