In the gleaming corridors of Ren's company, the atmosphere felt deceptively calm. But beneath the surface, a storm was quietly brewing.
Saki stood by the tall glass windows on the top floor, her new ID card clipped to her coat, reflecting softly in the morning sun. The view of the skyline stretched far and wide—but her eyes were focused on a single reflection: Ren.
He had just entered the building.
As always, calm. Focused. Hands in his pockets, phone pressed to his ear, eyes scanning the floor. Completely unaware of her presence.
Saki's fingers curled around her hot coffee cup.
"I see you every day," she whispered, her breath fogging the glass faintly. "And you don't even notice me anymore…"
Her nails tapped rhythmically on the paper sleeve.
But you will. Soon.
Meanwhile, across the city in a luxurious executive suite…
Naruse Kaito lounged in his chair with his shirt partially unbuttoned, wine glass in hand, a self-satisfied smirk playing on his lips.
"Her guard's going down," he muttered, swiping through photos on his tablet — candid shots of Aoi at company events, walking out of cafés, sitting alone at her desk.
"She's polite, but not as cold lately… That means she's cracking."
His assistant hesitated by the door. "Sir, that might be… an overreach—"
"Shut up," Naruse said coolly, taking another sip. "Ren's too busy chasing his countryside fantasy. I just have to push her into loneliness a bit more. People like her? They eventually want attention."
He leaned back, staring at the ceiling.
"And when she falls apart, I'll be the one to put her back together."
That Night
Back in the countryside, Lucia hovered in the garage with Ren.
"She seems worried lately," Lucia said. "You haven't told her everything."
Ren didn't look up from the custom circuit board he was soldering. "She's dealing with her own stress at work. The last thing I want is to burden her with mine. The AI project is almost done. Once we stabilize it, I can finally show her everything."
"Would you like me to share what I've observed?"
Ren paused. "You've been watching?"
Lucia's lights flickered. "Only per Aoi's request. She asked me to monitor Naruse discreetly."
Ren's expression hardened. "Why?"
"He's persistent. Flirtatious. Intentionally crossing boundaries."
Ren put down the tool, standing up straight.
"...I see."
Elsewhere, back at the office…
Saki sat alone in the restroom stall, staring at her phone screen. Dozens of screenshots of Aoi and Ren — all gathered over the months.
She opened a search tab. Her fingers trembled slightly.
SEARCH: "How to make a married couple fight and break up"
She hit enter.
The screen glowed back at her, filling with suggestions and schemes.
Her lips curled into a soft, obsessive smile. "I told you, Ren… I'll be back for you. I never said I'd play fair."