The sky outside was already gray by the time we wrapped up that afternoon's planning session.
Rain had been threatening all day, and now it whispered against the windows like it was trying not to be noticed.
Most of the group had already left. A few lingered to clean up loose materials, tuck away chairs, and pack up their sketches.
I stayed behind, sorting through leftover paper scraps and gathering my pencils. Nakashima was still there too, folding up her reference sheets and stacking them back into her folder.
"We make a good team," she said suddenly, not looking up from her papers.
It caught me off guard. I wasn't sure if she was just being polite or if she meant it.
"You think so?" I said.
She nodded.
"You don't talk a lot, but you listen. And you have good ideas. The calm kind."
I wasn't used to compliments like that. Especially ones that didn't sound like someone trying too hard to be nice.
The lights flickered.
We both looked up at the ceiling.
Then everything blinked out.
The room dimmed into a dull gray, lit only by the pale light filtering in through the windows. The rain had picked up.
"Power outage?" she asked.
I nodded, even though she probably couldn't see me clearly.
"Kind of eerie, huh?"
"A little."
A pause stretched between us, not awkward but... still.
I didn't move. Neither did she.
Eventually, she broke the silence.
"I like quiet," she said. "Not silence, but quiet. The kind where things feel still, but not empty. Does that make sense?"
I looked over at her. She was sitting on top of one of the desks now, legs drawn up, hands folded in her lap.
"Yeah," I said. "It makes sense."
I almost added, Me too. But the words stayed in my throat.
We sat there for a while, waiting for the lights to come back.
The rain kept whispering against the windows.
When the power finally returned, she slid off the desk and grabbed her bag.
"See you tomorrow, partner," she said with a little grin.
"Yeah. See you."
I walked home slower than usual, the air damp but not cold.
When I got home, I peeled off my damp jacket and tossed it on the hook by the door.
Dinner was reheated curry rice from the fridge just like the other day—lukewarm but filling.
I ate in silence, the kitchen light buzzing faintly overhead.
After rinsing my plate and changing into a hoodie and sweatpants, I headed to my room.
I didn't check my phone until I was already sitting at my desk.
When I finally booted up my PC and logged into Chatterfield, the Quiet Room was empty at first.
Then a ping.
[ChattyBreeze]: power went out for me earlier. weird, right?
I blinked at the screen.
[MidnightEcho]: yeah. had to sit through it with someone too. kinda peaceful
[ChattyBreeze]: same. funny how silence says a lot when someone else is in it with you
[MidnightEcho]: exactly
I leaned back in my chair, the glow of the screen lighting the side of my face.
It was getting harder not to notice the overlap.
Harder not to wonder if ChattyBreeze was... her.