As Alex heard Evelyn's words — "I need to talk to you… alone" — he blinked in surprise.

For a brief moment, he simply looked at her face. Evelyn's expression was as calm and unreadable as ever, not giving away even a fraction of what she was truly thinking.

But today… there was something different. Subtle, almost invisible, yet Alex caught it — a faint tension behind her usual serenity.

'She's nervous?' he thought. 'That's new.'

So instead of denying her, Alex nodded lightly. "Of course."

Evelyn gave a small nod in return and began walking forward. Alex fell into step beside her. For a while, the two walked in silence, the only sound being the gentle rustle of the evening breeze.

After a minute, Evelyn spoke suddenly. "So, how did you end up summoning a demon instead of a spirit? You do realize only an idiot could make that kind of mistake, right?"

Alex's eyebrow twitched. 'She really doesn't hold back, does she?'

He sighed deeply before replying, "It's a long story… but if I had to give you the short version — a crazy old man who was supposed to be my master made me summon a demon for his own benefit."

Evelyn raised a brow. "And you didn't realize what kind of ritual it was?"

Alex lifted both hands in defense. "For the record, I didn't even know a demon was gonna pop out of that circle. I thought it was some kind of spiritual summoning. Next thing I know, boom — fire, smoke, chaos, and now I'm public enemy number one."

A small, almost invisible smile appeared on Evelyn's lips — so faint most people wouldn't have noticed. But Alex did.

'Well,' he thought with faint amusement, 'at least she smiles more often now.'

Then, quite unexpectedly, Evelyn pointed toward a direction ahead that they were walking. "There's a new theme park that opened over there. Want to come?"

Alex blinked. "A… theme park?"

Evelyn nodded slightly. "Don't worry. We'll only be there for a few minutes." She glanced sideways at him and added dryly, "And don't think for a second that this is a date."

Alex sighed dramatically. "Alright, fine. Let's go."

After walking for about ten minutes, they reached the newly opened theme park. Neon lights shimmered above the grand gate, and the sound of laughter, bells, and music filled the air. Evelyn stepped forward to buy two passes and paid without hesitation.

Alex raised an eyebrow. "Didn't think you'd be the one treating me today."

Evelyn ignored the comment and handed him his ticket. "Let's go before I change my mind."

As they entered, the sight was vibrant — colorful rides spinning, vendors calling out to visitors, children laughing, and the faint scent of caramel and fried snacks drifting through the air.

Evelyn looked around calmly. "Do you like theme parks?"

Alex shrugged. "Not really a big fan. But Lily loves them a lot."

Evelyn's tone softened slightly. "Is that so?"

"Yeah," Alex said with a faint smile. "She'd probably drag me here all day if she could."

Evelyn gazed ahead for a moment before speaking again. "When I was little, my parents used to take me and my brother to theme parks a lot… but I never really enjoyed them."

Alex looked at her curiously. "Well, I can't say the same. Most of my childhood was spent trying to survive."

Evelyn's eyes widened slightly as she suddenly remembered — Alex's parents had gone missing when he was young. A hint of guilt flickered across her expression. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—"

Alex waved a hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it. It's all in the past now."

Then his eyes caught a massive roller coaster in the distance, twisting high into the air. His lips curled into a grin. "Have you ever ridden one of those?"

Evelyn shook her head. "No. My father and brother never let me. And to be honest, I never really enjoyed rides like that."

Alex's grin turned develish. "Then you're missing out. Come on — you'll love it."

Evelyn hesitated, then nodded slowly. "Alright."

After paying for the ride, the two found themselves seated side by side in the front row of the roller coaster. The ride began to climb, the rhythmic clicking of the chain pulling them higher and higher until the entire park stretched below like a glowing city of color.

Alex smirked confidently. "Try not to scream too loud, Evelyn."

Evelyn gave him a blank look. "You should focus on not crying because you're already shaking."

Alex mouth twitched at that.

Before Alex could respond, the coaster plunged downward.

The world blurred. Wind howled. The metal roared.

Alex's confident expression shattered instantly. "AAAAAAAAH!"

By the time the ride ended, Alex stumbled out, pale and trembling, barely able to stand. He dropped to his knees and leaned on a nearby railing, gagging slightly.

Evelyn, on the other hand, stepped off gracefully, her hair barely disturbed, her expression perfectly composed.

A small, smug smile tugged at her lips as she looked down at him. "You were saying something about not screaming?"

A vein popped up on alex face. 'No… this isn't over. My pride refuses to admit defeat in front of a girl.'

Before he could recover, a familiar voice echoed in his mind. [ That's gender discrimination, my pathetic host. ]

'Shut the hell up, you useless bastard,' Alex snapped mentally.

He stood up straight, swaying slightly but forcing a grin. "One more time."

Evelyn blinked. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Alex said firmly. "My pride's on the line."

Evelyn just nodded. "Very well."

A few minutes later, they were back on the roller coaster.

Once again, the car ascended… and once again, Alex's overconfidence turned to horror halfway through. His screams echoed across the park as Evelyn sat beside him, perfectly calm, even enjoying the breeze.

When the ride ended, Alex stumbled out again — dizzy, pale, and barely coherent. "One… more… time."

Evelyn sighed but agreed.

They rode again. And again. And again.

By the fifth round, Alex was no longer screaming. Mostly because he'd lost consciousness somewhere in the middle of the ride. When it finally stopped, his limp body was gently shaking with the motion, his hair a mess, face pale as chalk.

The ride attendant looked at Evelyn nervously. "Uh, ma'am, is he… alive?"

Evelyn adjusted a strand of her hair, completely calm. "He'll live. He's just… processing defeat."

Alex remained sprawled on the ground, groaning faintly.

'Why… why do I do this to myself…' he thought weakly as Evelyn stood beside him, her faint smile betraying the tiniest hint of amusement.

----

A/N:

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