"What does the other side of me say?" I asked, still trying to wrap my head around everything.
"She can be a good ally," Ayami replied calmly, crossing her arms. "So now, I just need to convince her."
I furrowed my brows, leaning back against the headboard as I tried to make sense of it all. "Convince her? You're seriously going to trust someone who tried to kill you?"
Ayami shrugged, a faint smirk playing at her lips. "People do desperate things for money. That doesn't mean they're inherently bad. Besides, she's not the first person I've had to... persuade."
"That doesn't exactly make me feel better," I muttered, running a hand through my hair. "What if she turns on you?"
"I'll deal with it," Ayami replied, her tone firm and unwavering. Her golden eyes glinted with sharp confidence, making it hard to argue with her. "And besides, I trust you—even if it's another version of you."
"Okay..." I sighed, unsure how to respond. Just then, my stomach rumbled loudly.
Ayami blinked, then sighed with exaggerated exasperation. "...You could've just told me you were hungry."
"Ugh... it was sudden," I grumbled, feeling my face flush slightly.
Ayami shook her head, clearly amused. "Come on, let's get you something to eat," she said, motioning for me to follow her.
I got out of bed, still feeling a little groggy but grateful for the distraction. She led me down a narrow hallway into the kitchen. It was a cozy space, dimly lit by a single overhead light. The counters were spotless, and a faint aroma of herbs lingered in the air, as if she'd been cooking recently.
"Sit," she said, pulling out a chair at the small dining table.
I plopped down without protest, watching as she moved around the kitchen with effortless grace. Ayami had always had this smooth, cat-like quality to her movements, and it was no different here. She opened the fridge, scanned its contents, and began pulling out ingredients.
"What are you making?" I asked, resting my chin on my hand.
"Something simple," she replied, setting a frying pan on the stove and lighting the burner. "You're not exactly in a state to appreciate anything fancy right now."
I watched as she cracked a couple of eggs into a bowl, whisking them briskly before adding a pinch of salt. She moved with quiet efficiency, chopping up some leftover vegetables and tossing them into the pan before pouring the eggs over them. The sizzling sound filled the kitchen, and the savory aroma of cooking food made my stomach growl again.
Just then, I heard a voice coming from the direction of Ayami's bedroom. "That smells good..."
I quickly turned toward the sound, my eyes widening in surprise. Standing in the hallway was a girl—a girl with a cute face.
Who the hell… wait, is that the one who tried to kill Ayami at the mall? I thought, staring at her in disbelief.
But then, as she locked eyes with both of us, her expression shifted to one of panic. She glanced around, clearly searching for something—probably a weapon.
"Calm down, we won't kill you," Ayami said firmly, stepping away from the stove and meeting her gaze head-on. Her golden eyes glinted with authority. "You're going to be our ally."
"W-What!? No!" the girl stammered, taking a hesitant step back.
"Yes," Ayami replied with unwavering confidence, crossing her arms. "Now come and sit beside him."
The girl hesitated, her hands twitching as if debating whether to run or fight. Her eyes darted to me, then back to Ayami.
Her eyes darted to my side, and I couldn't shake the really, really bad feeling I had about her sitting next to me.
But then, she did. Reluctantly, she sank into the chair beside me, her movements stiff and wary. "W-Where am I?" she asked, her voice trembling.
"My home," Ayami replied calmly, setting down a plate of food in front of us. "Relax. I know you're not one of those blessed by the gods."
The girl's eyes widened in shock. "W-What!? I am blessed!"
Ayami shook her head, a knowing smile playing at her lips. "No, you just have power because your ancestors used to practice magic. That's not the same thing."
The girl's mouth opened to argue, but she froze when Ayami leaned forward slightly, her golden eyes locking onto hers. "So," Ayami continued, her tone sharp now, "who sent you to kill me?"
The tension in the room was palpable as Ayami placed the food in front of her.
