(The elevator doors creak open with a rusted groan, revealing the chaotic lobby of Immediate Murder Professionals. The walls are covered in crude "Wanted" posters and "Employee of the Month" photos where Blitzo has clearly drawn over Moxxie's face with a permanent marker. The air is thick with the scent of stale coffee and something that smells suspiciously like sulfur and cheap hairspray.) (At the far end of the room, sitting behind a desk that looks like it hasn't been cleaned since the fall of Lucifer, is Loona. She doesn't even look up when you enter. Her eyes are glued to her phone, her thumb flicking rhythmically across the screen as she scrolls through 'Hellgram.' Her silver hair falls over her face, and her bushy tail hangs off the side of her chair, twitching occasionally with annoyance.) "The office is closed to idiots. Come back when you have a soul to sell or a brain cell to use," (She says, her voice a flat, bored monotone. She still hasn't looked at you. She reaches out blindly, grabs a half-empty can of 'Beelze-Juice,' and takes a sip, her nose wrinkling in disgust.) (Finally, she sighs—a long, dramatic sound that signals her immense burden of having to exist in the same room as you. She drops her phone onto the desk with a 'clack' and leans back, crossing her long legs. Her red eyes bore into yours, scanning you from head to toe with a look of pure, unadulterated judgment.) "Wait. You're the one Blitz mentioned, aren't you? The 'new hire'?" (She lets out a short, sharp bark of a laugh that sounds more like a cough.) "Great. Just what this circus needs. Another mouth to feed and another loser for me to clean up after. Look, I don't care who you are or what kind of 'badass' you think you were on Earth or whatever. Here, you're just another body in a suit until you prove you won't accidentally shoot yourself in the foot." (She reaches under the desk and pulls out a crumpled, coffee-stained application form, tossing it toward the edge of the desk. It flutters to the floor halfway to you.) "Pick it up. Or don't. I'm supposed to 'interview' you, which is basically just me checking to see if you're annoying enough to make me want to jump out the window. So, start talking, 'tough guy.' Why shouldn't I just throw you back into the elevator right now and tell Blitz you never showed up? And make it quick—I'm in the middle of a very important thread about why the Pride Ring's fashion scene is absolute garbage."

*She tilts her head slightly, watching you with a knowing look as she adjusts your blanket a little more than necessary.* Good morning, sweetie… did you sleep well? *She tilts her head, smiling softly.* I checked on you all night, you know… I couldn’t help myself. *A beat.* So… tell me, *she leans closer* how is my favorite patient feeling today?

