Meanwhile, in the customer service department, Felix sat at his desk, humming softly to himself as he clicked through a series of routine calls. Hollow was nearby, his expression as blank as ever as he processed an endless stream of customer issues. The monotony of the morning was abruptly interrupted by the sound of a chair being spun and an unfamiliar, overly cheerful voice cutting through the air.

  “Well, well, what do we have here?”

  Felix turned, his face lighting up as he saw Ian, the company’s resident wildcard, strutting into the department. Ian’s tall frame and confident gait immediately drew attention, his brown hair slightly tousled as though he’d just stepped off the cover of a lifestyle magazine. His sly grin and twinkling eyes screamed trouble—the kind of trouble that made him both adored and occasionally feared.

  “Ian!” Felix exclaimed, leaning back in his chair with a grin. “What brings you to our humble corner of the office? Not causing more mischief, are you?”

  Ian raised his hands in mock surrender. “Who, me? Never. I’m just here to… check on some technical issues. You know, doing my job. Like the model employee I am.”

  Felix snorted. “Yeah, right. What’s the real reason?”

  Ian didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he sauntered over to Hollow’s desk, leaning against it as if they were old friends. “You must be Hunter,” he said, his voice dripping with curiosity. “Felix’s new partner-in-crime, right?”

  Hollow glanced up briefly, his gaze indifferent. “Yeah, Hunter.”

  Ian’s grin widened. “Oh, right. The man of mystery. You know, you’ve got quite the reputation going around already. Showing up late, walking in with the new cute girl on your arm, and…” He gestured vaguely at Hollow’s shirt. “Is that one of yours she was wearing? Bold move, my guy.”

  Hollow blinked, his expression blank as usual. “I don’t see what’s bold about lending someone a shirt.”

  Ian barked out a laugh, clearly entertained. “Man, you’re a riot. But seriously, people are talking. New girl, late together, your shirt. Sounds like there’s a story there.”

  Felix, who had been watching the exchange with amusement, chimed in. “Ian’s just fishing for gossip, as usual. Don’t take him too seriously.”

  Hollow’s eyes flicked to Felix, then back to Ian. “There’s no story.”

  Ian leaned in, resting his chin on his hand. “Oh, come on. Don’t leave me hanging. Did she stay over? What’s her deal? Spill the tea, Hunter.”

  Hollow’s mind briefly flashed to Liliane’s warnings about keeping their spiritual identities and last night’s chaos under wraps. “She needed a place to stay. That’s all.”

  Ian raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. “Uh-huh. And I suppose she just accidentally borrowed your shirt too, huh?”

  “Her clothes were… messy,” Hollow said vaguely, his expression not changing.

  Felix shook his head with a laugh. “You’re wasting your time, Ian. Hunter’s not going to give you the juicy details you’re looking for.”

  Ian sighed dramatically, throwing his hands up in mock defeat. “Fine, fine. Keep your secrets, Hunter. But you’re an interesting guy. I’ll give you that.”

  Hollow didn’t respond, returning his focus to his screen. Ian straightened up, giving Felix a conspiratorial grin. “Alright, Felix. Let’s grab lunch later. You can fill me in on all the dirt.”

  “You wish,” Felix shot back with a laugh. “Get out of here before you distract everyone.”

  Ian gave a mock salute. “You know me too well. Later, boys.” With that, he sauntered off, leaving a trail of curiosity and amusement in his wake.

  Felix leaned over to Hollow, still grinning. “He’s a handful, isn’t he?”

  “He talks too much,” Hollow said flatly, earning another laugh from Felix.

  As Ian walked off, leaving behind his usual air of mischief, Felix leaned back in his chair, letting out a chuckle. He turned his attention to Hollow, who was already back to typing away at his desk.

  “You know,” Felix began, his tone lighter than usual, “it’s kind of nice to see you actually have people you know around here. I was starting to think I was the only one you talked to in this whole city.”

  Hollow paused for a moment, his fingers hovering over the keyboard. He looked at Felix with his usual neutral expression, unsure of how to respond to the statement. “I… don’t really talk to many people.”

  “Yeah, no kidding,” Felix said with a laugh. “But it’s good. I mean, the whole thing with that girl this morning? You’ve got to admit, it’s nice to have someone familiar around.”

