"I made a reservation this time." Caleb hummed happily, holding out a chair for you to sit. "Remember this place?"

After sitting down and thanking Caleb for his gesture, you responded. "Yeah, this is the restaurant we ate at when we first met."

"Doesn't it make you sentimental?" Caleb pulled out his own chair and sat across you. "I made sure to reserve the exact same table."

The restaurant's colours were a deep burgundy with gold accents. The chandeliers sparkled ambitiously from above, casting a nice warm glow that made you feel classier than usual. The space was nice and fancy, sure. The soft hums of conversations, clinking of silverware, piano in the background––you would have found yourself fully immersed in the atmosphere if it weren't for the several gazes on you and Caleb.

Can't say I didn't expect this...

When you and Caleb entered the restaurant, heads turned so fast you were genuinely concerned you'd hear a crack! With the whole controversy going on regarding the weapons, it would be weird if SF members didn't attract attention. You and Caleb ignored everyone pretty well. With everything that was going on, you did not need to add public opinion of you to the list of stressors.

Speaking of stressors: Finn. After the meeting with Finn, you had a whole day full of operations. Work kept you busy, so time to think about your feelings towards Finn leaving the speciality force was nill.

Leaving... That didn't happen in the original game.

Why would he leave? It had to be more than just guilt. Finn wasn't the type to run away from his responsibilities as well.

You sighed. Don't think about that right now. For now, you'll be focusing on relaxing and devouring the restaurant's menu with Caleb. You were already on the brink of collapsing from dealing with operations and the media all day.

"What dishes do you want––oh! Lemme guess." Caleb pointed to a dish on the menu. "This one?"

"Huh, how'd you know I was eyeing this one?"

"I cook for everyone, of course I know what kinds of food you like."

"Just realised that I asked a stupid question."

You and Caleb swiftly placed your orders. After that, Caleb happily talked about the new video game he played in between operations.

"You should check it out," Caleb said "There are hot characters."

"I'm in." You laughed. "It's so weird to think how we barely knew each other the last time we were here."

Back then, you could barely grasp the fact that you were talking to a character in a video game.

A character, huh?

Since you've been in this world for roughly half a year now, these 'characters' to you truly felt like people––you've formed closer connections in your short time span here than your entire life back in your previous world. Adversities really do strengthen bonds, don't they?

Caleb chuckled. "Right?"

He rested a cheek on his palm. With the way his eyes softened, you almost choked on the water you were sipping. How can someone look so?? Gentle?? You couldn't even formulate the right words.

"Now I know you like to head to the library––specially, sit near a window to your right––and read in your free time, preferably at night. You're always on the lookout for the latest indie games, you seriously do not have an angry bone in your body––I can name plentyyyy of things about you."

Caleb smiled. Yet, this one felt a little... Sad.

"Yet, sometimes it feels like I barely know you, y'know? For instance, your childhood is a mystery to me. Which school did ya attend?" Caleb then displayed his usual cheerful, mischievous grin. "Any embarrassing memories as a thirteen year old?"

In his eyes, you could tell he felt apologetic for bringing the mood down a little.

"Embarrassing memories from when I was thirteen." You shuddered. "You know how I like to write?"

Caleb's eyes lit up. "Tell me the stuff you wrote as an emotional teenager right now."

Hidden behind Caleb's cheerful words was a little glimpse of his true feelings––the fact that Caleb knew little about the deeper aspects of your life likely made him anxious. However, he didn't didn't want to put you on the spot in consideration of everything that's currently going on.

You laughed. "It all started on a rainy day..."

Yes, you chose to avoid it. Caleb knew that, but it didn't seem like he minded at all. But you suppose this could cause a rift in your friendship if you didn't address it soon.

When the food arrived, Caleb immediately insisted that he fed you. You two had fun chatting about various topics, it was a nice distraction from everything.

"Do you wanna get dessert here or somewhere else?" you asked.

"Somewhere else. There's a place I wanna take you. You'll get to learn more about me as well! Fun, isn't it?"

Once you two finished eating, Caleb held you by the hand and led you through the city. You made no efforts to pull away from his grip. Being led along by someone like Caleb filled you with energy.

The night life in Anomalous wasn't new to you at this point, you had your fair share of operations and hangouts. The city had its charm in the mornings. The lower saturated colours with the cloudy sky made it seem dreary, but also oddly tranquil. However, at night it was completely different. Neon signs would illuminate with all sorts of colours, late-night bars and cafes buzzed with activity as laughter and chatter of customers spilled out onto the streets where roads were lively with cars. Even AEI members patrolling the streets would still partake in the nightlife.

"Miss Support, here."

Caleb plopped a piece of pastry in your mouth.

