As she was Lost in her thoughts, she noticed the house's door open, and a young man stepped out.

Ariana squinted slightly at the vaguely familiar figure in the distance. The figure was... Theodore!

"Theodore!" Without a second thought, Ariana called out to him.

Yet, the figure over there didn't react. Maybe the distance was too far, or he hadn't heard her.

As the figure started to fade, Ariana dashed out of the door, hurrying down the stairs towards the other side.

Panting heavily, Ariana reached the courtyard across the street, only to find no sign of Theodore.

The night was calm, the air devoid of any breeze. The house in front of her stood with its door closed, lacking signs of life and any hint of human presence.

Ariana lingered in the courtyard, glancing back at her lit room, wondering if she'd hallucinated the figure due to her longing.

But that figure she saw just now...

Ariana hesitated for a moment and tried knocking on the door next to her.

There was no response.

She persisted and knocked more forcefully. As her hand dropped, the door creaked open slightly.

Huh? It was unlocked?

Ariana was a bit surprised. She gently nudged the door, and it opened up fully.

The room was illuminated and neat, but completely empty.

It seemed Like someone had indeed just departed; it wasn't a figment of her imagination.

There weren't many decorations in the room - just a couple of tables and a sofa. The place was simple, and since there weren't many people coming and going, there was no need to Lock the door.

Ariana hesitated, unsure if she had mistaken another person for Theodore.

She considered entering the room to search for evidence, but she felt it would be rude to invade without permission.

But if she left, she worried she might lose another chance to validate her suspicions.