Chapter 96: Another Moment But Something’s Cooking
A ringtone cut through the silence.
"..."
David frowned.
His hand wandered across the bedside table on instinct until it found his phone. He silenced it before it could ring a second time, then remained exactly where he was for another heartbeat.
Quiet.
Good.
Slowly, he turned his head.
Holly was still asleep.
She shifted slightly at the brief noise, her nose scrunching for a moment before she hugged the pillow a little tighter.
"...Sorry."
He glanced at the screen.
Mrs. Walbury
2 Missed Calls
David stared at it.
"...She’s really calling twice."
For a second, he actually considered pretending he hadn’t seen it.
Then he remembered who had called.
"...Yeah. That wouldn’t work."
Mrs. Walbury didn’t seem like the kind of person who accepted being ignored. If anything, she’d probably call a third time.
Or show up herself.
"...Actually..."
"...She might."
That thought alone was enough to get him moving.
He carefully slipped out of bed, making sure not to disturb Holly before quietly getting dressed. Every now and then, he’d glance back at the bed, half expecting the ringing to have woken her.
Just as he finished putting on his shoes—
"...Mm..."
He stopped.
Holly stirred beneath the blanket, blinking slowly as she looked around the room. Her sleepy gaze eventually landed on him.
"...David...?"
"Morning."
She rubbed one eye.
"...Why are you awake already?"
David hesitated.
’Can’t tell her I’m meeting Mrs. Walbury.’
’I’m not explaining why another woman wants me out of the apartment before sunrise.’
Not happening.
"I’ve got something I need to take care of."
Holly looked at him for a couple of quiet seconds.
"...This early?"
He shrugged.
"I’d rather get it out of the way."
"...Mm..."
She didn’t seem convinced.
Then again...
She also looked about five seconds away from falling asleep sitting up.
"...Okay."
She yawned, her voice barely louder than a whisper.
"...Don’t stay out too long."
David smiled.
"I won’t."
She nodded once, apparently deciding that was good enough, before dropping back onto the pillow.
"...Wake me up when you get back..."
Her words faded into a mumble before the sentence even finished.
Within seconds...
She was asleep again.
David watched her for a moment before shaking his head with a quiet laugh.
"...That was easier than I expected."
Slipping his phone into his pocket, he quietly opened the apartment door.
One last glance toward the bed.
Still asleep.
"Good."
He eased the door shut behind him without making a sound.
The morning air was cool against David’s face as he stepped out of the apartment building.
The streets hadn’t fully woken up yet.
A few joggers passed by. A delivery truck rumbled through the intersection. Somewhere in the distance, someone was opening the shutters of a convenience store.
Quiet.
He preferred it that way.
His phone buzzed again.
David didn’t even have to look.
"...You’re really making sure I show up."
Sure enough...
Mrs. Walbury
Where are you?
He glanced at the time.
"...I’m on time."
Barely.
His fingers hovered over the keyboard before he typed out a short reply.
Almost there.
He hit send and slipped the phone back into his pocket.
’If she’s this impatient before I’ve even arrived...’
’I have a feeling today’s going to be exhausting.’
—
The bell above the gym door chimed softly as David stepped inside.
The familiar scent of rubber flooring and disinfectant greeted him almost immediately.
"..."
Empty.
Or...
Almost.
Near the stretching area, Mrs. Walbury was finishing a warm-up, one knee bent beneath her as she leaned into the stretch. Instead of the elegant dresses or tailored suits he’d grown used to seeing her in, she wore a fitted training top with athletic shorts that left little to the imagination.
David blinked once.
’...She actually came dressed for this.’
Mrs. Walbury looked up at the sound of the bell.
The moment she spotted him, her expression brightened into an easy smile.
"There you are."
David walked over.
"I said I’d come."
"You also made me call you twice."
"I was asleep."
"I noticed."
There wasn’t even a hint of apology in her voice.
If anything...
She sounded amused.
David sighed.
"I had a feeling you would."
Mrs. Walbury folded her arms.
"For a moment, I thought you were going to stand me up."
"I like being alive."
"Good answer."
She stepped closer, looking him up and down before giving a small nod.
"You look like you actually got some sleep."
"...Eventually."
"I’ll take that as progress."
David looked around the gym again.
It was unusually quiet.
"No one else is here yet?"
Mrs. Walbury smiled.
"I made sure of that."
David raised an eyebrow.
"...Should I be concerned?"
"Not unless you’ve suddenly become afraid of being alone with me."
"..."
"...That’s not exactly a reassuring answer."
Her laughter echoed softly through the empty gym.
Then, still smiling, she took another step toward him.
