In the shadow of a decrepit office, Shiro sat, the worn leather of his chair creaking softly with each tap of his finger against the desk. The room was a ghost of its former self—faded wallpaper, broken blinds, and cracks crawling along the walls like vines. Dust clung to everything, yet there was an undeniable tension in the air, something alive, despite the decay.
His bright blue eyes glowed faintly in the dim light, cutting through the gloom as he stared at the door, waiting. The soft, rhythmic tapping of his finger echoed through the silence, the only sound in the room.
He had been waiting for this moment.
Finally, the sound of footsteps approaching pierced the quiet. The door creaked open, and a figure stepped inside. It was Salean, his old squad leader, her face a mixture of shock and disbelief as she took in the sight of Shiro—alive, sitting there, as if nothing had changed.
"Shiro..." Salean's voice trembled slightly. "You're... alive? How—"
Shiro's expression didn't shift. He leaned back in his chair, his voice calm and nonchalant, as if her surprise was expected. "It's okay, Salean. My brother's taken over Arcadia Industries, and that's fine by me."
Salean blinked, still trying to process the fact that Shiro, whom she believed to be dead for nine months, was sitting right in front of her. "But... how are you—"
"What I'm not okay with," Shiro interrupted smoothly, his fingers still tapping, "is him trying to marry my little test."
Salean frowned, her confusion deepening. "Test? What are you talking about, Shiro?"
For the first time, a glimmer of something darker crossed Shiro's face, though his tone remained eerily calm. "Finir," he said, his blue eyes narrowing slightly. "Reana Finir. My test... and he's failed."
Salean's face paled. "Reana? You... you don't mean—"
"Oh, I do." Shiro's voice was cold now, the casual air slipping away. "She wasn't just some girl he fell in love with. She's my test. And my dear brother is about to find out what happens when you fail."