Another day dawned over the Ever Summer guild. The sun streamed in through the large front windows, bathing the interior in golden light. A warm breeze swirled the scent of salt and grilled seafood through the air. As usual, adventurers lounged about in all states of swimsuit dress code compliance—some heading to the quest board, others already drinking before noon.

Everything looked as it always did.

Except for the elf receptionist yawning at her desk like she hadn't just been emotionally invested in last night's drama.

"This is why I told them I hate working overtime," Eluviel muttered, rubbing her eyes and leaning heavily on one arm.

She had, in fact, said no such thing last night. In fact, if someone had passed her popcorn, she would’ve paid extra to work the midnight shift.

Branz wandered over to the desk, his ever-present tropical cocktail in hand, with Frizz trailing behind him.

“So,” Branz said, lowering his voice conspiratorially, “what did happen last night? Gonna share some of the juicy bits?”

Eluviel’s eyes lit up, her teasing grin already loaded. “Mmm, the morning’s always busy, but I might be persuaded over a glass of something cold and fruity later.”

Branz chuckled, raising his glass in agreement. “It’s a deal. Sorry for disturbing the queue.”

He clapped a hand on the shoulder of the adventurer behind him, who was waiting awkwardly to turn in a completed quest. Eluviel, ever the professional when it suited her, instantly swapped to her customer-service smile like flipping a coin.

“Welcome back! Let’s see that quest slip, shall we?”

Routine resumed for a moment.

And then they walked in.

The newest, most unlikely pair in the Ever Summer roster.

Rydan, looking unusually energetic for the time of day, strolled through the doors like he belonged there—chest puffed slightly, a grin playing on his lips.

Beside him, or rather, not beside him—several paces away—Sandra moved with quiet purpose, already heading toward the quest board without so much as glancing in his direction.

Branz raised his glass again, this time in greeting. “Still trying to hit on her, Rydan?”

“I’m not trying,” Rydan said, a little too fast. “We’re already a party.”

Frizz, standing beside Branz with a drink of his own, barked a laugh. “You sure the little missy accepted a skirt-chaser like you? Didn’t strike me as your type. Or anyone’s, for that matter.”

“She did,” Rydan said defensively, gesturing behind him. “You can ask her if—”

He turned.

Sandra was gone. Or rather, not gone, just already several steps ahead—standing in front of the quest board, arms crossed, staring at the listings like they owed her an apology.

The table erupted with laughter.

“That’s not convincing at all!” Frizz howled, nearly spilling his drink.

“Like a man trying to leash a storm!” someone else shouted from the side.

“Or marry a cactus!”

The guild fell into easy, familiar teasing. A new pair. A new dynamic. Another thread woven into the chaotic tapestry of Ever Summer.

Eluviel rested her chin in her hand, watching with amusement as Rydan tried—and failed—to look unfazed.

She then glanced to the other side—Sandra was already scanning for her next mission like Rydan didn’t exist. Eluviel raised an eyebrow. ‘She didn’t even look at him. Huh.’

Then the doors opened, and another party stepped in—an all-girls group dressed for the heat but walking with purpose. Eluviel’s lips curled into a playful grin. ‘This will be fun.’

The guild fell into a hush—not from fear, but anticipation.

Coral Bloom had arrived.

Leading the way was a red-haired girl with short, choppy bangs and fists wrapped in worn bandages. Her swimsuit was bright red, loud and frilly, with enough ruffles to make a parade float jealous. She locked onto Rydan immediately.

“Well, well, mentor. Heard you found your next victim,” she said, grinning like a wolf as she peeked behind him. “Is that her? You really hunt like a predator, huh?”

Rydan started sweating, but still managed a wide grin as he patted her head.

“How you doing, Jill? Try not to cause too much trouble for the other two, alright?”

A blonde girl stepped forward, more composed but no less teasing. She wore a white swimsuit that matched the crystal staff in her hand. “Don’t be mean, Jill. We still owe him for helping us rank up—even if he was hitting on us the whole time.”

Jill just stuck out her tongue.

“You’re actually more ruthless, Mina,” Rydan muttered.

“Am I?” Mina replied sweetly, tilting her head with a perfectly innocent smile.

“Cut it out, both of you,” came a third voice from behind. A brown-haired girl with her hair tied up in a bun wore a modest pink tube-type swimsuit, less revealing than the other two. She kept her eyes on the floor, not once looking Rydan’s way. “Let’s just turn in the quest.”

“Aww, don’t be shy, Faye,” Mina cooed, giggling. “You should say hi.”

Faye ignored her, but her ears turned visibly red as she stiffened, pretending not to hear.

“You guys really missed me, didn’t you?” Rydan said, going on the offensive this time.

“As if… We’re doing just fine without you,” Faye mumbled, her voice so soft it was unclear if anyone actually heard her.

Mina scratched her cheek as she watched Faye struggle, while Jill burst into laughter.

Just then, Sandra approached, quest slip in hand. She stopped just beside the trio. Mina, the first to notice her, turned with a friendly smile. “Hello! I’m Mina.”

“I’m Jill,” the redhead chimed in before Sandra could answer, “and the shy one who still can’t face her first love is Faye.”

“Hey!” Faye snapped, turning bright red. “Jill, you idiot!” She glanced at Rydan, made brief eye contact, then immediately spun back around.

