His car smelled faintly of leather and smoke.
I sat rigid in the passenger seat, hands folded in my lap, every muscle tense. The city lights streaked past the windows, unfamiliar despite the fact that I had lived this life once before.
17:26:04
The countdown continued.
"Where are we going?" I asked.
"My place," he said without hesitation.
My breath caught.
"No."
He glanced at me. "You said you didn't want to be alone."
I said nothing.
The system's voice returned—calm, almost pleased.
[Secondary Mission Activated.]
Remain inside Subject A-01's private residence until dawn.
I felt cold.
"How is this helping me survive?" I demanded silently.
[Evaluation Phase initiated.]
The car came to a stop.
His apartment building loomed above us—glass, steel, and shadows.
The moment the door closed behind us, the system spoke again.
[Secondary Evaluation:]
Host psychological stability under observation.
My chest tightened.
"So this is a test," I whispered.
"What was that?" he asked.
"Nothing."
He set his keys down and turned to face me. "You've been acting like you're waiting for something terrible to happen."
I met his gaze.
Because I am.
Before I could respond, the system struck.
Pain slammed through my body, far worse than before. I collapsed to my knees, choking back a scream as my vision went dark at the edges.
[Evaluation Trigger:]
Subject A-01 must witness host vulnerability.
"Hey!" He rushed toward me, dropping to his knees. "What's happening?"
His hands were on my shoulders now.
The pain eased—slowly.
I gasped, clutching his sleeve.
"Don't leave," I whispered, tears blurring my vision.
The system chimed softly.
[Evaluation Condition Met.]
He froze.
The room was silent except for my ragged breathing.
His voice, when he spoke, was low and dangerous.
"…You're hiding something from me."
The countdown stopped.
A new message appeared.
[Evaluation Result:]
Passed.
Trust dependency established.
My blood ran cold.
Trust wasn't safety.
It was a leash.