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墨書 Inktalez
Carter tilted his head slightly, looking at Keisha, her eyes sparkling with anticipation under the dim streetlights, like a gentle hint of something more.
He chuckled softly, his tone relaxed. "Now that the election is over, you should take some time to rest. You've been busier than anyone else lately, right?"
"Working hard and living steadily, perhaps… it's time to spend a little more time on myself," she replied.
Keisha paused for a moment, then nodded as if contemplating Carter's words. She sighed lightly, as if finding some truth in them.
"Yeah… you're right. I've really been too tired lately." She forced a smile and rubbed her shoulders. "I haven't slept well during the election period. I kept thinking that if I could do just a little more, I could help out even more."
"But now that Rain has won, maybe I really should stop and think about what to do next…"
She hesitated for a moment, then, as if gathering her courage, blushed and added softly, "Maybe… we could have more time… to talk?"
Her tone carried a hint of hesitation, while her eyes flickered with uncertain hope.
Carter was taken aback for a moment. Looking into her eyes, he suddenly realized—this was one of the few things that felt "real" to him during this time.
It wasn't Rain's speeches, nor the carefully crafted slogans, or the fervor of the voters; it was simply a woman wishing for more time to be with him.
A small smile crept onto his lips, and in a corner of his heart, something quietly shifted.
"Of course," he said softly, his voice unusually gentle. "We can take our time to chat."
Under the night sky, they walked towards the restaurant, one in front of the other, their steps lighter as if they had shed some heavy burden from their shoulders.
The restaurant was not luxurious; it was merely a cozy family-style eatery tucked away at the corner of the street. The warm yellow light spilled through the windows onto the pavement, illuminating the red door curtain at the entrance and evoking a sense of nostalgic warmth.
They casually chose a table by the window and ordered some simple home-cooked dishes, the atmosphere feeling more relaxed than ever.
At first, Keisha talked about the Election, discussing Rain's policy plans and the changes that awaited the city. Carter had expected to feel irritated again, but he soon realized that tonight, Keisha was not as fervent as before; instead, she seemed to embody a pure sense of anticipation.
"So, what do you usually do? What about your time outside of work?" Keisha asked curiously, poking at the potatoes on her plate with her fork.
It was a simple question, but for Carter, it was somewhat difficult to answer.
In the past, there hadn’t been much "leisure" in his life. When he worked as a security guard, his time was filled with tedious patrols; after joining Rain's team, he had immersed himself in false promises and the cold games of politics.
He lowered his head in thought and chuckled awkwardly. "To be honest, I don’t know. It seems like... I haven’t really relaxed in a long time."
Keisha tilted her head and smiled. "What about now?"
Carter paused for a moment, lifting his gaze to meet the eyes of the woman across from him.
At that moment, she looked at him with those bright eyes—free from schemes, devoid of pretense—lacking all the darkness and deception he had come to see through during this time. Instead, there was only pure curiosity and genuine concern.
This brought him an unfamiliar sense of ease, as if he had finally awakened from a long nightmare and returned to a reality that was still somewhat beautiful.
"Right now... it seems pretty good," he said with a smile.
It was a long-lost, genuine smile that came from the heart, not mocking, not concealing anything, nor meant to appease anyone; it was a true moment of relaxation.
The two talked about many things, from interests and hobbies to childhood memories and thoughts about the future.
Carter felt a rare sense of happiness, a joy that did not stem from grand ideals but from the simplicity of the moment, from the woman before him who, despite her occasional clumsiness, could always disarm others with her sincerity.
He wished that this innocence could be captured forever, untouched by the world's grime.
The city at night remained bustling and lively, neon lights flickering, traffic flowing, and pedestrians moving with their own stories in this city that never sleeps.
Carter and Keisha walked side by side, their pace slowing as if neither was in a hurry to let this moment end.
Having just finished dinner, they continued their conversation, but the topics had shifted away from the Election, away from Rain, and even away from the city itself. Instead, they discussed trivial matters—like how terrible the desserts were at a certain shop or who was secretly dating at work only to be caught by their supervisor.
These mundane topics brought Carter a long-awaited sense of ease, as if he had returned to a "normal life" he had never truly possessed.
When they reached the bus station, Keisha stopped and turned around, revealing a warm smile. "Well, I’ll head back first."
Carter glanced around; it was nearing midnight. Though the streets were still lively, he habitually asked, "Do you want me to walk you home?"
Keisha hesitated for a moment, her eyes flickering as if weighing something in her mind.
Finally, she gently shook her head. "No need. You’re too tired today; you’ve been busy all day. It’s better for you to head home and rest."
Carter nodded, feeling a bit uneasy, yet he knew he was indeed exhausted.
Just as he was about to say goodbye and turn to leave, Keisha suddenly reached out, gently grasping his hand.
Carter was taken aback; before he could say anything, Keisha had already risen on her toes and placed a kiss on his cheek.
In that moment, time seemed to stand still.
Her lips merely brushed against him, but the warmth seeped into his skin, spreading through his blood to his heart, like a gentle flame igniting a long-buried sensation deep within his numb soul.
"This is a reward for keeping me company at dinner today, and... I hope you won't be so tired anymore. Take good care of yourself."
Her voice was soft, yet it carried a sincere concern that Carter could not ignore.
She took a step back, waved her hand with a hint of shy laughter, and turned to walk into the station.
Carter stood still, watching her figure gradually disappear into the crowd, a feeling he couldn't quite articulate swelling within him.
He raised his hand to touch the spot where she had kissed him, a slight smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
—This city remained dirty, corrupt, and full of deceit, but at least that fleeting moment had been pure.
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