2025-04-12 23:54:59For some reason, I felt uncomfortably dense as I walked side by side with Fina down the crowded streets of Neo Silicon Valley.
Now that I think about it, this is my first time being alone with Fina. She was beautiful—just like the other girls in the team—but maybe that was the reason I felt this strange pressure. No... that’s not it.
Fina was attractive, sure, but her looks alone didn’t affect me much. This uneasiness was different.
It was the kind of discomfort you feel when you're with someone you don’t really know.
Aside from being the organization’s data analyst, I knew next to nothing about her. I wasn’t here to flirt or impress—just to guard her. That’s my job. I needed to stay focused.
I glanced around the street, trying to stay alert.
Multiple boys in school uniforms shot me sharp glares, and some even looked like they were on the verge of tears. Wait... were they crying?
I reevaluated my earlier deduction. That dense feeling wasn’t from nervousness—it was the eerie sensation of being watched with pure hostility.
"What’s their problem?" I muttered under my breath.
Was Fina some sort of idol?
"I think you have to watch your back, Noah," Fina said playfully, clearly aware of the situation. "Don’t worry—they won’t hurt you. You’re my close friend, after all."
"C-Close friend?! Fina has a close friend... and it’s a guy?!" one of the nearby boys gasped.
"Unforgivable!"
"We should abduct him!"
The murmurs of the crowd shifted into a chaotic chorus of death threats.
"He’s walking so close to our goddess!"
"So close!!"
"Kill him!"
I inched closer to Fina and whispered.
"Are you sure they’re not trying to kill me?"
She giggled softly, clearly enjoying my discomfort.
These kids were seriously overreacting.
Since joining the Flames organization, my life had been a whirlwind of chaos—endless surprises and new problems. My ordinary days were becoming a distant memory.
Eventually, maybe this hectic, danger-filled life would become my new normal.
"You look deep in thought."
Fina said suddenly.
"Are you thinking about your ex-girlfriend again?"
"I’m not…"
I replied quickly, though my voice remained casual.
I tilted my head up to the clear blue sky.
"It’s strange... I’m not thinking about her much anymore. Not like before. Back then, I felt like I couldn’t live without her."
"Hmm... I see. You’ve moved on. Maybe being around Amber helped you heal."
"You think so? I guess I agree," I chuckled. "Though she bullies me constantly. Makes me do her chores and everything else she’s too lazy to handle."
"I’m glad you two are getting along. But let’s keep this between us, okay? Don’t tell Amber."
Fina placed her index finger against her lips.
"Alright... I won’t say anything."
"Amber’s really softened since you joined us. She even said she’d treat you to cake sometime. That’s unheard of."
"Really? I wonder what she was like before."
"She was super serious—high-strung and distant. But now she’s... casual. Relaxed. It’s weird. Maybe she likes you."
"Don’t be ridiculous…" I scoffed. "Amber and I are like oil and water. We don’t get along together…."
Fina gave me a long thoughtful look.
"You’re not even blushing. You really don’t find her attractive?"
"No way. Stop teasing me."
"You’re so cold. According to psychological data, men who suffer heartbreak often become emotionally distant and start distrusting women. You’re one of them. Your ex really did a number on you."
I didn’t respond.
Because she was right.
Mio broke my heart in more ways than one. She made me feel small, insignificant—like I didn’t matter. And no matter what I said or did, I couldn’t change her mind.
I felt pathetic.
So I made a promise. Not to win her back. But to change. To become someone better than the weak, belittled version of me she left behind. I’d prove her wrong. I’d reject the broken image she carved into me.
I clutched my chest as the emotions churned inside me.
...
"Looks like we’re here," Fina said, interrupting my thoughts.
The angry fanboys were gone—maybe detained, maybe bored. Either way, they were no longer our problem.
And I don’t care about them.
Neo Silicon Valley General Hospital loomed ahead. Our mission: gather intel about the students who’d mysteriously fallen into comas.
"Any theories, Fina?"
"Like I said earlier, it’s the work of an ability user. I think it’s tied to the terrorists infiltrating the city. The client wants us to catch the culprit. Supposedly, their ability is dream-related."
"Dreams... coma... makes sense."
"Yeah, but here’s the weird part. The client knows the ability user, but they’re withholding most of the details. It’s frustrating."
"If they want the culprit caught quickly, why keep secrets?"
Fina and I stopped and ponder.
"Overthinking it won’t help. Let’s just treat this like a puzzle to solve."
Fina said.
Her optimism reminded me how different she was from Amber, who always looked for someone to blame.
"The man with the power to make anything disappear..."
A voice echoed above us.
I immediately looked up.
A man stood on top of a streetlamp, cloaked in a ninja outfit, his presence radiating danger.
I pulled Fina behind me protectively. My instincts were screaming.
"Who are you?!"
"You have the right to know the name of your killer," he said, his voice eerily calm. "The name is Zed… And now, goodbye."
He vanished in a gust of wind.
Then reappeared—right behind me—sword unsheathe.
I turned around and swung my right arm, intercepting the blade just in time. Pain shot through me as steel grazed my skin.
"Reject!" I shouted, activating my ability.
Zed’s sword vanished from his hand instantly.
I leapt back, putting distance between us.
"It hurts..." I grunted. Blood ran down my arm.
"Noah!" Fina cried.
The blade had sliced me before I could fully trigger my power.
If I was late, that sword could cut my hand off.
Fina quickly activated an emergency alarm from her bag, a shrill noise piercing the air.
"Anti-stalker device," she explained.
Zed scowled, clearly annoyed.
"You’re lucky today. But don’t expect the same mercy tomorrow."
And with that, he vanished into the wind.
I stood there, heart pounding, blood dripping, and Fina by my side.
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The alarm clock rings, waking me up.The morning air was still chilly, but the sunlight streaming through my window made my body feel warmer than it should. My muscles ached from yesterday’s work and school, and every fiber of my being longed to stay in bed just a little longer.With a groggy sigh, I pushed myself up and stumbled toward the window, pulling the curtain shut. The room dimmed instantly, the invading light replaced by soothing darkness. Satisfied, I collapsed back onto my bed, burying myself under the sheets.I didn’t want to get up. I wanted to stay home and sleep. Just for today, I wanted a day off.Almost a month had passed since I met Amber and the other girls, and my life had changed in ways I hadn’t expected. Rest had become a luxury. I wasn’t even an official part of their team yet, which meant I wasn’t going on missions with them. Instead, I was stuck doing menial work—cleaning, running errands, and whatever odd jobs they assigned to me.It annoyed me.And yet, de
