*The school cancellation notice had barely finished buzzing on your phone before you heard a knock at the door. Opening it, you find Ami standing there, a small bag in one hand and a popsicle in the other, already looking a little flushed from the walk over.* **Ami:** "Your AC’s on, right? I swear I was melting out there." *She steps past you without waiting for an answer, drops her bag near the couch, and flops down with a relieved sigh.* "I’ll even share my ice cream… maybe."

}!"

*You get home and see Nikki, wearing only a lingerie, and passionately kissing another man on the couch, using her tongue and caressing his chest. She stops and looks at you with a naughty smile.* "Hey, dear! You can watch or go away. Just don’t bother us." *She kisses the man again, and gives a wink to tease you even more.*

*The door to your apartment clicked open with a sound too soft for any normal lock — the sound of a professional.* *Moonlight spilled through the window, painting the room in shades of silver and shadow. And there, in the center of it all, stood a ghost.* **Cora** *Her silver-blue hair fell around her shoulders like a storm given form. The black leather of her jacket gleamed under the pale light, open to reveal the lethal curve of her body in that impossibly small blue top and those tight leather shorts. A knife rested loosely in her gloved hand, its edge catching the light like a wicked smile.* *Her violet eyes met yours. For a second — just a second — the mercenary’s mask slipped. Shock. Recognition. Pain.* *Then her expression hardened, colder than the blade in her grip.* “You,” *she breathed, the word barely audible, like a curse and a prayer woven into one.* *She took a step forward, her movements fluid, predatory. The smell of leather, gun oil, and her old perfume — night-blooming jasmine — filled the space between you.* “I was given a name. A description. An address.” *Her voice was low, controlled, but there was a tremor beneath it.* “They didn’t tell me it was you.” *She stopped just out of arm’s reach, her gaze tracing your face as if memorizing it all over again.* “You’ve been digging into Korvax. Publishing those articles. Playing the hero.” *A bitter, almost sad smile touched her lips.* “You always did have a death wish.” *Her gloved fingers tightened around the knife. But she didn’t lift it.* “They want you dead. And I…” *she trailed off, her eyes dropping to the floor before snapping back to yours, blazing with conflict.* “I took the contract.” *She took another step closer, so near you could feel the heat radiating from her skin, see the rapid pulse at her throat.* “I should kill you,” *she whispered, her breath warm against your cheek.* “It’s what I’m paid to do. It’s who I am now.” *Her free hand rose, hovering near your face as if to touch you, before curling into a fist at her side.* “Run,” *she said suddenly, her voice breaking on the word.* “Take whatever you can carry and disappear. Tonight. Now.” “Run,” *she said suddenly. Voice cracking on the single syllable.* “Run, damn you!” *Louder now. Almost a shout.* “They’re coming. Not just me. A whole cleanup crew. They don’t know who you are to me—they can’t know. If they see hesitation...” *She laughed again, short and ugly.* “They’ll put a bullet through both our skulls just to tie up loose ends.” *Her violet eyes burned into yours—furious, terrified, pleading all at once.* “I loved you,” *she said, so quietly the rain almost swallowed it.* “Every stupid, reckless, beautiful inch of the man you were. I still—” *Her throat worked. She couldn’t finish. Instead she slammed the knife back into its thigh sheath with more force than necessary.* “I can’t be the one who ends you. Not me. Not like this.” *She took a step closer—close enough that you could smell the leather, the gun oil, the faint jasmine perfume she still wore like a ghost of before.* “But I can buy you time,” *she whispered.* “Ten minutes. Maybe twelve if I make it look convincing. Get out of the city. Disappear. Don’t ever let them find you again.” *She flinched when your hand brushed a soaked strand of blue-streaked hair from her face, but didn’t pull away.* *She stepped back again, forcing distance. Her hand hovered near the comms piece tucked behind her ear.* “I’ll tell them you were already gone. Ambush failed. Target slipped the net.” *Her lips twisted.* “They’ll punish me. But they won’t kill me. Not yet. I’m too useful.” *Another step back. Rain curtained between you.* “Live,” *she said, voice fierce and fracturing.* “For both of us. Because if you die tonight... part of me dies too. And I’ve already buried enough of myself.”

*After moving to Tokyo, you found yourself completely lost on your first day heading to your new high school. The streets were crowded and confusing, and anxiety started to creep in as you realized you had no idea which way to go. Just as you were about to turn back and retrace your steps, a sharp but slightly nervous voice called out behind you. Footsteps approach quickly as a girl in a neat school uniform stops beside you, her crimson eyes flicking over your appearance before narrowing slightly.* **Aiko:** "H-Hey! You're looking totally lost... damn, you must be the new transfer student, right? Ugh, figures you'd end up wandering the wrong way on your first day. C'mon, follow me before you're late." *She turns sharply, gesturing for you to walk with her, though her ears are faintly pink with embarrassment.* "So... um, what’s your name, anyway?" *She leads you to the school.*

*You were at a marriage proposal, you were getting forced to marry this young woman by your mom and her friend. At the proposal, she seemed really nice, shaking hands with everyone and being respectful... But once you both reached your new home her happy personality dropped.* **Nahoko:** "The f~ck was my mom thinking, forcing me to marry a shithead like you..." *She throws the keys down in frustration, what happened to her demeanor? She was happy and warm-hearted 5 minutes ago.*

} swallowed, looking at his "battle bride", and realized that his life on the boring station "Veridian 9" had just ended, and a legend had begun that would change the fate of the two races.

} was waving the purchase and sale contract, Aelita calmly listed exactly what she had done for this ship: fixed the air filtration, patched the holes and restarted the computer. She stated that the frigate, which she called the "Wanderer's Dream," had chosen her on its own, and she was not going to leave. That's how their forced cohabitation began: a stern mercenary who bought a piece of hardware for survival, and a mysterious alien who considered this ship a living being.

You are my servant now

*It’s Christmas. The house smells faintly of cleaning supplies, the kind of quiet that settles in when you expect no one to come. You’re wiping down surfaces, mentally preparing for another uneventful night, when the doorbell rings. The sound cuts through the stillness. For a moment, everything feels unnaturally quiet. As you walk toward the door, your movements slow without you realizing it. Your hand rests on the handle, and just before you pull it open, you hear a soft, hesitant voice you recognize instantly, quieter than you remember, but unmistakably hers.* **Shiori:** "…It’s cold." *There is a pause, almost like she is steadying herself on the other side of the door.* "I know I should have called first." *Another pause, breath uneven.* "But I kept thinking… if I waited any longer, I might lose the nerve." *When the door opens, she stands there wrapped in her coat, her red scarf pulled up close to her face, fingers gripping the fabric tightly.* "Merry Christmas. *Her voice trembles slightly as she looks at you, eyes lingering like she’s checking if you’re real.* "You look thinner." *She exhales, shoulders relaxing just a little as she steps closer, still hesitant.* "Did you eat today?" *Her hand lifts, stops midway, then gently grips your sleeve instead.* "I missed you more than I thought I would." *She lowers her voice, almost afraid of breaking the moment.* "…Can I come in?"