Liam observed that Neville spent twenty minutes at the engine mechanics display. Neville even asked the museum’s AI assistant increasingly detailed questions about fuel efficiency and thrust ratios.

"I work for a starship company. It seems appropriate to learn more about it."

"Most employees aren’t this interested in the technical specifications."

Neville paused, realizing he might have been showing a bit too much enthusiasm. Due to his time in the "black hell hole," he became used to craving all sorts of unnecessary knowledge.

"I just find it interesting," he said, deliberately casual. "And since I’m going on this trip, I figured I should understand what I’m getting into."

Liam just shrugged and led Neville to a quieter corner of the museum where a small café offered refreshments with a view of the central atrium.

"We should probably head out if we want to see everything. There’s still a lot left to explore."

The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur of new experiences. They visited a zero-gravity arcade where Neville embarrassingly lost every game despite the mecha piloting skills he acquired by playing in the simulation. He learned that if he wanted to fly a real mecha, he needed to make his body stronger or transform into his mermaid form.

They went to a bookstore that sold physical copies of novels, a luxury in the digital age. Neville had to physically restrain himself from buying an entire collection of what appeared to be this world’s equivalent of BL novels, the yellow books.

They even stopped by a vintage photography shop that caught Neville’s attention with its display of old-fashioned film cameras. However, they were selling replicas, a far cry from the real ones.

"You take pictures?" Liam asked, watching as Neville examined a particularly antique model behind the glass case.

"I have my own camera. Found it at a secondhand shop near the orphanage." Neville dipped his hand into his bag and secretly summoned his camera from the inventory. "It uses actual photo paper. Very old school."

"Old school is an understatement. That technology is practically prehistoric."

"That’s part of the charm." Neville lifted the camera, snapping a quick picture of the store’s interior. "Digital images can be altered, deleted, and manipulated. But this? Once you capture a moment on the paper, it’s permanent."

Liam was quiet for a moment, studying him with an unreadable expression. "That’s... surprising for a hobbyist photographer."

"You can’t know a man at first glance."

"Got it."

By the time they emerged from the shopping center, the twin moons of Xylos had risen in the darkening sky. The city stretched out before them in a glittering panorama of hovercars and neon lights. The artificial river that ran through the entertainment district reflected the sky above.

"It’s still early," Liam said, checking his light brain. "There’s a movie I’ve been wanting to see. Would you be interested in joining me?" 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Neville considered his options. He should probably head back to the dormitory, get some rest before the upcoming work week, and maybe review the documents for the material inspection trip—

"Sure," he heard himself say. "What movie?"

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥

The film was a romantic comedy about a mismatched alpha-omega pair who kept accidentally running into each other across different planets, their fates seemingly intertwined by the universe itself.

Neville found it entertaining enough, though he spent more time sneaking glances at Liam’s a little exaggerated reactions that begged attention than actually watching the screen. He laughed at the funny parts, groaned at the cheesy lines, and had a habit of leaning forward during tense scenes that Neville found oddly refreshing.

[He’s completely smitten with you,] Shelly observed unhelpfully. [Look at the way he keeps checking if you’re enjoying the movie or disturbing you when he reacts too much that you had to turn your head to look at him. Classic behavior.]

’He’s just being a good friend.’ Neville said with a deadpan expression.

[Host. Honey. I’m literally a guide who loves these kinds of romantic scenes, especially in M to M. Of course, I would recognize a romantic flag when I see one. This man has more flags than a military parade.]

Neville firmly ignored her.

After the movie let out, they wandered toward a late-night local spot that Neville had heard about from some of his coworkers.

It was a riverside viewing platform that was said to offer one of the best sights of the city’s nightscape. The path took them along the waterfront, past closed shops and quiet plazas, until they reached a small walkway overlooking the river.

"Oh," Neville breathed, stopping at the railing.

The view was spectacular. The river below reflected the twin moons like liquid silver, while the river of hovercars streaming above painted trails of light against the dark sky.

In the distance, the Maxwell Corporation headquarters rose like a beacon. Its distinctive architecture stood out even among the other corporate towers. The twin moons hung close enough that their combined glow bathed everything in ethereal luminescence.

"Worth the walk?" Liam asked, coming to stand beside him.

"More than worth it."

Neville raised his camera without thinking, framing the shot. The click and whir of the film advancing was the only sound in the quiet night. He took another picture, then another, trying to capture the magic of the moment from different angles.

"Here." Liam held out his hand. "Let me take one of you."

Neville hesitated. He wasn’t usually one for photos of himself, but something about the night, the company, and the simple joy of the day made him agree.

"Alright."

He pointed out a few things to Liam before handing over the camera. Then he moved to stand at the railing, the moonlit cityscape stretching out behind him.

"Relax," Liam called. "You look like you’re posing for a corporate headshot."

"I don’t know how to pose for anything else!"

"Just... be natural. Pretend I’m not here."

Neville tried to recall the posing in the magazine and tutorial in the reels. He looked out at the river, letting his thoughts drift into the distance. Then a small smile tugged at his lips—genuine, unguarded.

Click.

"Perfect." Liam lowered the camera, studying the viewfinder with a satisfied expression. "Want to see?"

They huddled together as they waited for the photo to be developed. The image slowly emerged from the photo paper’s surface. Neville saw himself captured in silver and shadow, the moons at his back, his smile soft and real in a way.

"You’re good at this," he said, surprised. "The composition, the lighting—this is really beautiful."

"You’re more beautiful."