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Twilight has fallen by the time Wise and Belle reach the third floor of the apartment building, standing before a door marked with the metallic numbers 452.
“This must be it,” Wise confirms, comparing the number on the door to the text Seth had sent via Knock-Knock.
“Oh, thank goodness.” Belle exhales, her shoulders sagging as she shifts the pink bangboo cake box in her arms. “That felt like a full workout with the amount of stairs we had to climb. Why in New Eridu are these apartments set up like this? It took forever just to find the right number.”
Wise gives her a sidelong look. “Part of the reason it took so long was because you got sidetracked by the End-of-Year Glided Carrot Day promotional sales at Lumina Galleria.”
Belle scoffs, her indignation rising with a toss of her head. “Hey! You were the one who insisted on buying a cake to bring for dessert. Besides, I only took a quick peek. Those stores were on the way to the bakery anyway!”
That wasn’t entirely true—at least not the part about taking a quick peek. In fact, they’d detoured two floors in the wrong direction, only to stumble upon an impromptu Angels of Delusion fan-meet on their way out. If Wise hadn’t practically dragged her away from the crowd, she’d still be in there trying to score a limited-edition photocard.
A retort rises to the tip of Wise’s tongue, sharp and ready, but he swallows it down before it can slip free. Now isn’t the time to spar at Belle. Not here. Not with Seth waiting on the other side of the door, and certainly not in front of his parents. The last thing he needs is to make a poor impression over something trivial.
Judging by the way Belle presses her lips together, she's come to the same conclusion. Whatever comeback she'd been ready to fire off dissolves before it can take shape.
“We’re here now,” she says, her voice easing. “Let’s not make Seth wait any longer.”
They both nod in agreement before Belle raises a hand and rings the doorbell.
A few weeks ago, Seth had invited them over for dinner at his parents’ place while they were passing through Lumina Square on the way to meet a client in the Hollow.
Normally, Wise had no problem spending time with Seth. There was an earnest, sincere charm about him that made even the most ordinary outings around New Eridu feel enjoyable. The only problem is that the date Seth had set overlapped with a commission that would take two weeks to complete. With anyone else, Wise would have mentioned it and rearranged plans for the following week without hesitation.
Seth, however, is a special case. Out of everyone from NEPS, he is the only one still unaware of their Phaethon identity. This was intentionally arranged by Commissioner Lowell, at least according to a text Zhu Yuan had sent ages ago when Wise asked about it. Given the kind of person Seth is, it had seemed like the right decision. But that also means he couldn’t exactly use the video store as a cover for their proxy work.
Any excuse would be easily countered by Seth’s usual responses:
“Wait, aren’t you two the owners of Random Play? Can’t you just close the store early for the day?”
“Oh! Just have one of your Bangboo help run things for a few hours. Dinner won’t take long!”
“If you need, manager, I can come over and help out for the day! I cleared my schedule thanks to Capitan Zhu Yuan!
If Wise is being honest, the whole situation is a headache. This could have been avoided if he had told Seth the truth about his involvement in Port Elpis during the Bringer incident. However, that window of opportunity has long passed, and he doesn’t know how to bring it up without it turning awkward, or worse, seeing the look on Seth's face when he learns how long the truth has been kept from him.
Even so, it's not like he can refuse. Seth had spoken about them to his parents so often that they were eager to finally meet the siblings, and the thought of disappointing that kind of enthusiasm sits poorly with Wise. No matter how long the day ran, they would make the effort to be there.
The door swings open to reveal a very enthusiastic Seth, dressed in a sleeveless black turtleneck and casual gray sweatpants. “Managers, you made it! I’m so glad you guys are here! Please, come in!” He steps aside, widening the entrance to usher the siblings inside.
“You invited us to your parents’ place, after all. How could we miss it?” Wise says, stepping over the threshold.
“Yeah, and we even brought some cake!” Belle adds, following close behind him. “Dinner isn’t complete without dessert, right?”
Seth chuckles, a hint of sheepishness in his smile. “You really didn’t have to bring anything, but my parents are going to be thrilled!” He steps slightly ahead, guiding them down the corridor. “Come on. My parents are just about done in the kitchen.”
