Chapter 4. Not Two, Three
Reo stood in front of his apartment, the top floor of a fancy high-rise building. The city skyline stretched out behind him, glowing in the warm light of the setting sun.
He sighed, running a hand through his dark hair, before turning the handle and stepping inside.
The hallway was quiet. "Baby?" he called out, his voice echoing through the spacious home. "Why'd you tell me to come urgently? You better not be pranking me again!"
He walked down the hallway, his footsteps soft on the plush carpet. The living room was empty, sunlight streaming through the big windows, casting long shadows on the floor. He frowned, looking around. "Where are you?"
He peeked into the kitchen. Still no sign of her.
"Come on, this isn't funny!" he shouted again, his tone a mix of annoyance and playful frustration.
Suddenly, she jumped out from behind the kitchen counter, wearing a silly monster mask. "Boo!" she yelled, her voice muffled by the mask.
Reo stopped, folding his arms and raising an unimpressed eyebrow. "Seriously? That's your big scare tactic?"
She pulled off the mask, revealing her face—a beautiful woman in her late twenties, with soft brown hair and sparkling green eyes full of laughter. She pouted, giving him a playful punch on the arm. "At least pretend to be scared! You're no fun."
Reo chuckled, pulling her into a warm hug. "You're cute when you try to be scary."
She laughed, resting her head against his chest. "So, did you really leave the gang?"