In a sleek, cold conference room, a team of government agents sat around a long table, their faces illuminated by the pale glow of a monitor. On the screen, a series of images flickered: aerial shots of a grand mansion—its imposing structure an undeniable symbol of wealth and secrecy. At the center of the display was a photograph of Seraphine—the young woman at the heart of their investigation.
"The subject, Seraphine," the lead agent began, his voice even, his gaze never leaving the screen. "Lives in this property, works as a waitress in a small Chinese restaurant. Before this, she resided in a run-down apartment that has since been renovated. Her move to the mansion has no clear explanation. No direct ties to the registered owner. There's a pattern here, but it doesn't add up."
A younger agent leaned forward, scanning through the files. "We've seen this before," he said, tapping a document with his pen. "Rift-related activity often ties back to individuals with unusual circumstances. If she's connected to the mansion's true owner—or the figure we've seen in our surveillance footage at her previous apartment—she could be the key to unraveling this entire situation."
The lead agent nodded slowly. "Exactly. But we can't approach her directly. Any sudden moves might tip off whoever is behind the rifts." He clicked the screen, highlighting a new document. "Instead, we plant someone into her environment. The restaurant is small, easy to monitor, and the staff seems... friendly. We'll find our opening."
The woman beside him raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "You're sending someone undercover? Isn't that a bit... excessive?"
"Not for this case," the lead agent replied, his tone firm. "This could be our only way to uncover the truth without drawing attention. We all have an idea about who's involved, but we know he's too dangerous to approach directly."
---
The restaurant was buzzing with its usual midday energy. Sera moved gracefully through the familiar chaos, balancing orders and keeping the flow steady. The rhythmic sound of clinking plates and the chatter of customers wrapped around her like a shield, offering a brief escape from the thoughts she couldn't shake.
Nathan was handling the deliveries as always, darting in and out with bags of food and a grin that could disarm even the grumpiest customer. He was his usual self—quick with a joke, warm with a smile—but today, something was off. Sera couldn't quite place it, but his usual carefree energy seemed to flicker. He was more distracted than usual, his eyes often flicking toward her more than was necessary.
Sera caught his gaze once and gave him a quick smile, but Nathan only nodded, flustered, and went back to his task.
June, the new part-timer, was still adjusting. She had that familiar awkwardness—the way she stuttered when taking orders, the nervous shuffle as she delivered drinks, the minor mishaps that came with being new. But there was a quiet determination in the way she worked, and Sera couldn't help but admire her perseverance. Each time June stumbled, she apologized, her voice shaky, but Sera always reassured her with a smile.
"You're doing fine, June," Sera said, steadying a tray of drinks that the girl had been struggling with.
"T... Thank you," June stammered, her cheeks flushed. She nodded, offering a shy smile before heading off to deliver the tray.
As she walked away, Nathan, who had been nearby, leaned toward June with a grin and said, "Sera's an angel, isn't she?"
Sera overheard and shot Nathan a teasing look. "Stop it, Nate."
Nathan laughed, a hint of pink creeping up his neck. "Hey, just calling it like I see it!"
Sera gave him a playful roll of her eyes. "You're impossible."
Sera wiped down the counter, her thoughts drifting to Ryou. It had been a week since he had retreated into the shadows to protect her, a week without his presence by her side. She could still feel him, though—an unseen force that seemed to guide her, helping her avoid even the smallest dangers, making everything feel just a little easier. But now, without him visible, there was a hollow space she couldn't fill. A loneliness that lingered, quietly unsettling her.
She thought about how Ryou had always seemed so... different from anyone else. His golden eyes held something almost otherworldly, as if they could see beyond the surface of things. And that power he wielded—something that felt almost... inhuman. He moved with a speed that defied explanation, reacting to danger before it even surfaced, as though he could foresee it. The strength behind his actions was beyond anything Sera could have imagined, a force that was both terrifying and mesmerizing.
Ryou had never spoken about his work in detail, but there was always a quiet tension about him, a coldness that hinted at the dangerous world he came from. He had said it himself: his work was dangerous. But how dangerous, really?
Sera sighed softly, wiping down the last table as she mulled over the possibilities. Who is he, really?
Could he be one of them?
Her thoughts wandered to the rumors that had been circulating through the city—whispers about a secret organization that operated in the shadows, with their own supernatural abilities. Some believed they were protecting the city, closing the rifts that tore through the fabric of reality. Others feared that they were the ones behind the rifts, manipulating events for their own unknown purposes.
Could he really be one of them? Could Ryou be part of that organization—the organization?
Her fingers tightened around the cloth she had been wiping with, frustration creeping in as she tried to shake off the thoughts. The more she thought about it, the more the pieces seemed to fit.
The sound of the door opening snapped her out of her thoughts. She glanced up, but it was just Nathan returning from his last delivery. He waved at her with his usual grin, though she caught a flicker of something else in his eyes.
"See you tomorrow, Sera!" Nathan called out, not noticing the unease in her expression.
"Good work, Nate," she replied, smiling slightly as he headed out the door.
Sera turned back to the empty restaurant. There was no one left to serve, no more orders to fill. The restaurant was silent now, the hum of the city outside the only sound that filled the space. She let out a long breath, feeling the weight of the day slowly lift off her shoulders.
Her thoughts returned to Ryou. If he really is one of them, what does that mean for me?
Was he really protecting her because she possessed some unknown, valuable secret?
Could she truly be just a waitress, or was she caught in something much larger than herself?
The shadows outside felt a little closer tonight. The city felt a little more dangerous.
---
Meanwhile, Ryou stood on the rooftop of a nearby building, hidden in the shadows as his golden eyes surveyed the streets below. The city was quiet tonight, but he wasn't here for the peace. His attention was on the restaurant—and more specifically, on Sera, who was still inside.
Earlier that day, Ryou had received intel: the government had begun to sniff around, asking questions, digging into his movements. They were getting closer, their suspicion growing. He didn't care about their investigation into him; they had no idea who they were really dealing with. But if they found out about Sera—his one weakness, his one vulnerability—then everything would change.
He had tried to keep her out of this, to shield her from the dangerous undercurrents of his world. But tonight, he could feel the walls closing in, both on him and on her.
Ryou exhaled slowly, his gaze locked on the restaurant. He had watched her every movement from a distance, tracking her like he always did. But the closer they got to him, the more he feared for her safety.
The city stretched out before him, its lights flickering in the distance, a reminder of how fragile the balance between light and shadow really was.
Ryou clenched his fists, his golden eyes narrowing as he watched Sera through the windows of the restaurant, completely unaware of the storm building around her. The shadows were moving closer, and soon, the storm might break.