Part- 394:
He joined in her ughter, feeling an ued warmth spreading through his chest. This simple evening had brought out a side of him he didn’t ked. With Mili beside him, the worries and responsibilities faded into the background, repced by a sense of peace he rarely experienced. Here, he could just be himself—no pretenses, no skills, no pressure to perform.
James took o look at the court, at the kids who were still watg him with admiration, before he turned baili. “Alright, let’s get out of here before they ask me to joieam for real,” he joked, feigning nervousness.
Mili rolled her eyes but smiled. “You’re safe, hotshot. But don’t think I’ll let you off easy for showing off like that.”
As they walked away, James felt lighter than he had in weeks. He realized that sometimes, the greatest moments didn’t e from epic battles or interaining—they came from these small, ued advehat life threw his way. And with Mili by his side, he found himself looking forward to whatever came , even if it was just another walk through the city…or another ter with a stray basketball.
The city lights began to glhter as dusk settled over the streets, casting a warm, golden hue across the sidewalk. James and Mili tiheir walk, the rhythm of their footsteps syng in the quiet of the evening. The usual rush of the day had faded, leaving only the soft sounds of the distant city—a car engine humming, voices drifting from a nearby café, the occasional ch of gravel underfoot. The city was waking up in its own way, but here, in this peaceful moment, it felt as though everything had slowed down just for them.
It erfect evening. The kind that you could savor quietly, without any pressure, without any rush. The kind of evening that made you feel like time could stret forever. James hadn’t realized how badly he needed a night like this until now. With everything going on—school, life, the usual chaos—he hadn’t given himself permission to rex. But with Mili beside him, the weight seemed to lift.
Their versation flowed effortlessly, jumping from topic to topic as they shared small details about their lives. There was something naturally carefree about their banter. Mili’s ugh, her mischievous grin, the way her eyes sparkled when she was excited about something—it was tagious, making James feel lighter than he had in a while. They didn’t need anything more than this—just each other’s pany and the quiet hum of the city surrounding them.
At some point, the versation lulled, and they walked in a fortable silehe type of silehat felt intimate, like the space between words was its own nguage. The night was ing itself around them, and the stars had begun to appear, faint and distant, but beautiful. James noticed how the light from the streetmps danced in Mili’s hair, casting a soft halo around her, and for a moment, he couldn’t help but catch his breath. There was something in the air that felt different now—something he couldn’t quite expin, but it was there, undeniable.