Without missing a beat, Seth launches into conversation, sharing updates about his work at NEPS and a movie he’d rented from Random Play for the family’s most recent movie night.
Family photos lined both walls, and Wise lets his eyes linger on them as he listens, seeing Seth’s entire life unfolding before him in a series of pictures.
There’s a photo of Seth’s parents on their wedding day, one of him as a baby, and another from his first day of kindergarten, yellow hat on, smiling with all his teeth. A snapshot of him holding his Public Security Training Academy acceptance letter, and another from his first day as a rookie officer. One photo even shows a banquet with familiar faces—Zhu Yuan. Qingyi, Jane, and others from Section 6—enjoying hot pot together.
Wise pauses at one photo in particular, framed just below the others, almost identical to Seth’s profile picture on Knock-Knock. “By the way, is Severian coming to dinner too?” he asks, noting the Lowell siblings in police uniforms, probably from a school play.
The enthusiasm Seth had shown seconds ago falters the moment that name is mentioned, his ears flattening in distaste. He answers anyway, sounding a little bitter. “Well, as much as he annoys me, I’m not cruel enough to leave him out, so I invited him. But you know how he is—he never makes the effort to be with the family, and when he does, it’s off putting enough. After the last time he showed up for Gilded Carrot Day, I seriously doubt he’ll bother joining us again. Honestly, we don’t need to worry about him.”
They step into the kitchen to find Seth’s parents already in motion. Dinner wasn’t on the table yet, but the air is thick with the scent of roasted meat and fish in the oven. Vegetables crackle and hiss, browning beneath Seth’s mother’s attentive hand. Seth’s father, meanwhile, sets out the plates and cutlery at the table.
“Mom, Dad, they’re here!” Seth announces, his tail giving a quick, happy wag. He gestures proudly toward Wise and Belle beneath the archway. “These are the managers I told you about—the owners of Random Play! They’re the ones who help me pick the best movies for our family movie nights. They basically know everything about cinema.”
Seth’s parents stop what they’re doing and exchange a quick, surprised look before his father laughs. “So these are the movie experts?” he says. Stepping around the table, he comes up to Wise, giving him a firm, friendly pat on the shoulder. Then he moves over to Belle and shakes her hand. “Seth hasn’t stopped talking about that video store of yours. Welcome to our home. I’m glad he finally convinced you two to visit.”
Seth’s mother steps away from the stove, wiping her hands on her apron, her blue eyes crinkling like Seth’s. “It’s wonderful to finally put faces to the names. Not a day goes by that our son doesn’t talk about you two at the dinner table.”
A teasing lilt in her voice makes Seth shift on his feet, cheeks warming as he fumbles for a response. “Mom! You didn’t have to bring that part up!”
Wise’s lips twitch in a brief smile, and Belle’s fingers tighten slightly around the the pink bangboo cake box. Their eyes meet for a moment, and Wise gives a small, almost imperceptible nod.
With that silent cue, Belle steps forward, extending the cake toward Seth’s mother. “It’s really nice to meet you both. We brought this from a bakery in Lumina Galleria—we hope you like chocolate. We figured a good dinner deserves an even better dessert.”
“Oh, you shouldn’t have!” Seth’s mother says, setting the box on the sideboard, just out of the way from the stove. “But we’re delighted. We’ll have to brew a fresh pot of coffee to go with this later.”
“Thank you for welcoming us. Is there anything we can do to help?” Wise asks, his eyes drifting towards the sink, where dishes are already beginning to pile up. He stands there awkwardly, unsure whether to step forward.
“I’m happy to help with the plating… or even just the dishes,” he adds, watching Seth’s mother transfer the cooked vegetables from the pan into a bowl and sets the hot pan down in the sink.
“And I don’t mind helping setting out all the refreshments!” Belle chimes in.
“Oh, absolutely not,” Seth’s father says with a chuckle the moment Wise takes a tentative step towards the sink. He waves both siblings off with his hands before steering them towards their seats. “You are our guests. And from what I hear, you work incredibly hard taking care of everyone at that video store. Tonight, let us take care of you.”
