The morning after the date felt like sunshine had seeped into Arthur's bones. He was still floating, the memory of Lay's laugh and the warmth of her hand in his lingering like a dream he didn't want to wake up from. As he sat at the edge of the kitchen table, scarfing down a simple breakfast of bread and eggs, his mom shuffled in, her hair tied back, a soft tired smile gracing her lips.
"You're up early," she said, opening the fridge.
"I couldn't sleep much," Arthur replied, his cheeks a little red.
His mom turned, squinting at him. "What's with that face? You look like someone who just got a love letter."
Arthur chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "I went on a date yesterday."
The fridge door closed with a soft thud. His mom blinked, then raised a brow. "With who? Don't tell me it's that girl from the old building—the one with the loud dog."
"No!" he laughed. "It was Lay. My neighbor. The one who used to help me with math and chase off bullies."
His mother's eyes widened with a look of both surprise and recognition. "Ohhh, Lay. That sweet girl with the big brown eyes. She used to drop off soup when you were sick."
Arthur nodded, trying to hide how much he was smiling.
She sat across from him. "She's cute. And kind. You have good taste."
"Thanks, mom," he mumbled, the pink in his cheeks deepening.
"Did you confess to her properly?"
Arthur paused. "Yeah. I did. On the bridge."
His mom gave a little gasp and clutched her chest dramatically. "My little boy's all grown up! Going on fancy dates and confessing under bridges!"
"It wasn't fancy-fancy," Arthur muttered. "But yeah... I really like her."
His mother smiled, a soft warmth behind her tired eyes. "Just make sure you treat her right, okay? Girls like that don't come around every day."
Arthur nodded solemnly. "I will. I promise."
Later that night, the world outside had settled into that quiet hush only 10 p.m. can bring. The streets had emptied, windows glowed faintly, and the city lights blinked gently in the distance. Arthur climbed the creaky stairs to the rooftop, the old wooden boards beneath his sneakers groaning slightly. The night air hit him with a breeze that smelled faintly of distant food carts and cooling asphalt.
This was his favorite spot. His peace. His quiet.
He pulled out his phone and typed a quick message.
[Hey, Lay. Wanna meet outside? I'll wait near your house.]
The reply came almost immediately.
[Sure! Gimme 5 mins <3]
Arthur sat on the low wall of the roof, feet dangling, watching the skyline. It wasn't long before he saw her walking toward him, bundled in a light hoodie, her hair pulled into a loose ponytail. She smiled as she spotted him and waved. His heart skipped.
"Hey," she said, coming to stand beside him. "Nice view."
"It's better now," he said, patting the space beside him.
She rolled her eyes but sat down. For a moment, they just stared ahead.
"Do you ever wonder what we'll become?" she asked.
Arthur exhaled slowly. "All the time."
She looked at him. "So... what did you want to be? Like, back then."
Arthur scratched his head. "A policeman. I wanted to be that guy who saves others. Like in the movies, y'know? But now... I just want to help the people I love. Be someone dependable. Maybe... evolve."
"Evolve?" she tilted her head.
He smiled softly. "Yeah. Like... grow. Improve. Become someone I can be proud of."
Lay was quiet for a bit, then nodded. "That's beautiful."
"What about you?" he asked.
"I... wanted to be a doctor," she said quietly.
Arthur's brows raised. "That's amazing. Why a doctor?"
Lay's smile wavered. Her eyes dropped to the ground. "Because... my mom died giving birth to me. I never met her. My dad told me she bled too much, and there wasn't enough time."
Arthur's heart dropped. The air around them felt heavier.
"I just... I want to help people like her. People who don't get another chance. Maybe... if someone like me had been there, things would've been different."
He looked at her, unsure. He wanted to hold her, to wrap her in something warmer than the night breeze. But would it be okay?
Lay sniffled slightly, then chuckled. "Sorry. That got heavy."
"No, it's okay," Arthur said, his voice low. "You're amazing. And your mom would be proud."
She didn't reply immediately. She just leaned her head softly against his shoulder.
He froze. Then slowly relaxed, letting the silence fill them.
"Thanks," she whispered.
And they stayed like that, the two of them under a vast sky, the stars bearing witness to their quiet, shared pain—and hope.