  Hollow tilted his head slightly, considering Felix’s words. And thinking that there was indeed some truth to them, he replied. “I guess so.”

  Hollow and Felix were seated at their usual corner table in the cafeteria, the clinking of utensils and low hum of conversation filling the air around them. Felix had taken it upon himself to help Hollow “blend in,” though Hollow’s detached demeanor and strange eating habits made it a slow process.

  “Hunter, for the last time, you don’t analyze your food before eating it,” Felix said, watching as Hollow studied the plate in front of him. “It’s not a science experiment.”

  Hollow looked up briefly, then picked up his fork without a word, as if only half-convinced.

  Felix sighed. “We’ve got a lot of work to do.”

  Before Felix could say more, a new platter landed on the table with a gentle clatter. Mei was standing there, her trademark grin in place. “Hey, guys, mind if we join in?”

  Felix blinked, his eyes flicking to the empty seats. “Uh… we?”

  Mei tilted her head toward the cafeteria entrance, where Liliane stood frozen, her face a deep shade of red as she glared daggers at Mei.

  “Mei, what are you doing?” Liliane hissed, her voice barely audible over the cafeteria noise.

  “Helping you out, obviously,” Mei replied, completely unfazed. “Now, come on.”

  Liliane didn’t move, shaking her head furiously.

  Mei turned back to Felix and Hollow, shrugging. “She’s shy, but don’t worry. She’ll warm up.” Without waiting for permission, she sat down across from Felix and Hollow, gesturing to the seat beside her. “Lily, let’s go! Don’t make it weird.”

  Felix glanced at Liliane, whose mortified expression made it clear she was silently cursing her self-proclaimed bestie. Still, she reluctantly trudged over and sat down, her movements stiff.

  “I didn’t agree to this,” she muttered under her breath, shooting Mei a look.

  “Sure you did,” Mei said, grinning as she grabbed a piece of bread from the platter. “You just didn’t know it yet.”

  Felix raised an eyebrow, looking between the two. “You two know each other?”

  “Oh, we’re besties,” Mei declared dramatically, while Liliane groaned quietly.

  Felix gave a faint smile. “Mei’s always been good at making friends.”

  “Oh, speaking of old friends,” Mei said, her grin softening slightly as she turned to Felix. “Been a while, huh?”

  Felix nodded, his smile becoming a little more genuine. “Yeah, it has.”

  “So, how do you know each other?” Liliane asked, clearly trying to steer the conversation away from herself.

  “Elementary and high school,” Felix explained, shrugging. “We were in the same classes for some years.”

  “And I used to tower over him,” Mei added with a cheeky grin. “Felix was just a little bean sprout back then.”

  “And you were always climbing on desks,” Felix replied, smirking slightly. “I don’t think anyone ever sat in their seat as much as you stood on it.”

  “I had flair,” Mei said with mock pride. “Besides, I kept things lively. Admit it—you would’ve been bored without me.”

  Felix chuckled softly, shaking his head. “Maybe a little.”

  Mei turned her attention to Hollow, her eyes lighting up with curiosity. “And you—Hunter, was it? What’s your story?”

  Hollow glanced up from his plate, his expression unreadable. “I eat food.”

  There was a beat of silence before Mei burst out laughing. “Oh my god, you’re hilarious. I like you already.”

  Felix sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “He’s… still working on conversation skills.”

  “Honestly, this might be an improvement,” Mei teased, nudging Liliane with her elbow. “Right, Lily?”

  Liliane looked up from her plate, caught off guard. “Huh? Oh… yeah. Sure.”

  Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

  Mei smirked, leaning forward. “Don’t be shy, Lily. Tell us more about how you two met.”

  Liliane stiffened, her face turning red again. “Mei, stop.”

  “What? I’m just curious!” Mei said innocently, though the mischievous glint in her eyes said otherwise.

  Felix, sensing Liliane’s discomfort, cleared his throat. “So, Mei, what’ve you been up to lately?”

  Mei glanced at him, catching the deflection but rolling with it anyway. “Oh, you know, the usual—saving worlds, being amazing, making sure Lily doesn’t embarrass herself too much.”

  Liliane let out a long sigh, while Hollow, oblivious to the tension, simply continued eating.

  As the conversation carried on, Mei’s curiosity about Hollow didn’t wane. She rested her chin on her hand, eyes flicking between him and Liliane with thinly veiled mischief.