“…Sandra,” came the flat, emotionless reply. No flourish. No hesitation. Just her name.

Mina giggled and gently patted Sandra’s shoulder. “Be careful with him, okay? And good luck with adventuring.”

“He might be an enemy of us women, but he’s still a good boy at heart,” Jill said with an exaggerated sigh.

Hearing that, Rydan quickly cut in before they could say more. “Hey, I’m not that bad. I’m the one who helped you guys get the hang of this, remember?”

“Sure, sure, if you say so,” Mina said, waving her hand dismissively. “We’ll go turn in the quest now. See you later.”

The trio dragged a flustered Faye along with them to the counter, laughter trailing behind.

As if on cue, the rest of the guild sprang back to life, laughter and conversation flooding the hall again.

“They really grilled you there,” Branz said with a wide grin, raising his glass in Rydan’s direction.

Frizz leaned on Branz, giving Sandra a sideways glance. “If I were you, missy, I’d start keeping a safe distance. That one’s a certified flirt.”

Sandra let out a quiet sigh, then turned to Rydan.

Without a word, she gently patted his head hung awkwardly in the air.

The entire guild froze.

Branz’s drink stopped mid-air. Frizz’s smirk faded. Even Eluviel blinked. Rydan, wide-eyed, slowly looked up in disbelief.

Was this it? A rare, genuine gesture?

Then came her follow-up.

“Don’t worry,” she said.

For a second, hope flickered in his eyes. The whole guild seemed to hold its breath.

Then—

“I’m not expecting much from you,” she added flatly. “Now let’s go.”

The guild exploded with laughter.

Rydan slumped again, but the goofy smile on his face wouldn’t leave—even as he followed Sandra toward the exit like a puppy with a bruised ego and a full heart.

***

The sun was already high to call it morning, but not yet noon — the in-between time when the guild began to breathe easier. The morning rush had passed. Most adventurers were either out chasing coin or waiting for their hangovers to clear.

Inside Ever Summer’s guild hall, the air was thick with salt and the distant sound of waves. A few late risers loitered near the mission board, and others nursed cheap drinks near open windows. But at a table close to the reception counter, three familiar figures had settled into what looked like a serious talk.

Branz leaned back on his chair, one boot propped up, holding two glasses of something golden and frothy. "As promised, your tropical juice," he said, sliding one across the table.

Eluviel took it with a small, satisfied smile. "Thank you," she said, swirling the glass before taking a whiff. "Mmm... Pineapple’s in season again. I can smell the ripeness."

"You always say that like it’s a good thing," Frizz muttered beside her, arms crossed. His voice was disinterested, but his body stayed put.

Eluviel took a sip, nodding thoughtfully. "It is a good thing."

Branz rested both elbows on the table and leaned forward. "I held up my end of the deal. Now spill. What happened yesterday?"

"Let me guess," Frizz said, eyes half-lidded. "Rydan made a complete fool of himself."

Eluviel didn’t deny it. She set the glass down with a soft clink and began to recount the story — the rejection, the misfire, and the strange, hasty formation of a new party. With an Idiot.

Branz nearly snorted his drink. Frizz gave up all pretense and cackled outright.

"Hah! I knew it! That boy’s mouth always digs his grave faster than his sword arm."

"Seriously though," Branz said, wiping his chin. "That was quick thinking on your part. Pulling Jackal’s name out of nowhere like that to keep the girl interested? Inspired."

"It wasn’t made up!" Eluviel pouted, ears twitching in frustration. "I am the receptionist here, remember? I know all our adventurers. Better than most."

"Sure, sure..." Branz raised his mug. "Let’s just say it was convenient timing."

"Still," Frizz muttered, already sliding back into irritation. "I don’t get it. Why's someone like Rydan always picking up fresh F-rank girls? Think he gets a rank-up bonus for it?"

"Chasing skirts is probably all he’s good at," Branz said with a chuckle. "I mean, what kind of high-ranker keeps babysitting newbies? You don’t see me doing that."

Eluviel hesitated.

Then, almost offhandedly, she said, "Actually, Rydan isn’t the only one."

The table fell quiet.

Branz raised an eyebrow, interested. "Oh? Another high-rank picking up F-ranks? Another skirt-chaser?"

Frizz leaned in, voice rising. "Wait — who? You better not be talking about that weirdo from—"

Eluviel averted her gaze, staring into her glass like it held answers she didn’t want.

"It’s... not the same," she murmured. "They have very different reasons."

Branz smirked, pushing his empty glass toward her. "C’mon. Another round if you tell us more."

Eluviel stood suddenly, her chair scraping lightly against the wooden floor. "Sorry, back to work," she said, lifting the rest of her drink to her lips and downing it in one practiced motion.

"Aw, come on," Branz called after her. "Don’t leave us hanging!"

Frizz squinted. "Seriously, who? Hey—!"

But Eluviel was already walking away, her expression stiff. The smile was gone from her face. As she returned behind the counter, her steps were quick, heels clicking against the floor.

‘It’s dangerous to say more than that’, she thought, fingers unconsciously tightening around the edge of the desk.

Outside, the sea wind stirred the guild banners. Somewhere in the distance, a ship’s bell rang across the waves.