Chapter 213: Eva

The light around her expanded.

Adrian shielded his eyes.

The street disappeared beneath the brightness.

For several seconds, he couldn’t see anything.

Then the light faded.

Eva was standing in front of him.

Not floating anymore.

Her feet touched the pavement.

She looked completely ordinary.

Dark hair.

Simple clothes.

No strange aura.

No glowing eyes.

Nothing that suggested she had just descended from the sky.

That somehow made Adrian more suspicious.

He stared at her.

"You’re Eva."

"Yes."

"Not Eve."

"No."

"The teacher?"

Eva smiled.

"Not exactly."

Adrian sighed.

"Of course."

Noah looked at him.

"You’re doing that thing again."

"What thing?"

"The thing where you meet someone impossible and immediately become annoyed instead of surprised."

Adrian glanced at him.

"I’ve had practice."

Eva laughed.

"I like him."

Noah pointed at himself.

"Me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because you don’t treat him like he’s special."

Adrian frowned.

"That’s because I’m not."

Eva looked at him.

"That’s exactly what I mean."

Lena stepped forward.

"You came for him."

Eva nodded.

"I did."

"Why?"

Eva looked at Adrian.

"Because he made a choice."

Adrian crossed his arms.

"I make choices every day."

"Not like this one."

"What choice?"

Eva looked toward the sky.

"The choice to stop being the answer."

Adrian went silent.

She continued.

"For a very long time, everything kept asking you to decide."

"The first question."

"The first answer."

"Choice."

"Possibility."

"Creation."

"Freedom."

"Every one of them eventually found its way back to you."

Adrian nodded.

"I noticed."

Eva smiled.

"But today, you did something different."

"You mean refusing to choose for those people."

"Yes."

"You think that’s important?"

"I know it is."

Adrian looked around.

The city had returned to normal.

Cars moved again.

People walked.

Nobody seemed to notice Eva.

Nobody noticed the strange light that had appeared above the city.

It was as if only the four of them could see her.

Adrian looked at Eva.

"Why?"

"Because you finally accepted something."

"What?"

"That your freedom doesn’t make you responsible for everyone else’s."

Adrian thought about it.

That was true.

For most of his existence, he had treated freedom like a burden.

If he could choose, then he believed he had to choose correctly.

If he could save someone, he believed he had to save them.

If he could prevent suffering, he believed allowing it was his failure.

But freedom didn’t work that way.

You couldn’t force someone to be free.

And you couldn’t carry every consequence for everyone.

Eva looked at Lena.

"She helped."

Lena smiled.

"I didn’t do much."

"You did enough."

Adrian frowned.

"You two know each other?"

Eva looked at him.

"Everyone who has ever taught you something knows each other."

Adrian sighed.

"That sounds unnecessarily complicated."

"It is."

Noah laughed.

"Finally, someone admits it."

Eva smiled.

Then her expression became serious.

"There is something you need to understand."

Adrian waited.

"The six remaining circles."

His expression changed.

"The ones in the sky."

"Yes."

"What are they?"

"Choices."

Adrian frowned.

"Mine?"

"No."

"Then whose?"

Eva looked at the people walking around them.

"Everyone’s."

Adrian stared.

"The seven circles represent seven people."

"Seven choices."

"Seven individuals."

"Seven paths."

Adrian looked up.

"Who is the first?"

Eva smiled.

"You."

Adrian shook his head.

"No."

"You were the first to choose."

"That doesn’t mean I’m part of this."

"It does."

"Why?"

"Because the first choice created the possibility for the others."

Adrian looked at the sky.

Six faint circles remained.

"Who are they?"

Eva didn’t answer.

Instead, she reached into her pocket.

She pulled out a small piece of paper.

Adrian recognized it immediately.

The same symbol.

Seven circles.

One crossed out.

Six remaining.

Eva handed it to him.

Adrian looked at the mark.

"One has already chosen."

"Yes."

"Who?"

"You."

"But I didn’t choose anything related to these six."