The girl hesitated, her gaze dropping to the plate of food in front of her. Her voice was barely above a whisper as she muttered, "Ishtar..."
Ayami's expression darkened, her golden eyes narrowing. "I see. The goddess of love and war... How fitting."
I glanced between them, unsure of what to say. "Ishtar? She's the one who put a bounty on you?" I asked, breaking the tense silence.
Ayami nodded slightly, her gaze never leaving the girl. "She has a habit of targeting those who refuse to bow to her whims. And I've defied her one too many times."
The girl tensed, gripping the edge of the table. "She promised me a fortune if I brought her your head... I didn't have a choice. I need the money."
Ayami leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. "And now? Do you still think you can take me down and claim that reward?"
The girl shook her head vehemently, fear flickering in her eyes. "No... I can't! You're—" She stopped, swallowing hard. "You're not what I expected."
Ayami smirked, though there was no humor in it. "Good. Then you'll listen when I say this: Ishtar may have sent you, but she doesn't care about you. You're just a pawn to her, expendable the moment you fail."
The girl's shoulders slumped, the weight of Ayami's words sinking in. "What do you want from me?" she asked quietly.
Ayami's gaze softened slightly. "I want you to think for yourself. Work with us, and you might just find a purpose beyond doing the gods' dirty work."
The girl stared at Ayami for a long moment, her expression conflicted. Her hands fidgeted on her lap, as if weighing the consequences of every possible decision.
Finally, she let out a shaky breath. "And if I don't?"
Ayami leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. Her golden eyes glinted like molten fire in the dim light. "If you don't, you can leave. But know this: Ishtar won't forgive failure. She sent you after me because she thought you'd either succeed or die trying. By walking out of here, you'd be making yourself a loose end—and you know how gods treat those."
The girl flinched, her fear unmistakable. "She'll come after me..."
A heavy silence filled the room, thick with unspoken tension.
I couldn't help but break the silence, my voice quieter than I intended. "So, what's your name?"
The girl hesitated, her eyes darting between Ayami and me before she spoke in a barely audible voice. "Lina."
Ayami nodded slowly, processing the name without seeming particularly surprised. I could tell she was weighing something in her mind. "Lina... So, what now? Are you going to stay with us, or take your chances with Ishtar?"
Lina shifted uncomfortably in her seat, her gaze flickering toward the door as though considering running. "I... I don't want to die," she muttered, her words almost sounding like a confession.
Ayami's expression softened just slightly, though her golden eyes still held an unmistakable authority. "Then, you need to make a choice. You can stay, and we'll protect you, or you can leave and take your chances. But if you stay, you need to understand that you'll have to work with us."
Lina took a deep breath, her resolve building. Finally, she looked up and met Ayami's gaze. "I'll stay," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I'm Hikaru," I said, extending my hand toward her.
Lina simply nodded, not taking my hand. Seeing the hesitation, I pulled my hand back, but I wasn't offended.
"So, what's your power?" Ayami asked, her tone shifting back to business.
Lina took a moment before responding, her fingers twitching nervously in her lap. She looked away, but after a brief pause, she lifted her gaze to meet Ayami's. "My power... is in my eyes."
She hesitated again, as if unsure how to explain, then slowly raised her hand to her face. With a delicate touch, she adjusted her glasses before glancing over at me. Her pupils seemed to flicker, and in an instant, the world around us shifted.
I blinked, trying to make sense of what I was seeing, as everything began to sharpen and distort, the details magnifying as if a camera zoomed in on a distant object. I could see the smallest particles in the air, the grains of dust floating like tiny stars under the dim light, and the intricate details of Ayami's every expression.
Lina lowered her hand, and the world returned to normal. "I can zoom in on anything—see things in extreme detail, almost like a camera lens. I can focus in from far away, too," she explained quietly.
Ayami raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed. "That's... useful. You could gather intel, track movements, and spot things most people would miss."
To Be Continue.