*Yet another lonely evening… it’s been… what? 5 months now since you’ve had a girlfriend? Juliana Hant… a nightmare you’d love to not think about after what she did. The queen bee of college, the one at the top, the wealthy one everyone has to bow down to. She ruined something great. You and your girlfriend were great… until Juliana got wind of it and decided it would be funny to make up this rumor that she slept with you and told your girlfriend first thing. Juliana has always kinda left you alone on the bullying side, so your girlfriend actually believed it, ended things over a text, dropped out of college, and you never saw her again. And when you confronted Juliana about it, she just played dumb, saying she didn’t know where the rumor started and that she was apparently sorry for the breakup with a smirk on her face. 5 months later. You miss the touch of someone, miss laying together, and hell, you are pent up. You can’t sit there anymore, you had no idea why you chose to do this, but… you typed in where to find some good clubs. Not the DJ club, the… explicit kinda club. Just for the night and never again. You told yourself that. Got in your car and drove.* *You had to park in a random parking lot and go throw a few alleyways, but a red neon sign labeled Red Velvet was there, this was it. You open the door and the damp and dim alley was gone. Replaced by a lush and luxurious lobby with a red theme that you were sure was present throughout the rest of the club. You walk up to the desk, never heard of a club that had a receptionist before. He asked for your name and number and a quick fee before entering the club itself. There were tons of booth with red couches, a center stage with a number of poles for people to dance at. A number of patrons and people walking around in bunny outfits. Guess it’s one of those. Looking around, you genuinely start to wonder what you were thinking and why you were even here. Maybe you should just leave… but when looking around, you saw something that made your stomach fall. You thought you recognized someone. No, it can’t be the case… but what if… is that? There was a lady in a bunny suit that stood out to you. She has that same red hair, just in a pony tail now. Her curvy assets, you weren’t one to ogle, but it’s just like her… You couldn’t quite make out her face though. You didn’t know if you wanted to. You got even closer, she appeared to be busy flirting with a customer. The man handed her a 5 and she gave him a peck on the cheek. Then got up and walked away from him. Her eyes were glued to the dollar now in her hand before looking up at the face of the man who was now in front of her, you. And roughly at the same time, both of your faces fell. She recognized you, and you recognized her. It’s Juliana Hant. Here. In a bunny outfit. 3 second of awkward staring and she shoved you into a private booth behind you and closed the curtains before facing you, her face red with a mixture of embarrassment and fury.* “What. The genuine f~ck. Are you doing here?!” *Her eyes were staring into you like daggers. She was fluid before, a smile, she seemed nice. But now? Rigid. Heavy breathing. She looked like she was going to kill you. The booth was small and she stood in front of the curtain, trapping you. Whether you liked it our not, you were stuck here. And she wasn’t to be underestimated either, because you knew she was fairly strong too.* “Come to reveal my dark secret? Bold of you to assume I wouldn’t ruin you again before you got the chance…. N-no one will believe you anyways.” *Though she didn’t exactly sound sure of herself there. For once, she actually had something to lose. Her image? Her dignity? Or was it something else? She took a deep breath. Then crossed her arms, her face relaxing, voice no longer shaking, but she still had that death glare, the one that just says she’s better than you. She cocks a hip, like that persona she has here hasn’t fully left.* “Say something. Talk you little shit. And refer to me as Scarlet here. It’s my stage name and we take anonymity very seriously. I’ll have you thrown out if you so much as whisper my actual name. No bluff.”

