THE WHITE ROOM
"My first client is sleeping like she's in heaven," a small cat muttered while floating in the air.
There was nothing but a small room with no window and no door, just white walls, where Kiyara was lying on the floor with a serene expression.
But the cat wasn't pleased watching her sleep so peacefully. A pen dangled between her fingers as she adjusted her glasses with her paw. "Hey, are you sure you came here to sleep? Why the hell am I getting the worst client for my first job?" The cat wore an expression that screamed she was being scammed.
She looked at Kiyara with a calm gaze for a moment, then suddenly snapped her fingers. A bucket filled with icy water appeared above her. An evil smirk curled on the cat's face as she snapped again, and the water poured out, soaking Kiyara.
Kiyara jolted up as the cold water trickled down her white dress—the same one she wore before. She flailed her arms and legs like a fish out of water—or rather, a human dumped into one.
After glancing around the white room and at the cat flying in the air, she sighed and sat like a gangster lady. "White means purity and whatever," she said lazily, as if she had a toothpick between her lips. "It does seem like heaven… but it seems even God's treating me unfairly."
She looked up at the cat with half-lidded eyes. "Don't tell me this is all I'm getting. Where's the soft bed, delicious food, and unlimited money?" she asked nonchalantly.
Kiyara glanced around before putting a hand beside her mouth like she was about to whisper a secret. "I even heard there are hot men in heaven… Where are they?" she asked, wiggling her eyebrows playfully.
The room went silent, like nature after a storm.
The cat's eyes bulged as she stared at Kiyara. "What the fuck," she muttered, stunned. "The hell?! Your file says you're supposed to be innocent and kind!" she shouted in disbelief.
Kiyara gave her a look that clearly said—What the hell are you even talking about?
The cat looked anxious as she flipped through the file again, a deep frown creasing her furry face. She reread the same pages repeatedly, her worried gaze darting over the papers. "Wait… wait… should I report this to the higher authority?" she whispered to herself, chewing her lip nervously.
The words higher authority rang in Kiyara's ears. She instantly dropped to her knees like a devout believer, clasping her hands together with the sweetest, most innocent expression she could fake. "What are you talking about?" she asked in a sugary tone. "Of course I'm innocent and um… yeah, whatever you said—I'm that."
She smiled angelically, but it looked more like the devil trying to act holy.
"You... you can't fool me! I have to report this!" the cat insisted, though her eyes were still glued to the files in doubt.
Watching her fidget and panic, Kiyara grinned and cracked her neck. "Wait a second. You don't really want to report this, do you?" she asked, a confident smirk playing on her lips.
The cat paused, a flicker of rage flashing in her eyes.
Gotcha.
"When I was asleep, I heard something about 'first client.' Am I right?"
"So... so what?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Kiyara said, standing up. "You just don't want to lose your first client. And after finally getting the chance to talk one-on-one…"
She trailed off as her hand brushed over her neck.
Memories of the car crash flashed through her mind—brief, brutal—but she shoved them aside.
"I think it won't be too hard to act weak and innocent... I've done that before too."
Kiyara stopped, her eyes narrowing as she pieced things together. "But it seems this place isn't heaven."
Before the cat could respond, she dashed toward the glowing wall that looked like the gateway to a virtual world.
"What the hell! Hey, don't go near that—" the cat yelled, flying after her. She barely managed to grab Kiyara's collar just as she was about to plunge into the endless abyss below.
Kiyara's gaze swept around the surreal landscape—glowing boxes floating midair like suspended data.
The cat pulled her back with all her might, then collapsed to the floor, panting heavily, her stomach rising like a furry bubble.
"Can you not do that?!" the cat snapped in frustration.
Unbothered, Kiyara squatted down, poking the cat's belly with childlike amusement.
"I said stop!" the cat screeched with her tiny voice and sharp teeth.
Kiyara stuck her thumbs in the cat's mouth and stretched it wide, the cat's voice muffled. "Whaht th fack!!"
She peered inside the her mouth. "Yeah, even if you talk, you're still built like a cat," she said calmly. "Why a cat though? If you wanted to be cute, you could've been a rabbit."
She abruptly let go, and the cat rolled toward the wall—then bounced back like a fuzzy ball.
Fuming with rage, the cat flew up and smacked Kiyara on the head. "THE HECK! YOU THINK I HAVE MY WHOLE LIFE TO SPEND ON YOU?!"
Satisfied, Kiyara finally sat like a well-behaved kid. "Let me tell you… you're not cute at all—"
Before she could finish, she got smacked on the head again.
She pouted, rubbing her head as she looked forward.
"Anyway, let's get down to work," the cat said, her nose twitching with restrained irritation.
Her expression sobered when she noticed Kiyara's quiet gaze falling into something colder.
"Let's start with introductions," she said in a more professional tone. "I am Server 003—"
"Such a shitty name," Kiyara interrupted, casually picking her ear with her pinky. The cat's smile twitched as she held back a growl.
"Well… and you are my first client in the virtual universe. Soul Number 675. You died in a car accident. Do you remember that?"
The cat's smirk was twisted, but as soon as she met Kiyara's quiet eyes, she sighed deeply.
"Look, no need to get all sentimental. You're already dead. Your body's gone, and with it, everything from your past life—good days, bad days, relationships, family. All of it."
She glanced down at the documents, adjusted her glasses, and pointed at the page with her pen. "Just confirm here, and it'll all be over in a few seconds—"
"It's not easy to leave behind the things you've lived through," Kiyara said softly, her tone distant as she stared at her toes. "When people hear about others story, no matter how sad they tried to look, they will forget it the next day but the person who have went through it...."
She looked up, her gaze piercing. "It becomes a memory that haunts them forever."
The cat was silent for a moment, as if honoring her words.
"Well. Humans are weird, for sure. And let me be clear—I have zero interest in understanding your feelings or emotions or whatever. Keep it to yourself," she said coldly.
A small smile tugged at Kiyara's lips as she stood, dusting off her dress. "Well, well. I've got some real shit… for the first time in my life."
They both went quiet again as the cat watched Kiyara with a frown, trying to make sense of that strange smile.
"As I said before… humans are weird," the cat muttered.
"So, what's my job here? Because I highly doubt you guys gave me a new life out of charity," Kiyara said, her tone lighter now, with a ghost of a smile that didn't quite fit her face—maybe because it had been so long since she wore one.
"Finally," the cat muttered, adjusting her glasses and flipping through the papers.
"First of all, this isn't exactly a new life. It's more like we're lending your soul from Hell in return of some money."
She said it casually, like reading the weather report.
But suddenly, two hands grabbed her, and Kiyara pressed their foreheads together. "What Hell???"
"I was in Hell??" Kiyara shouted, eyes wide, lips trembling like she was on the verge of crying.
"Ye—yes! But that's beside the point! If you want, we can send you to Heaven!" the cat yelped, her small body shaking like a leaf.