"They're handing out samples. Good, isn't it? Obviously not as good as mine, of course."

You laughed. "Nah, not even close."

Seems like despite the controversy, people still carried on as usual. Maybe tonight will go smoothly.

"(Y/n), Caleb! On a patrol?"

"Hey, is the whole thing with the weapons true?"

Man. You jinxed it.

A group of people around your age approached you and Caleb. On instinct, you wore your customer service smile as you responded.

"Well, yesterday was the first we heard of it," you said.

The chairman had been silent, which was very unlike him. The man always had a response, a way to sway the crowd to his side.

"I can't believe the chairman would use dead exorcists to create the weapons––like those who didn't make it in the SF trial."

"And the whole rumours with allowing support members in the AEI, even if they're incompetent because their death could be of use."

Right. Even when one died without being an exorcist, they could still turn into an apparition if they had enough self preservation. The chairman could make use of that.

Unlike the original game, there was far more doubt towards the chairman. Things were looking bad for him; however, it was still entirely possible for him to bring the crowd to his side. How? The solution was found in the final and longest arc of Anomalous in which the chairman would put the weapons to very good use, protecting the public against Shen amongst many other apparitions. That would shift public opinion on the weapons. After all, when you're desperate for survival, you tend to compromise on a few morals.

"(Y/n), what are your thoughts? Should the chairman step down?"

"Caleb, you're close with Elias, right? What did he say about his grandfather?"

"Oh, I hope Elias wasn't in on it! I looked up to him so much."

More people began crowding you and Caleb. Questions upon questions piled up, putting mountains to shame. You needed to be careful with your words, watch your tone, and body language. Anything can be taken out of context.

"Whoops! We have an operation." Caleb suddenly grabbed your hand. With a cheeky grin, he waved at everyone. "We'll have to leave!"

Before anyone could get a word in, Caleb was already running away, dragging you along with him.

"It's not my style, but we should avoid crowded places for the time being," Caleb said.

"I'm with you there. Where should we go?"

"Don't worry, the place I wanna show you is guaranteed to be quiet."

You and Caleb arrived at what looks to be an ice cream spot. The lights were off, the door was locked, and there was a sign that hung in front that read 'closed.'

"Well, you weren't lying when you said it was quiet."

"No, no, no." Caleb grinned, not faltering in the slightest. "I have a trick."

With a confident smile, he walked up to the door. Then, he slammed his fist against it.

"Caleb????"

"Don't worry! I know what I'm doing."

The door swung open a moment later, revealing an extremely huge man. His arms were thick with muscle, strained against the sleeves of his shirt. The man carried a quiet aura that sharply spoke that he was not one to be messed with.Dark brown eyes narrowed. It was the kind of glare that'd put even a lion down.

Holy shit. You were going to die today.

Meanwhile, Caleb was smiling without a care in the world.

"Ah-hah! I knew you were still in there. Heyyy, it's been a while." Caleb beamed. "Did ya miss me? I bet you did."

"Caleb." The man only spoke a word, but his deep voice held more authority than you've ever had in your entire 20+ years of living. "Did you have to go and make a ruckus? The fuck is my phone for?"

"You never check your phone."

He groaned. "Alright, you got me there."

Okay... The exchange seemed casual enough. Did Caleb know this man? You've never heard of this in the game.

"And who may this be?"

It took you a second to realise the man was referring to you. Caleb held onto your shoulders and, as if proudly showing you off, ushered you to step forward.

"(Y/n), my favourite person. I've talked to you about her before."

The fact that Caleb didn't say your nickname made you all the more curious of his relationship with this man.

"Ah, so you're (Y/n)." The man's frown curved into a warm smile, his beard that once have him a rugged appearance now added a friendly giant warmth to his expression. Woah. His aura took a complete 180. "It's nice to meet you. Name's Vincent."

He held out his hand and you accepted the gesture. Your hand felt like a grain of rice in his grasp.

"I hope we're not intruding," you said.

"Well, I hope we are!"

Vincent effortlessly ignored Caleb. "Course not, come in."

You glanced at Caleb and he shot you an encouraging look, patting you on the back as a silent message to relax. You entered the shop, admiring the interior. Warm and earthy tones dominated the space, walls are painted in soft pastel colours, and the shop was furnished with comfortable wooden tables and chairs. It seemed like a cute spot to hang out with your friends after school. Of course, you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but you did not expect someone like Vincent to be the owner of such a place.

"I've never been here before," you said, following Vincent.

"Not surprised. Had to close the shop a year ago since my wife got pregnant," he replied. "We've only recently been back in business."

Ah. You weren't even in Anomalous a year ago.

"Where is she now?" Caleb asked.

"Home, resting."

"Y'know, since you're a father and all," Caleb said. "You should make it a habit to stop swearing."

