Behind him, four figures followed in varying states of interest. A tall, calm-looking guy with white hair and red eyes offered a polite nod in your direction. Beside him, a shorter boy with dark teal hair and a sharp gaze barely glanced up from his phone. Another one—bright-eyed, with aquamarine braids—bounded forward before anyone else.

Venti slid into the booth across from you without waiting for an invitation, propping his chin on his hand.

Aether rolled his eyes, nudging Venti's shoulder as he sat down beside you.

The other two settled in more quietly. The white-haired one—Kazuha, you remembered from Aether's stories—took the seat at the end of the booth, while the dark-haired one, Xiao, leaned against the wall nearby, still not looking up from his phone.

He finally moved, sliding into the booth across from you. His eyes met yours for a brief second before he looked away, reaching for the drink menu like he'd rather be anywhere else.