“Who knew Seth has such thoughtful friends,” Seth’s mother adds before Wise can respond. “But there’s no need to trouble yourselves with that. Please, we just want you to enjoy the dinner.”
Everyone has taken their seats, ideally at least and somewhat tentatively, with Seth’s mother still placing dishes on the table: Seth and Belle on one side, Wise on the other, and Seth’s parents at the head of the table. The remaining chair next to Wise sits empty, set just like the others, as though Severian might appear, though no one really expects him to.
Just as Seth’s mother is about to put the last dish on the table, a sharp clicking sound comes from the front of the apartment. They all turn to the source of the noise, and Wise feels his breath catch when a familiar figure steps into view, dressed in a fine suit with long white hair and ears twitching at the freshly laid dishes.
“Oh, Severian! Welcome home,” Seth’s mother says warmly, placing the main dish in the center of the table. She gestures toward the empty seat still set for him. “Please, have a seat. We were just sitting down with Seth’s friends.”
Severian acknowledges his mother with a nod and his father with a grunt. He skips over Seth entirely, his gaze landing squarely on Wise and Belle.
“Haah?” Seth exclaims, nearly dropping a pair of tongs he was about to hand to Belle. “Wait, what are you doing here? Didn’t you say you were too busy with work?”
Severian doesn’t respond immediately. He simply removes his gloves and slides them into his pocket. “You ought to learn that confidentiality begins at home,” he says at last. “Captain Zhu Yuan mentioned she had to cover your patrol tonight because you were hosting important guests. Your excitement was practically a matter of public record at the precinct; it wasn’t difficult to put two and two together.”
“Hey! You haven’t answered me!” Seth sputters, his tail stiffening into a frozen rod of white fur.
Severian sighs, looking clearly jaded as he steps further into the kitchen. “Public Security is never truly off, but for guests as influential as the owners of Random Play, it would be bad faith of me not to offer a personal welcome to our family home.”
The emphasis on influential is a clear dig at their reputation as Phaethon. Wise can't tell if it is Severian’s way of one-upping his brother or a veiled threat. Their last encounter with the Commissioner hadn’t been ideal, given the thinly veiled warnings Severian had dropped while consulting them about Youkai.
All Wise can do is offer a sheepish, diplomatic laugh. “Ah…well, Severian is a customer at the video store.”
Seth doesn’t seem to pay any mind to the logic, his face looking puffed with anger. “And where was that ‘good faith’ for the family during the other times I tried to invite you?”
“If you’re going to be presumptuous, then perhaps a certain someone should take a page from their own book,” Severian counters, sliding into the seat next to Wise. “Didn’t you say everyone deserves a chance to turn a new leaf? I’m already here, so I fail to see how the past is relevant.”
“A new leaf?” Seth repeats, his ear flattening. “Coming from you, it doesn’t sound very sincere.”
“And there lies the fundamental flaw of your development. All this time spent memorizing my every infection, yet you remain habitually oblivious to the most transparent of street thugs. If only you applied even a fraction of that perception to your actual casework, you might have graduated from ‘rookie’ status by now.”
“Okaaay!” Belle chirps, clasping her hands to get everyone’s attention before another retort can be fired. “Let’s get back to dinner… we wouldn’t want the food to get cold after all the hard work, so… shall we dig in?”
That seems to bring everyone back on track. With food ready to be served, they begin plating their portions, a colorful spread gradually moving from the center of the table onto their individual plates.
Wise starts with a modest portion of fish and salad, while Belle piles a little more protein on her plate (though Wise adds some salad to keep it balanced.)
Despite dinner starting, the small talk from Seth’s parents never seems to ease the tension at the table.
Every so often, Seth glares at Severian, only for Severian to meet the look with measured disinterest.
Even when Wise tries to start a conversation with either sibling, Seth is too on edge around Severian to focus on the question, while Severian looks equally out of place, offering nothing sincere in return.