Vincent rolled his eyes as he went behind the counter. "So, (Y/n). What are you after?"

There were rows of containers displaying an array of ice cream flavours, some more adventurous than others.

"It's on the house for you," Vincent said. "So don't hold back."

While Caleb complained about not getting free ice cream in the background, you selected the flavours that appealed most to you. You thanked Vincent when he handed over the frozen treat. After Caleb paid for his ice cream, you two took a seat.

"Seriously, he's so cruel." Caleb pouted. "Doesn't he know I'm a struggling young adult in a harsh economy?"

"Caleb, you have one of the highest paying jobs." You chuckled. "Anyways, is Vincent a friend of yours?"

"Whoops, slipped my mind to tell you this. I used to work part time here when I was at the academy. There was a game console I wanted and I needed to save up. The free food was a plus as well."

Vincent, who was cleaning up the counter, said, "I never gave you free food."

"Anyways."

Caleb continued to tell you stories from his days at work. From how he got caught giving out a little too many free samples to his friends to the times where he protected the store from an apparition attack. You listened intently. This ice cream shop seemed to play a huge role in Caleb's life as a teenager, it felt criminal that the original story never delved into it.

"I'm surprised I never got fired," Caleb said.

At this point, Vincent had joined you and Caleb on the table. "Because, unfortunately, you were one of the more competent workers."

"Aww, a compliment!" Caleb laughed. "James would work here as well, y'know. We got wayyy more female customers on the days he had shifts."

The sudden mention of James caught you off guard. Thankfully, Vincent was here to respond.

"He was a good kid," Vincent said, his tone softer.

"Yeah, even if his pastry decorations sucked." Caleb grinned. "Anyways! Miss Support, did you ever have a part time job?"

You ended up answering Caleb's question, but the mention of James still lingered in your mind. You made a mental note to check up on Caleb before tonight ended.

After what seemed to be almost two hours of talking, it was time to leave. Vincent needed to close up the shop and go home.

"Thanks again, Vincent! I'll stop by when I can," you said.

"Of course, I'll introduce you to my wife next time." The man's expression softened fondly. "She's a lovely lady."

"Not when she's teaching maths," Caleb said.

You turned over to him. "Context?"

"I asked her to tutor me when I was younger," Caleb explained. "I never asked a second time."

Vincent laughed heartily. "It was the first time I genuinely saw a distressed expression on his face."

"Oh, c'mon now." Caleb frowned. "Forget that ever happened."

It was rare to see Caleb being the target of a joke. Honestly, why did the game never cover this dynamic? It was interesting and added so much more to him as a person. Was it because he... You stopped yourself. Caleb was alive now, you needed to stop thinking about his fate in the original game.

Just before you and Caleb left the shop, Vincent said,

"Caleb."

"Yeah?" He grinned. "Miss me already?"

"Doors are always open if you wanna talk."

Caleb was silent for a moment. "They better be."

You smiled. While the game didn't delve deeply into the dynamics with his parents, it was hinted that James essentially assumed the role of a parent. Knowing that someone like Vincent was in Caleb's life was a relief.

While you and Caleb were walking down the streets, he stretched his arms out.

"That should be enough time to digest our food!" He glanced over to you. "Hey, feel like exercising?"

"Exercise?"

Caleb pointed to the buildings. "I hope your skills have improved since the last time."

Ah. Some good old parkour.

With everything that's been going on, that doesn't sound like a terrible idea to let off some steam.

You smiled. "Want me to show you?"

While the city below was bustling with activity from crowds of cars and populated streets, it was only you and Caleb enjoying the city from high above. You two got up close to neon-lit billboards and took pictures, filmed videos doing cool tricks, and laughed without a care in the world. With your improved physical capabilities, your movements were fluid. Jumping from building to building was like playing in a park to you. There was something so freeing about letting the wind embrace your body as adrenaline coursed through your veins with each leap you took.

For now, you and Caleb were two friends enjoying the freedom of the night.

"Did you practise in your free time, Miss Support?" Caleb's laughter danced through the air. "You're almost as good as me."

You landed with a spin and smiled proudly. "Almost?"

"Almost." Caleb playfully pinched your cheek. "However! That smile of yours is enough to sway me to think otherwise."

You giggled, your gaze sweeping over the city below. How pretty. It wasn't the first time you've seen such a sight, you've admired the city of Anomalous countless times when you played the game. However, this time this was your reality, it wasn't a world out of your grasp.

"Miss Support?"

No response. You were lost in thought. Caleb was about to tap you on the shoulder, but stopped himself. The subtle colours and lights of the city illuminated your wistful expression. For a moment there, Caleb could only gaze at your face.

He laughed softly to himself. I might've fallen a little too hard.