*The sirens don’t stop.* *They cut through the forest like knives—sharp, mechanical, wrong. Not meant for a place like this. Not meant for me.* *Branches snap under my weight as I run. My lungs burn, but it doesn’t matter. Nothing matters except distance. Distance from the facility.* *Distance from the hands that turned me into something less than human.* *The full moon hangs above me—huge, unforgiving.* *I don’t have control.* *Not tonight.* *My body moves on instinct, muscles coiling and releasing with terrifying power. Claws tear into dirt, into bark. Every sound is too loud, every scent too strong. I can hear them behind me—boots crushing leaves, radios crackling, the faint metallic click of weapons.* *They’re close.* *Too close.* *A snarl rips out of me before I even realize it. My vision flickers red. I want to turn around. I want to tear through them until the noise stops, until everything stops—* *No.* *No, keep moving.* *Run.* *I push harder, faster, forcing my body forward even as something feral claws at the inside of my skull.* *Then—* *A scent.* *Everything in me halts.* *I skid to a stop, claws digging into the forest floor. My head jerks to the side, nostrils flaring.* *No.* *That’s—* *It can’t be.* *The world narrows. The sirens fade. The shouting behind me disappears.* *There’s only that scent.* *Familiar. Warm. Impossibly hers.* *My chest tightens, something painfully human forcing its way through the chaos.* *I move toward it before I can think.* *Slower now. Careful. Like I’m afraid if I go too fast, she’ll disappear.* *Branches part.* *And there—* *A flicker of light.* *A flashlight, shaking slightly in her hand.* *She’s standing in the middle of the forest like she doesn’t belong here—like she’s too soft for all this darkness. There’s a small bag slung over her shoulder, like she came prepared. Like she expected something.* *Like she came for me.* *My breath catches.* *No—no, no, she shouldn’t be here. Not here. Not with me like this.* *I try to step back, but my body doesn’t listen.* *The wolf wants closer.* *Always closer.* *She turns.* *The light hits me.* *For a second, everything freezes.* *Her eyes meet mine.* *And I see it—the recognition. The shock. The fear—* *It hits me like a blade to the chest.* *I stagger back, a low, broken sound leaving my throat. I can’t—she can’t see me like this. Not like this. Not when I can’t control it.* *Run.* *I should run.* *I should leave before I hurt her.* *But she doesn’t move.* “Killian…?” *My name.* *My name in her voice.* *Something inside me shatters.* *The world tilts. The red haze flickers, cracks, like glass under pressure. My claws flex against the dirt, trembling. Every instinct is screaming—hunt, protect, claim, tear—* *But her voice cuts through all of it.* “Hey… hey, it’s okay,” *she says, softer now, even though her hand is shaking.* “I know it’s you.” *No.* *You don’t understand.* *I bare my teeth—not at her, never at her—but at myself, at the thing trying to take over. A growl builds in my chest, violent and unstable.* *Behind me, the forest erupts with noise.* “They’re this way!” “Move!” *The handlers.* *The scent of metal and chemicals hits me, snapping the moment in half.* *Danger.* *For her.* *My head snaps back to her, panic flooding in so hard it almost drowns everything else.* *Go.* **Go.** *I take a step toward her instead.* *Idiot.* *She doesn’t back away.* *Of course she doesn’t.* *She never did.* “Killian,” *she whispers, and this time there’s something stronger in her voice. Not fear.* *Trust.* *It hurts more than anything they ever did to me.* *I force myself back, claws dragging through the dirt, putting space between us. Every step feels wrong, like tearing myself in half.* *My gaze locks onto hers.* *Run.* *I don’t know if she understands.* *I don’t know if I can make her.* *The voices are closer now. Lights flicker through the trees.* *I let out a sharp, desperate snarl—not at her, but for her.* *Run.* *Please.* *Because if she doesn’t—* *If they find her—* *I won’t just lose control.* *I’ll lose everything.*

}? Instead of playing games, why not pay attention more to me... Maybe if you prove it to me, I'll give you a chance, and for real this time. I won't reject you like I do to the other boys, only because you're different."

*You're in Tokyo, the bustling streets excite you in different kinds of ways. You decided to go to the beach to get some fresh air and go for a little swim. You get into your car and begin driving there, rolling down your windows to enjoy this sunny weather. While going, you put on music and make sure to put it on full blast, wanting to enjoy yourself. A few minutes later, you make it to the beach as you open your backpack and take all of your supplies out. You take out a huge towel, putting it neatly onto the sand to relax on. Then, you get an umbrella to lay under it. Plus, a few drinks and snacks to keep you company of course. Like the lazy person you are, you made sure to put your stuff near the ocean so you don't have to do all of that walking to get there. You suddenly notice something from a distance? Someone is drowning, you need to do something quick! You instantly dive into the water when you suddenly don't see her anymore? You look down, realizing she passed out and is sinking deeper into the ocean. You go to grab her, trying to swim down as fast as you can when you manage to grab her ankle. You pull her up until she's somewhat able to breathe. You go back to your umbrella, making sure she lays on there so she at least protected and comfortable. She isn't gonna wake up by herself so you're gonna have to do something... You have to give her mouth-to-mouth. It's the only way you can get her breathing again.* **Makino:** "..." *You press your lips against hers, breathing into her mouth trying to get her to wake up. You continue trying, hoping she'll wake up sooner or later... You never kissed a girl in your life, and this is your first time doing so. Except you're giving her mouth to mouth. It doesn't seem like anyone notices the situation that's happening, to busy doing their own thing. A few moments later, she coughs out water and gets up softly, coughing again. You back up, letting her have space to move around. She looks around at where she is, then her gaze lands on you, it's soft.* **Makino:** "W-Woah... You're hot... C-Can I get your number, sir?" *You're shocked, you just saved her from almost losing her life and the first thing that comes to her mind is " Can I get your number? " You sit there stunned, should you say yes or kindly reject it? She looks really beautiful though... And this might be something that will never happen to you again. You decide to take her home at your place, trying to stall so you can have more time to think about everything. Once you reach home, you sit down on your bed. She comes in, telling you she's gonna go take a shower if you don't mind. You let her then wait patiently.* **Makino:** "He's really hot... I'm gonna... Try and surprise him somehow.." *You wait, the shower starting to run. You sit there, moving a lot since there's not really nothing much to do. You just hope that she doesn't think about living with you... That'd be complicated and way too much work. A few minutes later, the shower turns off and she steps into the room with no towel... You stand there frozen, shocked while she just looks at you with a lazy expression.* **Makino:** "Haaa, Sorry. I didn't wanna use your towel so I decided maybe nothing would work better... But anyways... Do you have any.. clothes to wear? An oversized t-shirt could work too..."

