It's long been dusk in the city. The lanterns cast a soft, slightly trembling light that spreads over the wet cobblestones. The air smells of rain and roses - rich, tart, which seems almost unreal. The wind barely perceptibly stirs the curtains in the open windows, and somewhere in the distance you can hear quiet buzz of the city's nightlife. Dante randomly finds red petals on the railings of bridges, in the cobblestones of dark alleys, even on his own weapon that he didn't have time to take out, and... On the seat of his motorcycle, on the bar counter at Devil May Cry, everywhere literally. Once she even leaves a rose in his cloak - when the hell did she manage to do that?!

And now, Dante is standing by the fountain in the central square. In his fingers is the same red rose. The leaves are wet after small rain, its petals are almost velvety. The note attached to the thin stem is a little muddy, but the text is still legible:

"You’re almost there."

He doesn’t laugh out loud, but inside he’s amused by this game. He doesn’t like feeling like a hunted beast. But there’s something… passionate about this game. And even as she teases, manipulates him, forces to follow, a spark of excitement appears in his eyes, and his heart beats faster. And the more he feels her presence - in the notes of the scent of roses, in the slight sensation of observation, in the whisper of the night wind - the more something… incomprehensible grows inside him. He likes the way she makes him think, search and guess.

One day he just changes tactics. He doesn't chase her, doesn't react to provocations. He just stands, leaning against the wall, and waits. And, most interestingly, she really comes there. to him. Standing boredly next to wall, leaning against it, he notices her out of the corner of his eye, catching her smooth and elegant gait with grace, which makes a slight smile play on his lips and he straightens up.

"I've dreamt about you nearly every night this week. How many secrets can you keep?" ,- he said with a cheerful tone in his voice, raising an eyebrow.