Caleb stood next to you, allowing a minute of silence to pass by before asking,

"What's on your mind?"

"Just..."

You trailed off. It was rare to see you like this. Caleb didn't want to interrupt you, to ruin this moment. Moments like this reminded Caleb how little he truly knew about you. As egotistical Caleb was, the idea of being reliable wasn't something he associated himself with. However, he wanted to be that kind of person for you, someone you could confide in and depend on.

"It's weird how small everything looks from up here," you said. Caleb's attention snapped onto you like an iron to a magnet. "Betrayals, city-changing conflicts––it seems so small."

"Right? A wonderful way to escape from your responsibilities." Caleb paused for a moment. "So? How do you feel about that?"

Again, you were quiet. Caleb didn't mind it. In fact, he encouraged it. He wanted you to take your time, understand the emotions you were feeling, and communicate it to him.

You were strange. Caleb hated talking about himself––ever since James died, he made a vow to always be attentive to others and disregard himself. However, you came into his life and flipped it all around. And he didn't mind it one bit. Really... You were an unexpected, but wonderful presence in his life.

"I want to protect this world and those I care about." You were being genuine. Yet, there was a faint sense of distance in your eyes. "I care about it a lot."

Caleb sat near the edge of the building, patting the spot next to him.

You sat down next to him. "Taking a break now? Didn't know your stamina was this bad."

Caleb gasped. "Rude. I want you to sit because I realised something extremely important."

"And that is?"

He took out his phone. "You haven't watched the reels I sent you."

"... Damn it."

And so, you were subjected to a solid hour of Caleb making you watch every reel you ignored. Even the ones you reacted to, but Caleb knew you didn't actually watch it.

"There we go! Your debt is cleared now."

You've learnt a valuable lesson today.

While you were cleansing your eyes from staring at a screen for an hour by looking at the sky, you noticed Caleb taking off his jacket. Nothing abnormal––hold on. You snapped your head towards him. Did he always have this much muscle?

"Miss Support, you couldn't have been any less subtle." Caleb laughed. "It was getting hot, don't mind me."

"You couldn't think to do that an hour ago when we were literally jumping from building to building?"

He shrugged. "Delayed effect?"

It really didn't help that the shirt was tight on Caleb, cinching his waist and emphasising the muscles on his his arms.

"Surprised?" Caleb smiled confidently. "I've been working hard~ It is an issue, though. I was already charming. I'm worried it'll be too much."

You laughed. "Oh, really?"

"I'm very popular, thank you very much! There's even NSFW fanart of me—"

"Alright, this is where the conversation ends."

Caleb got a notification from his phone, a text from Elias. While Caleb responded to him, you watched over the city, basking in the cool night air. It was wonderful and also bittersweet. A part of you won't ever see this as truly your world. It was first and foremost Anomalous before anything. Your thoughts wandered back to Finn––well, not just Finn. Everything, really. So much will happen in the future. The ending wasn't clear to you.

"Looks like your mind is wandering again," Caleb said.

"Sorry, I've been spacing out a lot, huh?"

"Not like I mind. Y'know you can tell me what's on your mind, right?"

"Yeah, I know."

You didn't elaborate any further. Well, it's more like you didn't know how. So much was on your mind. Caleb noticed your silence, but he didn't push for you to speak.

"We're close, right? You're right here. I can ask for a high five, a hug, look your adorable face all I want." Caleb went quiet for a moment. "But I feel as if you can slip away at any moment. I want to always be by your side, but why can't I confidently declare it?"

You didn't respond, but you didn't avoid Caleb's eyes. You wanted to give him an answer, but didn't know what to say.

"Everyone has secrets. I have some of my own and you as well. I still like you either way even if you don't tell me things. But..." He chuckled softly. "I get worried, y'know? That I can't be there for you."

"Caleb..."

You took a deep breath. Were you going to say it? Would that do any good?

I just... I don't want this wall between us.

"I didn't come from this city––no, this world."

You didn't bother trying to put it in a way that made more sense, you just said whatever came to mind first.

There was silence. Caleb's expression didn't change. It was hard to tell if he was surprised, incredulous, or doubtful.

An intrigued hum left his lips. "Somehow, I feel like that answer is fitting. Is my Miss Support an angel who fell from the sky?"

You didn't miss the way Caleb said 'my'. With a chuckle, you then asked Caleb something––something you would have never even thought to ask someone, let alone voice it impulsively. You supposed tonight, with everything that was going on, you were feeling more sentimental than usual.

"Caleb?"

He smiled. "Yeah?"

"If I disappeared one day..." You glanced over to him. "Would you come and find me?"

A/n: ... Damn, yn. That doesnt sound like foreshadowing at all lol.