Eva shook her head.

"You chose not to choose for others."

Adrian stared.

"That’s the first."

"The first what?"

"The first of the seven choices."

Lena looked at Eva.

"And the others?"

Eva looked toward the sky.

"They’re coming."

Noah frowned.

"Coming here?"

"Some."

"How many?"

Eva smiled.

"That depends on what they choose."

Adrian folded the paper.

"What happens if they choose badly?"

"Nothing."

Adrian frowned.

"Nothing?"

"They’re allowed to."

He nodded slowly.

Of course.

That was the point.

He couldn’t control their choices.

Eva looked at him.

"But there is one problem."

"What?"

"They don’t all believe they’re free."

Adrian’s expression hardened.

"Who doesn’t?"

Eva pointed toward the street.

A man was walking toward them.

He looked ordinary.

Black jacket.

Dark hair.

Hands in his pockets.

He stopped several meters away.

Adrian stared.

He knew him.

Not from memory.

From instinct.

Another person connected to the seven.

The man looked at Adrian.

Then at Eva.

"You brought him."

Eva nodded.

The man smiled.

"Good."

Adrian stepped forward.

"Who are you?"

The man didn’t answer.

Instead, he looked at Lena.

"You remember."

Lena’s face became serious.

"Yes."

Adrian looked between them.

"What?"

The man finally looked at him.

"My name is Daniel."

Adrian waited.

Nothing happened.

No memory.

No strange feeling.

Just a name.

Daniel smiled.

"You don’t remember me."

"No."

"Good."

Adrian frowned.

"Why is that good?"

"Because if you remembered me, you’d try to save me."

Adrian’s eyes narrowed.

"From what?"

Daniel looked at Eva.

"From myself."

Eva said nothing.

Adrian understood.

This was another person who didn’t want him making the choice.

Daniel walked closer.

"You don’t understand what’s happening."

"Then explain."

"I can’t."

"Why?"

"Because I don’t know yet."

Adrian blinked.

That was honest.

Daniel continued.

"I know only one thing."

"What?"

"I have to choose something."

"What?"

Daniel looked toward the sky.

"I don’t know."

Adrian almost laughed.

"That’s it?"

"That’s it."

"You came here without knowing what you’re choosing."

"Yes."

"Why?"

Daniel smiled.

"Because that’s what choice is."

Adrian stopped.

Eva watched him carefully.

Daniel looked at Adrian.

"You understand now."

Adrian nodded.

"I think I do."

A rumble passed through the sky.

One of the six circles disappeared.

Everyone looked up.

Five remained.

Adrian’s expression changed.

"Someone chose."

Eva nodded.

"Yes."

"Who?"

"We don’t know."

"Then why did the circle disappear?"

"Because the choice was made."

Adrian looked around.

"Where?"

Eva pointed toward the horizon.

"Somewhere in the world."

Adrian felt something.

Not a voice.

Not a command.

A sensation.

Like thousands of possibilities moving at once.

Then it stopped.

A single thought entered his mind.

Not his own.

I choose to leave.

Adrian’s eyes widened.

"Someone chose to leave."

Eva nodded.

"Yes."

Lena looked at him.

"Do you know who?"

"No."

"Then don’t look."

Adrian looked at her.

"Why?"

"Because that’s the test."

He understood.

If he searched for the person, he would be doing exactly what he had done before.

Trying to find every person who left.

Trying to make sure they were okay.

Trying to bring them back.

He closed his eyes.

"I won’t."

Eva smiled.

"Good."

Daniel looked surprised.

"You’re really not going?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because they chose."

Daniel smiled.

"Then you’ve learned."

The second circle disappeared.

Adrian opened his eyes.

Two choices.

Five became four.

No.

There were six originally.

One was Adrian.

Five remained.

Now four.

Another person had chosen.

The city continued as if nothing had happened.

Adrian looked at Noah.

"What do you think?"

Noah shrugged.

"About what?"

"All of this."

"I think you’re finally becoming normal."

