"Is there anything difficult going on with you lately?"

"Eh, difficult? Suddenly?"

"Questions like this are best asked out of the blue. Think about it the other way around. If I suddenly came into your room around midnight with some drinks and snacks and asked, 'Is there anything difficult going on with you these days?' you'd probably feel burdened too, right?"

"Wow, saying it like that really makes it click."

"Right?"

September 1st, Florida Intercontinental Miami Hotel, no clouds, hot weather.

Even though there weren’t many clear days last year, 2033’s September was completely different. The sky was strangely free of clouds, and the hot air carried the salty scent of the sea.