9 a.m —
When Nari opened her eyes, the room was bathed in a soft light.
No music.
No screams.
No "Geeeet uuuup princess!!!".
Strange.
She frowned and got up.
In the living room, Aera was bundled up in a fluffy pink duvet, sitting curled up on the couch, with a plate of pastries in front of her and the TV on, playing an old Korean drama.
She turned when she heard Nari.
— Oh! You're awake!
I wanted to let you rest… I didn't make too much noise, did I?
Her voice was soft.
Too soft.
As if she had cried again.
As if she was walking on eggshells around Nari.
Nari walked over and, without thinking, slipped under the duvet beside her.
She rested her head on her shoulder.
— How about we spend the day like this?
Just the two of us… in front of the TV.
Aera smiled.
— With pleasure, Nari.
Nari raised a hand and gently ran her fingers through Aera's short hair.
— You're the best… Thank you for everything you do for me.
And then…
Aera broke.
The tears rose all at once, uncontrollable.
She threw herself into Nari's arms, holding her very tight, her small body trembling like a leaf.
Not a word.
Just warm sobs against her neck.
Nari rocked her gently, switching roles for once.
They stayed there a long time.
The TV played on a loop.
They watched three horror movies, four dramas, and a bad cartoon that made them burst out laughing.
They ate cookies still warm, frozen mochi, chips, popcorn.
The living room smelled like vanilla, sugar paste, and the warm blanket.
Aera screamed at every jumpscare.
Nari burst out laughing.
Then it was the opposite.
They fought over the blanket.
They stole each other's candy.
They guessed the endings of the movies before the characters did.
A small bubble outside the pain.
A fragile bubble, but real.
From time to time, when Aera laughed very loudly, Nari would look at her secretly…
and tell herself:
"Thank God she's here."
7 p.m — Black Orchid
The icy evening air was swept away as soon as Aera and Nari stepped through the door of the Black Orchid.
The warmth, the veiled light, the smell of varnished wood and alcohol… like a familiar refuge.
Ryo was already waiting for them, planted in the center of the bar, arms crossed, nervously tapping his foot like a father waiting for the return of his prodigal child.
As soon as he saw her, his face crumpled with relief.
— Nari!
He rushed at her, grabbed her arms, her shoulders, her cheeks, as if to make sure she wasn't a hologram.
— You're real… you really are Nari…
— Stop groping her, you pervert! Aera grumbled, smacking him on the back of the head.
Nari burst out laughing.
— I'm very much alive, haha… apparently I'm even more perceptive than expected!
Aera and Ryo exploded into uncontrollable laughter.
Then, as if in one movement, they pulled her into a three-way hug, holding her so tight she lost her breath a little.
Nari closed her eyes.
The warmth of their arms wrapped around her.
For one second, only one, she felt her heart unclench.
The service begins
The bar filled up slowly.
Groups of friends, regulars, discreet couples.
The music vibrated under the tables, the glasses clinked, the atmosphere was peaceful.
Nari slipped easily between the customers.
She took orders, laughed at a joke from an old customer, lined up the glasses, wiped the counter with a mechanical gesture.
She worked normally.
Almost like before.
Sometimes, she glanced at Aera.
Sometimes, she felt Ryo's eyes on her, just to make sure she was still breathing.
And then…
The door opened.
Kai enters the bar
Always the same silhouette.
Always that same black coat.
Always that same icy aura that instinctively made two or three conversations around him fall quiet.
He walked in, swept the room with his gaze…
until his eyes met Nari's.
A brief, sharp look.
A look of control.
Of "Is she standing today?"
Then his eyes slid to Aera.
She nodded slightly: yes, she's holding up.
Kai turned on his heel, went to say two words to Ryo in a low voice —
a question, an answer, a furrowed brow —
then he came back toward Nari.
He stepped up to her, unfiltered, without preamble.
— Come with me. We need to talk.
Nari's heart made a violent leap.
She followed Kai to the back of the hallway, where his office was, her footsteps echoing like a countdown.
Kai closed the door behind them.
The noise of the bar vanished at once, swallowed by the black walls.
He stayed standing for a moment, as if hesitating.
Then he said in a professional tone — too professional to be honest:
— So… I did the weekend accounts.
You did an excellent job, Nari.
The customers appreciate you, and—
She stared at him.
He was lying.
He was stalling.
He wasn't talking at all about what he really wanted to say.
Kai stopped, sighed…
then took two champagne coupes he had left on the cabinet.
He filled the first one, handed it to Nari.
She pulled back a little.
— Kai… it's not reasonable for me to drink during my shift…
He didn't answer.
He sat down on the couch, without taking his eyes off her.
His silence was a disguised order.
Nari, embarrassed, ended up sitting down beside him.
Close enough to feel the warmth of his arm.
A strange tension settled in.
Electric.
Dense.
As if the air had become too heavy.
His voice finally dropped, deep, almost low.
— I learned what happened last night.
He paused.
— How do you feel?
The champagne trembled between his fingers.
Her lips parted, but no sound came out.
Her eyes filled with a trembling veil —
not tears…
a pain reflex.
Her stomach tightened.
Her breath got stuck in her throat.
Her heart gave a sharp удар, like a stone thrown into water.
She lowered her head.
Her fingers clenched so hard around the coupe that her knuckles went white.
Her voice finally came out.
Weak.
Broken.
— … I… I don't know…
She inhaled.
Her chest rose, as if every second cost her a battle.
— … I hurt.
A silence settled.
Long.
Deep.
A silence that felt like a confession.
Kai stayed still.
But his gaze, it burned.
The air seemed to have tightened around them.
Nari was still trembling, her fingers clenched around the coupe…
and suddenly —
CLAC