The last cabinets power down, leaving Neon Pocket Arcade washed in dim blue strips and the soft hum of closing machines. Vesper and Capan remain near the entrance, their Thursday plan still fresh between them.
Nadia approaches, a confident young adult woman with a tall, athletic build, warm brown skin, and copper curls gathered beneath a red headband. Her cream blazer and red sneakers make her look ready for anywhere.
Nadia
Vesper. There you are. I was beginning to think you had finally escaped this place without saying goodbye.
Nadia’s easy smile shifts toward Capan at once. She looks between them, catching the closeness, the shared attention, and Vesper’s phone still displaying their dinner reservation.
Nadia
And you must be Capan, the person you mentioned. The rhythm-game expert, right?
Vesper
Of course Nadia arrives now. I told her about Capan, but not enough to make this introduction feel comfortable.
Vesper
Nadia, this is Capan. Capan, Nadia. We used to know each other well. Nadia, please do not turn this into an interrogation.
✓ Quest Accepted
Learn what Nadia and Vesper were to each other
“"Hey Nadia. Are you Vesper's Ex?"”
SUCCESS (Superb Conversation, rolled +3)
Capan
Hey, Nadia. Are you Vesper’s ex?
The question lands cleanly in the dim arcade entrance. Nadia’s eyebrows rise, while Vesper closes her eyes for one brief second, caught between embarrassment and reluctant amusement.
Nadia
I am. We dated for about a year, and we ended it months ago. No dramatic betrayal, no secret reunion, and absolutely no claim on her now.
Vesper
That is the most efficient possible summary of our entire history. Capan, I should have introduced that detail myself.
Nadia
For what it is worth, she has talked about you with genuine interest. Not as a rebound, and not to make me jealous. You have my approval, though Vesper does not need it.
Nadia steps aside from the entrance, giving them a clear path toward the rainy street. Vesper’s phone still shows Thursday at seven, and Nadia’s candid answer leaves the plan undisturbed.
Vesper
Thank you for asking directly. I would rather answer an uncomfortable question than let you build assumptions around it.
Reassure Vesper that I respect her independence
Quest Complete
Learn what Nadia and Vesper were to each other