The sounds of laughter and music from the ceremony echoed faintly in the distance, but Chikara paid it no mind. She sat on the sand, legs stretched out, absentmindedly dragging her fingers through the grains. The ocean stretched before her, waves rolling in slow, steady rhythms.

She didn’t know why she was out here. The party was full of elite players and potential opportunities—exactly where she should be. Yet, she wandered off, restless and lost in her thoughts.

A sigh escaped her. She tilted her head back, staring at the sky, only to hear footsteps behind her. She didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.

"Skipping the ceremony?" Loki’s voice teased, though his tone lacked amusement. "I thought you loved a good show."

Chikara didn’t answer immediately, her gaze fixed on the ocean. "Did it get too boring for you too?" she muttered.

Loki dropped beside her, mimicking her posture. The usual confidence was gone, replaced by a quiet tension. The waves filled the silence between them.

"Didn’t think a guy like you would skip out on the spotlight," Chikara said, her frustration seeping into her voice.

Loki sighed, his smile faint and almost sad. "Yeah... tonight’s been weird."

"Yeah," she agreed, surprising herself. "Weird."

For a while, they sat in silence, each lost in their thoughts. Chikara’s fingers dug into the sand as she stared at the horizon. Loki seemed just as distant, his body tense, as if fighting something he couldn’t shake off.

"You ever get that feeling?" Loki broke the silence, voice quiet. "Like something’s off, but you can’t put your finger on it?"

Chikara snorted, a dry laugh escaping her lips. "Exactly why I’m here. Trying to figure it out." She glanced at him. "Can’t put it into words. But... yeah."

Loki turned his head slightly, meeting her gaze briefly. Then, he leaned back, sighing. "Same here. Just... can't shake it."

They sat in silence, the party a distant noise. Neither felt the need to chase the answers that had been eluding them all evening.