**Arc 2: Chapter 12 – A Night of Small Victories**
The glow of the city lights filtered through the window as Jae-min leaned back on So-ra's worn-out couch. He wasn't sure if it was the celebration or the sheer exhaustion from the past week, but for the first time in what felt like forever, he could breathe.
So-ra was sitting cross-legged on the floor, sifting through the mountain of messages and notifications on her laptop. Every few seconds, a satisfied smile would spread across her face before she typed out a quick response.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Jae-min asked, smirking as he sipped his soda.
So-ra didn't look up. "What's not to enjoy? Min-jun's been exposed, my work's finally getting the recognition it deserves, and no one's calling me a fraud anymore."
"Not to mention the bonus points for making me look like a genius," Jae-min added.
She rolled her eyes but didn't argue. "You did help. I'll give you that."
Jae-min raised an eyebrow. "Just 'help'? I think I deserve at least a 'savior' title."
So-ra chuckled, shutting her laptop. "Don't push your luck."
---
The quiet hum of the refrigerator filled the room as the conversation lulled. So-ra leaned back against the coffee table, her expression softening.
"You know," she said, breaking the silence, "I wasn't sure about you at first."
"Oh?" Jae-min leaned forward, intrigued. "Do tell."
She gave him a side glance, her lips curving into a faint smile. "You were this random guy who kept showing up at the café, cracking jokes and acting like you had all the answers."
"I do have all the answers," Jae-min said, grinning.
She ignored him, her smile growing. "But… you're different. You didn't just talk. You listened. You stayed. And you didn't give up on me, even when I was being difficult."
Jae-min felt a warmth rise in his chest. "So, does that mean I'm officially out of the 'random guy' category?"
"Maybe," she said, her tone teasing.
Jae-min laughed, but his gaze lingered on her. The way the dim light caught the strands of her hair, the curve of her lips as she tried to hide her smile—it was a moment he wanted to freeze in time.
---
Elyra materialized in the corner of the room, invisible to So-ra but all too real to Jae-min. She was watching him with a knowing look, her arms crossed.
"You're falling for her," she said matter-of-factly.
Jae-min glanced at her, his smile faltering.
"Am not," he whispered under his breath.
Elyra raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that?"
So-ra glanced up, her brow furrowing. "Did you say something?"
Jae-min snapped back to reality. "What? Oh, uh, no. Just thinking out loud."
"Right," So-ra said, clearly not convinced.
---
As the night wore on, the air between them grew more comfortable. They talked about everything—her plans for the mod, his life before losing his job, and the little things they never thought to share before.
At some point, So-ra's head tilted back against the coffee table, her eyes half-closed. "You know," she murmured, "I don't think I've felt this… normal in a long time."
Jae-min tilted his head. "Normal?"
She nodded. "Like… things might actually be okay. That maybe I'm not completely alone in this."
"You're not," Jae-min said firmly. "You've got me."
So-ra opened her eyes, looking at him with an expression he couldn't quite place.
"Thanks," she said softly.
---
By the time Jae-min left her apartment, it was well past midnight. The streets were quiet, the air crisp as he walked toward his own place. Elyra floated beside him, her expression unusually thoughtful.
"You're a good guy, you know that?" she said.
Jae-min glanced at her, raising an eyebrow. "Is that a compliment?"
"Don't get used to it," she said, smirking. "But yeah. You could've taken the easy route with this whole system thing—focused on the money, the rewards. But you're actually trying to help her."
Jae-min shrugged. "She deserves it."
Elyra nodded, a faint smile playing on her lips.
---
That night, as Jae-min lay in bed, his thoughts drifted back to So-ra. Her smile, her laugh, the way her eyes lit up when she talked about her work—it was all etched into his mind.
The system dinged softly, and a blue panel appeared before him.
**[So-ra's likability has increased to 85%. Special reward unlocked: +2 Intelligence Boost.]**
Jae-min stared at the screen, a small smile tugging at his lips.
"Looks like we're making progress," he muttered before closing his eyes, ready to see what tomorrow would bring.