Date

For once, nobody was chasing them.

No alarms.

No urgent calls.

No mission clock counting down.

Just a few hours of freedom in a city that continued moving like the world wasn't constantly on the edge of something.

Ghost's crew had been given permission to go out and clear their heads. No strict schedule. No constant check-ins.

The kind of freedom that felt almost unfamiliar.

Ghost was prepared for a walk.

Milky was prepared for a problem.

The problem was Ghost still had his mask on.

"No."

Ghost looked at him.

"No?"

"No mask."

Ghost stared.

"Milky."

"You heard me."

A few members of the crew nearby immediately became interested.

Not because they wanted to interfere.

Because they absolutely wanted to see how this went.

Ghost crossed his arms.

"I don't see the issue."

"The issue," Milky said, pointing at him, "is that you're walking through an entire city looking like you're about to interrogate someone."

A pause.

"I am not."

"You look like you are."

The crew members were suddenly very busy looking anywhere except at them.

Ghost noticed.

"They're enjoying this."

"Yes."

"Why?"

Milky shrugged.

"Because you're impossible."

After a long silence, Ghost finally removed the mask.

Just for a few minutes.

Milky smiled like he had just won a battle nobody else knew was happening.

"There. See? Normal."

Ghost gave him a look.

"I have never been normal."

"Closer."

The city was a strange contrast to the base.

People were laughing in the streets. Shops were open. Music played from somewhere nearby. Nobody knew or cared that the people walking past them were soldiers who had just come from a completely different world.

Milky walked beside Ghost, holding onto his arm casually.

Ghost looked down.

"You know people are going to assume things."

Milky looked completely unconcerned.

"Let them."

That was one of the things Ghost found confusing about Milky.

Most people tried to fit into a certain image.

Milky didn't.

He wore whatever he wanted.

Pinks. Whites. Light yellows. Anything comfortable.

Today, someone had handed him an oversized hoodie and a pair of shorts, and he had simply decided that was good enough.

No overthinking.

No worrying about what anyone thought.

Just Milky being Milky.

Ghost looked at him.

"You really don't care?"

"About clothes?"

"About what people think."

Milky laughed.

"Not really."

Ghost shook his head slightly.

"You are strange."

"You're just noticing?"

They continued walking.

Eventually, they stopped at a small shop window. Nothing important. Nothing tactical. Nothing related to survival.

Just a normal place selling normal things.

And for some reason, that was what made the moment feel unusual.

Ghost's friends had conveniently disappeared earlier.

Very conveniently.

Suspiciously conveniently.

Milky noticed.

"They planned this."

Ghost glanced around.

"They did."

"And you're not going to do anything?"

"No."

Milky looked surprised.

"Really?"

"They needed entertainment."

That earned a laugh.

For once, Ghost wasn't the untouchable soldier everyone knew.

He was just a person walking through a city with someone who refused to let him hide behind a mask forever.

And when the crew eventually found them again, they were far too pleased with themselves.

Milky immediately knew.

"They're never letting this go."

"No."

"Regrets?"

Ghost looked at the city around them.

A pause.

"No."

Milky smiled.

That was probably the closest thing to an admission they were going to get.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***