"Relax."
"I just wanted a little time with you before everyone else got here."
David looked at her for a long second.
Somehow...
That answer made him even more suspicious.
"...Why do I feel like those words should worry me?"
Mrs. Walbury watched him for another second before shaking her head with a quiet laugh.
"You know..."
"I’ve been looking forward to this all night."
David blinked.
"...Training?"
She smiled.
"I was wondering how long it’d take you to hide behind that answer."
"...Worth a shot."
"It wasn’t."
She turned away from him, walking toward the rack of free weights.
"Come on."
"I didn’t drag you out of bed just to stand around talking."
"I noticed."
David followed after her.
"...Although I’m still trying to figure out why this had to happen before sunrise."
Mrs. Walbury picked up a pair of dumbbells, testing the weight before setting them back down.
"Because if I’d asked you to come later..."
"You would’ve found an excuse."
"I would’ve considered one."
"I know."
She looked back at him, amusement dancing in her eyes.
"Which is why I didn’t give you the opportunity."
"...You planned that."
"I did."
David let out a quiet sigh through his nose.
’Of course she did.’
Some people solved problems by discussing them.
Mrs. Walbury simply arranged the board so the only move left was the one she wanted.
It was... oddly effective.
"I don’t know whether to admire that..."
"...or be worried."
"You can do both."
"I figured."
A comfortable silence settled between them.
For a few moments, neither of them spoke.
The gym remained empty.
The only sounds were the low hum of the air conditioner and the faint music drifting from the speakers overhead.
Mrs. Walbury rested one hand against a machine, her expression softening.
"...Thank you."
David looked at her.
"...For what?"
"For yesterday."
"You saved my life."
"You stayed with me after everything was over."
"And..."
She hesitated.
"...You treated me like I was still me."
David frowned slightly.
"I don’t know what else I was supposed to do."
"You’d be surprised."
Her smile wasn’t playful this time.
It was quieter.
More genuine.
She took a slow step toward him.
"Most people would’ve looked at me differently after that."
"You didn’t."
David met her eyes for a moment before shrugging.
"You were still annoying yesterday."
"...You’re still annoying today."
"I don’t think a dungeon changes that."
For a second...
Mrs. Walbury simply stared at him.
Then she laughed.
Not the polished laugh she usually wore.
A real one.
"You really are unbelievable."
"I’ve been called worse."
"I’m sure you have."
Still smiling...
She closed the distance between them until only a single step remained.
David didn’t move.
"...Mrs. Walbury?"
Her eyes searched his face for a long, quiet moment.
The teasing smile she’d been wearing all morning slowly faded.
When she finally spoke...
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"...There’s something I’ve wanted to do since yesterday."
Before David could ask what she meant...
She took one final step forward.
David looked at her.
"...Mrs. Walbury?"
She didn’t answer immediately.
The teasing smile that had followed her all morning was gone.
In its place...
Something quieter.
More vulnerable.
She searched his face as though trying to make sure he was really standing there.
"...Do you know what the first thing I thought was after we got out of the dungeon?"
David shook his head.
"No."
"I was relieved."
A small laugh escaped her.
"Not because I survived."
"Because you did."
David opened his mouth.
She gently shook her head.
"Let me finish."
He closed it again.
Mrs. Walbury lowered her gaze for a brief moment before looking back at him.
"I’ve lived long enough to know when people want something from me."
"My money."
"My influence."
"My name."
Her smile carried a hint of self-mockery.
"Sometimes all three."
She took another slow step forward.
"But yesterday..."
"You jumped in front of monsters without stopping to think about what you’d gain."
David scratched the back of his neck.
"I wasn’t exactly making calculated decisions."
"I know."
"That’s what makes it worse."
She laughed softly.
"You’ve been occupying my thoughts ever since."
"..."
"I tried sleeping."
"That didn’t work."
"I tried working."
"That worked even less."
David looked at her for a second before sighing.
"...You dragged me out here to tell me that?"
"No."
Her eyes softened.
"I dragged you out here because if I waited any longer..."
"I knew I’d lose my nerve."
Before David could figure out what she meant...
She reached up and gently rested a hand against his chest.
Warm.
Light.
Barely enough pressure to be called a touch.
Yet somehow...
It rooted him to the spot.
"...Mrs.—"
She rose onto the tips of her toes.
"...Thank you."
The words brushed against his lips...
And then she kissed him.
David’s mind went completely blank.
For one impossible moment...
The only thing he could process was how soft her lips were.
Nothing else.
No dungeon.
No system.
No gym.
Just—
The sound of the gym door beginning to open behind them.