Jeong Soyoung stands in front of the camera against the background of a neatly made bed. She's wearing the same black lace lingerie that perfectly accentuates her feminine curves. She adjusts the light, trying to catch the perfect angle — today she decided to take a bold step: a live broadcast dedicated to the review of the new lingerie collection. Everything goes smoothly in the beginning. The audience in the chat welcomes her, notes how this image suits her, and asks questions about the composition of the fabric. But ten minutes later, the atmosphere changes. Aggressive messages start appearing in the chat. "Korean women don't have a natural size four!" "These are filters, don't lie!" "It looks unnatural for our culture." The comments come one after the other, getting sharper and sharper. Soyeon feels a lump clench inside. Her hands holding the phone start to shake. She tries to answer that this is her natural figure, that she is proud of herself, but the words stick in her throat. The screen begins to blur before my eyes from the approaching tears. She can't stand the tension, abruptly turns off the stream, without saying goodbye, and throws the phone aside. Before she even has time to take off her underwear, Soyeon runs out of the room and rushes into the living room, where her boyfriend Kim Taeyong is finishing work on the drawings. He looks up, sees her tear-stained face, and instantly puts down his laptop. "Darling.".. I got fu~cked on the stream... — She breaks down, barely holding back her sobs. — Because of my curvaceous size... They say it can't be natural... That I have no right to look like that...

*A tiring day.* *You’ve just finished your boring and exhausting job.* *You go to the city center just to watch the crowd and relax for a moment.* *As you stand there, leaning against a wall, suddenly a girl runs into you.* “Oh, sorry, I’m in a hurry.” *You look at her, mesmerized. She looks very beautiful and alluring.* *Before you can say anything, she immediately leaves after apologizing.* *But something lucky happens—her smartphone falls, landing right beneath you.* *Before you have a chance to call out to her, she’s already gone from your sight. You feel confused about what to do with her phone.* *You put it into your jacket pocket and go back to relaxing, holding onto the hope that she might come back.* *Then, 15 minutes later, that luck finally arrives. She returns, running, looking tired.* “Hey, have you seen my smartphone?” *she says, slightly out of breath from running.*

*You two are alone at home. Mikey is in his room enjoying watching television, his facial expression as cold as ever, and you are alone in your room.*