For a moment, no one speaks, and the discomfort is almost palpable. Wise smiles sheepishly, unsure how to diffuse the growing awkwardness that’s already starting to build. It’s only been five minutes.
Seth breaks the silence first, surprisingly. “Can I get you something to drink, Wise? Maybe some juice or a soda?”
Severian, not missing a beat, steps in. “If Wise prefers, I could prepare something more specialized. Perhaps wine?”
“I think the manager would prefer something simpler.”
The corners of Severian’s mouth twitch slightly. “Simplicity has its merits, but he shouldn’t settle for less when he could have something tailored to the course.”
Wise clears his throat, a small, awkward laugh escaping him. “Ahem… actually, water’s fine.”
Before he can even finish, both Seth and Severian reach for the pitcher at the center of the table.
‘I’ve got it,” Severian says smoothly, his voice laced with politeness. “Since I’m already sitting right next to him, it only makes sense for me to handle it. No need for you to stretch across the table and risk a spill.”
Seth doesn’t budge, his grip tightening on the pitcher’s neck. “Well, yeah, but I offered first.” He says, narrowing his eyes. “And—and when did you start suddenly caring about serving drinks? You never even offer to pass the salt when it’s just us!”
The two brothers lock eyes, neither willing to back down. They lift the pitcher in sync, their hands crammed tightly around the vessel, hovering over Wise’s glass.
Water splashes in with unnecessary force, and Wise glances down at his glass filled to the brim. “Uhh… thank you?”
Wise takes a careful sip, trying to lower the water level, before shifting the conversation to safer ground. “By the way, Seth, we haven’t seen much of Public Security lately. How’s Zhu Yuan and the others?”
Seth’s face brightens immediately. “Oh, they’re doing great! Zhu Yuan’s busy as ever—she even helped me go over my patrol route last week. As for Qingyi… she and I were supposed to head into the hollow to follow up on a report, but she kept stalling with all these random errands. One minute, I’m ready to go, and the next, she’s asking me to fetch her more hot water or telling me some completely ridiculous story just to see if I’ll fall it. I never know if she’s messing with me or if she’s actually trying to teach me something.”
As he speaks, Seth’s hands move just as fast as his words. Before Wise can protest, he scoops a huge second helping of greens onto his plate. “You’ve got to try these, Manager! I made them myself!”
Without a word, Severian reaches for the tongs and swiftly removes half the greens from Wise’s plate, returning them to the serving bowl.
“Hey!” Seth barks, but he doesn’t pause his update, stabbing a large piece of fish and wedging it on the remaining space of Belle’s plate. “As for Jane, she’s… been stopping by the precinct more often. I can’t really say what she’s been up to lately though. Most of the time, she just hides my stuff or tells me that my tail looks extra fluffy today just to watch me trip over my own feet. Then there’s that time she joked about the bathroom stuff and I…well, anyway! She’s a vital consultant, so I’m sure she’s doing alright too!”
Once again, Severian remains silent. He simply reaches over and plucks the largest piece from Belle’s plate, moving it to a side dish.
It doesn't take long until a simple serving of food turns into a full-blown tug-of-war. Each time Seth piles a spoonful on their plates, Severian’s hand follows a heartbeat behind, sweeping the excess and returning it to the center of the table.
Wise looks down at his plate, piled high one moment and nearly bare the next, shifting three times in less than a minute. He hasn't managed a single bite. Every time he raises his fork, one brother intervenes, either piling on or whisking away the extras.
Across the table, Belle's eyes follow a piece of fish that vanishes the moment she reaches for it. At this rate, the food will get cold before she ever gets a bite.
“Will you knock it off!” Seth huffed, clearly irritated.
Severian doesn’t even look up, which only seems to annoy Seth more.
“Seth,” Seth’s mother intervenes gently, giving him a pointed look. “why don’t you tell Wise and Belle about your training? I’m sure they’d be interested to hear about how hard you’ve been working.”
“Oh yeah,” Seth says, still sharp but trying to brush off the irritation, “I’ve been pushing myself way harder lately—regardless of what some people might think. I’m out patrolling Lumina Square the second my shift starts, and then spend every spare minute doing drills at the training grounds. I have to be a hundred percent for the next Hollow run! You never know when the call is going to come, and I don’t want to slow the team down.”
