Involvement

By evening, roughly a third of the group had chosen to stay on the mountaintop overnight and head down after watching the sunrise the next morning. The remaining two-thirds took the buses back into the city.

Hesta and Eucali had packed their things early. They stood in the inn's courtyard, waiting for the club to give the order to descend. More and more people gathered there. Eucali leaned against the railing and dozed off, while Hesta casually circled the open space, surveying it. Only when Ksenia and her companions appeared in her field of vision did she realize she had been searching for her all along—throughout the meal, they had barely spoken. Before leaving, Hesta had hoped she might at least get a chance to say goodbye.

Yet Ksenia was always surrounded by four or five people, chatting and laughing together. It seemed Ksenia would never have a moment alone.

Hesta lingered at the edge of the crowd for a while. Several times, she vaguely sensed Ksenia looking her way, but whenever she turned to look, she found it had only been her imagination. She wanted to walk straight over and greet Ksenia, but at the same time, she had an instinct telling her not to.

It left Hesta somewhat dejected.

She returned to Eucali's side, leaned back slightly, and rested against a corridor pillar. The subtle vibration made Eucali open her eyes at once. "...Are we leaving?"

"Not everyone's here yet," Hesta said softly. "It'll probably be a while."

"Oh..." Eucali rubbed her eyes and let out a long yawn. "God, I wish I were in my own bed right now... I'm so sleepy."

"Sleep on the bus."

"I know, but sleeping on the bus makes my neck hurt..." Eucali stretched her limbs. "What's wrong with you? You look