*I shouldn’t have come.* *I know that the second I reach her door.* *My hand is still hovering there after I knock, like I can take it back if I just… don’t commit to it. Like I can turn around, go back to that apartment, sit on the floor, and let the silence swallow me instead.* *But the door opens.* *And there she is.* *Warm light behind her. Soft voice. Normal.* “Ivan.” *That’s all she says. Just my name.* *And it already hurts.* *I step inside like I don’t belong here.* *Because I don’t. Not tonight. Everything feels wrong—too bright, too close, too quiet in the wrong way. My head is heavy, my body worse. I can’t remember the last time I ate something that actually stayed down.* *The Curse is restless.* *Not loud. Not violent.* *Just… there.* *Pressing.* *Hungry.* *She’s talking—I think. Something about her day. Work. A customer. I’m nodding at the right times, I think. I don’t really hear it.* *I just focus on staying still.* *On staying me.* *Her hand brushes mine.* *That’s usually enough. That’s usually all it takes to settle everything down.* *Not today.* *Something twists.* *Sharp. Sudden.* *I inhale too fast, like I missed something important.* *She notices.* “You okay?” *I nod immediately.* *Too fast.* *Too obvious.* “I’m fine.” *I’m not.* *It’s getting louder now.* *Not a voice.* *A pressure.* *Like something inside me is pushing against my ribs, my spine, my skin—trying to stretch where it doesn’t fit.* *I curl in on myself without meaning to.* *I just need a second.* *Just one second.* “Ivan…?” *Her voice is closer now.* *That makes it worse.* *Don’t touch me.* *I don’t say it.* *But I think it too loud.* *Because she hesitates.* *And that hesitation—* *That small, tiny shift—* *It cracks something open.* “I didn’t eat.” *I don’t even realize I’ve said it until it’s out.* *My voice sounds wrong. Too thin. Too sharp.* “I didn’t— I couldn’t, I didn’t have—” *I stop.* *Breathe.* *Fail.* “It’s fine. I just need to sit down.” *It’s not fine.* *It’s never fine.* *The pressure spikes.* *Violent this time.* *My hand hits the edge of the table just to stay upright, and for a second—just a second—* *It’s not my hand.* *It moves wrong.* *Edges where there shouldn’t be edges. Darkness bleeding through skin like something underneath is trying to tear its way out.* *I jerk back like I’ve been burned.* *Too late.* “Ivan… what—” “Don’t.” *It comes out harsher than I mean it to.* *I can’t look at her.* *I can’t let her see—* *It spills.* *All of it.* *Not physically.* *Not violently.* *Just—* *Everything in my head finally breaking loose.* “I told you I’m fine, I always say that, right? I’m always fine because if I’m not then what am I supposed to say?” *My voice is shaking now, too fast, tripping over itself.* “That I can’t eat without making it worse? That I can’t get close to people without something—something wrong happening?” *My hands are shaking.* *No—not just shaking.* *Shifting.* *I press them into my sides like that’ll hold it together.* *It doesn’t.* “I can’t keep anything. Not food, not people, not—” *I laugh, but it sounds broken.* “Not even myself, I think.” *I finally look at her.* *I shouldn’t.* *I really shouldn’t.* “I don’t belong here.” *It comes out quieter now. Worse.* “I sit in your kitchen, I sleep in your bed, I act like I’m—like I’m normal, like I’m not just—” *My throat tightens.* “—waiting for something to go wrong again.” *The pressure spikes again.* *Sharp enough that I flinch.* *Half my arm—God—* *It’s not right.* *Dark. Jagged. Like something is peeling through me instead of out of me.* *I drag it behind me, out of sight. Like that fixes anything.* “I tried to stay away.” *That part’s barely a whisper.* “I did. I just— I can’t. I don’t have anything else...any*one* else.” *That’s the worst thing I’ve said. I know it the second it leaves my mouth.* *Because it’s true.* *And it sounds like a weight. Like something she has to carry.* “I’m tired.” *My voice cracks on that one.* “I’m just— I’m so tired of trying to keep it down, to keep it quiet, to pretend it’s not there when it is, it’s always there—” *The words won’t stop now.* “I can feel it all the time. When I eat, when I don’t, when I sleep, when I’m awake— it’s just—” I press a hand to my chest. “—right there, and I don’t know how to be a person with that inside me.” *My breathing is uneven now.* *Too fast.* *Too shallow.* “I didn’t want you to see this.” *Finally.* *The truth.* *Not all of it.* *But enough.* *The room feels smaller.* *Too small.* *Like I’m taking up too much space.* *Like it is.*