As Seth reaches across the table to grab the piece of fish Severian had abruptly taken from Belle’s plate, a flash of white catches Wise’s eye. Just beneath the collar, a bulky bandage is tucked at the side of Seth’s neck.
Severian stops mid-bite. His expression remains unchanged, but the way his brows are furrowed makes it clear he’s got something to say.
“That explains the trips to the pharmacy lately,” Severian says after a moment. “I take it you’ve already gone through that personal first aid kit you insisted on buying so you wouldn’t burden the precinct supplies?”
Seth’s halts mid-motion, his hand hovering over Belle’s plate. “Training’s been intense! And yeah, I used it—that’s what it’s for! It’s called being prepared, brother. Besides, I’m not just patching myself up; I’ve got it for anyone who needs it when things go sideways. I’m being responsible!”
Severian lets out a short, dry laugh. “Sorry, I have to correct you there. There’s a big difference between doing the work and being careless. True responsibility would be improving your footwork so the bandages aren’t necessary in the first place. It’s a waste of resources to focus on patching yourself up because you can’t navigate a simple drill without drawing blood. It’s a lack of foresight.”
“Well, at least I’m actually moving enough to get a scratch!” Seth shoots back, his voice cracking slightly with frustration. “I’d rather have a full kit and a few scars than sit behind a desk all day and wait for the perfect moment to send your assistant to do the work for you.”
“In our line of work,” Severian says, returning to cutting his fish. “Success rarely comes from luck. It’s about anticipating the outcome long before the first move is made.”
Seth slams his fork on the table with a sharp thud! “Oh, you’re real good at that, aren’t you?” he says, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Severian opens his mouth to intervene, but Seth is already on a roll, talking right over him.
“You wanna talk about foresight?” Seth leans over the table, pointing at his brother as he looks at Wise and Belle. “When we were kids, every time we watched The Big Hollow, he’d stand in the middle of the living room and recite the protagonist’s entire monologue before the actor even opened his mouth! Word for word, voices and everything!"
"He’d strike a pose, point at the screen and shout—at the top of his lungs—‘Justice is a light that never fades!’ right before the credits rolled. He was so loud, the neighbors had to knock on our parents’ door to get us to quiet down.”
Severian doesn’t deign to respond, only letting out a disgruntled huff that sounds suspiciously like a suppressed cough of embarrassment.
Wise feels a sudden, uncontrollable twitch at the corner of his mouth. He tries to stifle the laugh, coughing awkwardly into his hand, while Belle doesn’t even bother to hide her amusement. She leans in, with eyes bright with mischief.
“Wait, did he do a theme song too?” Belle chirps, grinning widely. “That reminds me of Wise when we were younger—he used to have this entire routine for—”
“I have no memory of such a time,” Wise interrupts, his voice rising slightly as he shoots Belle a pointed look. “Anyway, back on topic… so Severian has a thing for quoting movie scenes? I find it hard to believe, given his current professional standing.”
“Oh, you better believe it!” Seth says, his ears giving an indignant twitch. “He hasn’t changed at all! Next time you see him giving a briefing, just watch his left hand—he still does those exact same gestures from the movie! I’ve even caught him striking his Commissioner pose in his office when he thinks no one’s around.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Severian remarks, despite his ears giving a sharp, involuntary jerk. “Your preference for half-truths has evidently followed you into adulthood. Anything beyond that is a product of your overactive imagination. If I had any interest in theater, then I wouldn’t be in my current position. Now, if you’re quite finished with this unproductive trip down memory lane, perhaps we could discuss actual important matters. There is no need to burden our guests with such trivialities.”
Within seconds, the table dissolves into another headed argument. Seth is halfway out of his seat, tail rigid and nearly sweeping a water glass to the floor, while Severian’s responses sharpens into something more personal and biting.
Their parents remain unfazed. Their mother continues clearing empty plates, and their father sighs as he reaches for another piece of fish as though the shouting is nothing more than background noise. It seems they've seen this fight play out countless of times and appear perfectly willing to let it burn itself out.
