Blossoms of love

chapter 8

No one POV:

Payne stood outside the Maple Tree guild house, sunlight filtering through the branches of the large tree that stood sentinel in front. Today was different—no quests, no adventures—just a day to relax and spend time with Maple. He took a breath and called out.

Payne:"Hey Maple you ready to go"

Inside the guild house, Maple's voice came back with a cheerful energy.

Maple:"Yeah, just a minute!"

Maple:"Bye everybody i am going out for a while, see you all later."

Maple waved at her friends as she headed out, smiling.

As the guild house doors closed behind her, the remaining members glanced at each other, curious expressions on their faces. They had noticed a shift—Maple had been disappearing more often, spending time outside the guild house. Only Sally, Maple's best friend both in-game and in real life, knew the full story, including the kiss that had sparked everything between Maple and Payne.

As the guild house doors closed behind her, the remaining members glanced at each other, curious expressions on their faces. They had noticed a shift—Maple had been disappearing more often, spending time outside the guild house. Only Sally, Maple's best friend both in-game and in real life, knew the full story, including the kiss that had sparked everything between Maple and Payne.

Sally leaned casually against the wall, her arms crossed, watching the scene unfold. She could feel the building curiosity in the room but chose to remain silent for now.

Chrome, the stalwart tank of the group, was the first to speak up. "She's been spending a lot of time with Payne lately, hasn't she?" His tone wasn't accusatory, just observant.

Kasumi, ever sharp with her sword and her words, nodded. "Yeah, I've noticed too. They've been hanging out a lot, but Maple doesn't say much about it."

"I wonder what they're up to," Kanade added, tilting his head thoughtfully. He was a sharp strategist, and the mystery of Maple's frequent absences intrigued him.

Mai and Yui, always together, exchanged glances. Yui giggled, nudging her sister. "Maybe Maple's got a secret!"

Mai grinned. "Do you think it's something romantic? They have been hanging out a lot."

Iz, who was usually the calm one, finally chimed in, adjusting her crafting tools. "Well, whatever it is, I hope it's making her happy."

Sally, sensing that the curiosity was bubbling over, finally spoke. "Guys, maybe she's just enjoying some time off. We all need a break from quests sometimes, right?" She tried to downplay the situation, though she couldn't help but smile inwardly at knowing the truth.

But Chrome wasn't convinced so easily. "Still, it's unusual for Maple not to share what's going on with us. We are her guild, after all."

Sally bit her lip. She wanted to protect Maple's privacy but also knew that her guildmates were simply concerned. "Trust me, she'll tell you guys if there's anything important. Let's just let her have some time."

Kasumi raised an eyebrow, her keen eyes catching the hint of something deeper in Sally's tone. "You know something, don't you, Sally?"

The room went silent for a moment as all eyes turned to her. Sally cursed internally. She had said too much, hadn't she? But Maple's secret wasn't hers to share.

"I... might know a bit more," Sally admitted, crossing her arms defensively, "but it's not my story to tell, okay?"

Kanade leaned in, eyes gleaming with interest. "Come on, Sally, we won't push, but now you've really got us curious!"