Adrian laughed.

"That’s your conclusion?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because a normal person sees something weird happening and doesn’t immediately try to solve the universe."

Adrian smiled.

"Fair."

Lena walked beside him.

"Come on."

"Where?"

"Home."

Adrian looked at her.

"Your home?"

She smiled.

"Yes."

Adrian hesitated.

"Are you sure?"

"No."

He laughed.

"You’re learning from me."

"No."

She smiled.

"I learned from you a long time ago."

They began walking.

Eva followed.

Daniel remained behind.

Adrian looked back.

"Aren’t you coming?"

Daniel shook his head.

"Not yet."

"Why?"

"Because I have to make my choice."

Adrian nodded.

"Then good luck."

Daniel smiled.

"You too."

Adrian turned away.

They walked several blocks.

The city felt different now.

Not because anything had changed.

Because Adrian had.

He wasn’t searching anymore.

He wasn’t chasing the circles.

He wasn’t trying to discover who the six people were.

For once, he could let the unknown remain unknown.

They reached Lena’s apartment.

The boy opened the door.

"You’re back!"

Adrian smiled.

"Yeah."

The boy looked behind him.

"Who’s she?"

He pointed at Eva.

Eva smiled.

"My name is Eva."

"Are you Adrian’s friend?"

Eva looked at Adrian.

"I think so."

The boy nodded.

"Okay."

Then he looked at Daniel’s empty space behind them.

"Where’s the other man?"

Adrian froze.

"What other man?"

The boy frowned.

"The man who was standing behind you."

Everyone became silent.

Lena’s face changed.

"Did you see him?"

The boy nodded.

"Yes."

"What did he look like?"

The boy pointed toward the window.

"Like Adrian."

Adrian slowly turned.

There was nobody outside.

But on the glass—

a reflection stood behind him.

Not Adrian.

Not Daniel.

Not any version he had seen before.

A woman.

She looked directly at him.

Then she raised one finger to her lips.

Adrian turned around.

Nothing.

He looked back.

The reflection was gone.

Eva’s expression had changed.

Adrian noticed.

"You know her."

Eva didn’t answer.

"Eva."

She looked at him.

"Yes."

"Who was she?"

Eva’s voice was quiet.

"The seventh."

Adrian looked toward the sky.

There were only four circles left.

He counted again.

Four.

Then he looked at Eva.

"Seven choices."

"Yes."

"One was mine."

"Yes."

"Two have already chosen."

"Yes."

Adrian’s eyes narrowed.

"Then why are there four?"

Eva didn’t answer.

Lena slowly stepped toward the window.

"Because one of them wasn’t counted."

Adrian looked at her.

"What?"

Lena turned.

Her face had gone pale.

"The woman."

Adrian’s stomach dropped.

"She isn’t one of the six."

Eva shook her head.

"No."

"Then who is she?"

Eva looked at Adrian.

"The first choice that existed before you."

Silence.

Adrian stared.

"But you said I was the first."

"I said you were the first person."

Eva looked toward the sky.

"There is a difference."

One of the remaining circles suddenly turned black.

Adrian’s heart stopped.

The circle wasn’t disappearing.

It was moving.

It traveled across the sky.

Slowly.

Directly toward them.

Eva whispered:

"She’s choosing."

Adrian stared at the approaching light.

"Choosing what?"

Eva looked at him.

"Whether you should exist."

The circle stopped above the apartment.

The lights went out.

The boy screamed.

Lena grabbed his hand.

Adrian stepped forward.

The darkness became absolute.

Then a woman’s voice spoke from somewhere inside the room.

A voice Adrian had never heard before.

But somehow—

he understood every word.

"You were never supposed to be the first."

A pause.

"You were supposed to be the last."

Then the lights came back.

The room was empty.

Except for a single note on the table.

Adrian picked it up.

There were only four words written on it.

Your choice changed everything.

Adrian stared at the paper.

And for the first time since the beginning—

he wondered if choosing to exist had been the right choice after all.