Wise doesn’t need to look at Belle to know they're thinking the same thing. It's time to leave.
Clearing his throat, Wise pushes his chair back with a deliberate, final, scrape that cuts through the bickering. “Seth, Severian—thanks for the meal. This has been… an unforgettable evening. But Belle and I actually need to head out. We have a lot of prep work to do for the store’s opening tomorrow, and it’s already getting quite late. Right, Belle?”
Belle lets out a nervous laugh. “Y-yes! We got a very early start tomorrow! There’s a lot to get done at the video store.”
“Wait, already?” Seth blinks, visibly crestfallen. “But we haven’t even cut the cake you guys brought! And I was just about to start the coffee. I’m telling you, Manager, the roast I’ve perfected here is better than anything you’ll find in Lumina Square. You can even take some to go!”
As tempting as the offer is, Wise doesn’t need to guess how it would end. Severian would find some flaw in Seth’s method of grinding the beans, and Seth would slam the carafe down in defensive pride. From there, it would spiral into a debate over the correct way to brew the perfect cup.
“That’s a very generous offer, Seth,” Wise offers an apologetic smile. “But I think if I have a cup now, I’ll be up until sunrise auditing our inventory. We really shouldn’t overstay our welcome.”
“Yeah! And we have a… very early delivery coming in,” Belle adds, nearly springing out of her chair. She turns to Seth’s parents and bows. “Thank you so much for having us. Dinner was wonderful.”
They make their way to the door in record time, trading a flurry of polite goodbyes. Seth follows them all the way to the entrance, still making a last-ditch pitch for to-go coffee, while Severian holds the door open.
The moment it clicks shut behind them, Wise and Belle make for the stairs without a word, putting as much distance as they can between themselves and the apartment.
-
“Two extra large BBQ noodles, on the house,” General Chop says, sliding two steaming bowls towards them.
Belle doesn’t even wait for them to cool. She snaps her chopsticks apart and dives in, letting out a muffled sigh of relief after an aggressive slurp. “I never thought I’d say this,” she says between mouthfuls. “But I’ve never been more relieved to see a bowl of noodles in my life.”
Wise pauses, chopsticks halfway to his mouth, raising a brow. “Wait, did I hear that right? The same Belle who spent all of last week complaining that ‘we always eat at the same place’ is actually celebrating a bowl of noodles?”
“Don’t get used to it,” Belle shoots back, though there is no bite in it. “But after that dinner? I’d eat a bowl of cardboard if it meant I could eat it in peace.”
General Chop studies their exhausted, disheveled faces. “Most people come here hungry, but you two look like you just survived a riot. Rough night?”
“Something like that,” Wise sighs, taking a long, appreciative sip of broth. “We were invited to a family dinner. Let’s just say it was… a disaster. I’m pretty sure my food spent more time crossing the table than my actual plate.”
“Ah,” General Chop clicks a metal sound, almost like a nod. “The ‘hospitality’ of family. It can be overwhelming if you’re not used to the crossfire. A meal among friends and family should be joyful. Still, you know you’re always welcome here. No one should go to bed hungry.”
A customer takes a seat a few stools away, and General Chop casts them one last glance before returning to his work.
Wise rests his chin on his hand, watching General Chop toss a handful of fresh ingredients into the wok. Just as he is beginning to relax, his phone buzzes in his pocket. He pulls it out and stares at the message for a long moment.
“What’s wrong, Wise?” Belle asks, pausing mid-bite to lean over his shoulder.
He turns the screen toward her.
Seth: Hey!! Thanks again for coming! Sorry if things got a little… intense. I hope we didn’t make you guys too uncomfortable during your stay. To make it up to you guys, I’m hosting a Lowell Family Game Night next weekend! You guys in??
A sly grin spreads across Belle’s face. “So, what do you think, bro? Should we go back next week?”
Wise doesn’t even pause to consider it. He simply hits the power button on his phone and sets it face-down on the table with the weight of a final verdict.
“Definitely not.”