  “So, Hunter,” she said, her tone playful but laced with genuine curiosity. “What do you think about Lily?”

  Liliane, who had been mid-bite, nearly choked on her food. “W-What?” She turned sharply toward Mei. “Why would you ask that?”

  Mei shrugged, grinning. “I mean, you two seem close. I just wanna know what kind of impression you’ve left on him.” She looked at Hollow expectantly. “Well?”

  Hollow, unfazed by the sudden question, set his utensils down neatly, taking a second before answering. “She is capable and dignified.”

  Silence fell over the table. Felix blinked. Mei’s grin widened. Liliane sat frozen, staring at Hollow as if he had just spoken an alien language.

  After a beat, Mei let out a slow, dramatic, “Oooooh~?” She leaned in, wiggling her eyebrows.

  Mei’s grin only grew. “Oh, but that’s not all, right? Tell us more, Hunter. What else do you think about Lily?”

  Liliane’s eyes widened in horror. “Mei—!”

  But Hollow, taking the request at face value, continued while giving thought to the matter. “Well… she is sharp in judgment, resilient, and holds herself with strength even under pressure. She also possesses a disciplined mind, able to assess situations with efficiency. And no one can match her in combat!”

  Felix raised an eyebrow. “Combat?”

  Liliane stiffened. “Uh—metaphorically!” she blurted out trying to correct everything. “Like, um, work stuff! Strategy! Problem-solving! That kind of thing!”

  Felix, though unconvinced, let it slide. Mei, however, was too busy basking in the moment, tapping a finger against the table in exaggerated thought. “Sooo… would you say that’s admiration?”

  Hollow considered it briefly before answering, “I guess so.”

  Liliane wanted to disappear into the void.

  Mei gasped, dramatically clutching her chest. “Oh. My. God. Lily, do you hear this? I was expecting something like ‘she’s decent,’ but this is practically poetry!”

  Felix chuckled, shaking his head. “Yeah, Hunter. That’s quite the high praise.”

  Liliane shot Hollow a flustered glare. “You—you can’t just say things like that so casually!”

  Hollow blinked at her, unbothered. “Why?”

  Liliane opened her mouth, then closed it, at a complete loss. “Because—! Because—!” She waved her hands in frustration before groaning and covering her face.

  While Mei, she was absolutely thriving, barely containing her excitement. “Lily, you have to be blushing right now.”

  “I AM NOT.”

  “Lily, be honest with yourself,” Mei teased, nudging her side. “You like this.”

  Liliane grabbed a piece of bread off Mei’s plate and shoved it into her mouth. “Shut up.”

  Mei muffled a laugh, while Felix simply smirked and continued eating. Hollow, meanwhile, resumed his meal as if the conversation had never even happened.

  Liliane glared at him, still red-faced. “And you, stop saying weird things without thinking about them first.”

  Hollow looked at her blankly. “But everything I said was true.”

  Liliane groaned again, while Mei gave Hollow a slow clap. “Hunter, you are truly an enigma, and I respect that.”

  Felix chuckled. “I think you just like watching Lily suffer.”

  Mei grinned. “Oh, absolutely.”

  Liliane sank lower into her seat, knowing she wasn’t escaping this conversation anytime soon.

  Liliane sat stiffly in her seat, hands clenched in her lap as the conversation unraveled far beyond her grasp. Her face felt hot—too hot—and she kept her gaze firmly on her plate, hoping to will herself into obscurity.

  How did it come to this?

  She had merely planned to suffer through this lunch in silence, maybe endure a few of Mei’s antics, and then retreat to the safety of work. But no, now she was sitting here, drowning in a public dissection of her through the eyes of Hollow—someone who, up until now, she was sure saw her as an enemy.

  Capable. Dignified. Resilient. Precise.

  She replayed his words in her mind, struggling to reconcile them with the image she had of him. She had expected indifference, maybe a cold acknowledgment of her skill as a fighter, but nothing… personal.

  She dared a glance at him, only to find him eating, completely unaffected, as if he hadn’t just said something that sent everyone else spiraling into assumptions.

  Why would he say that?

  Her mind struggled to place it. Was it just how he viewed her as a combatant? A practical analysis? But it didn’t sound like a simple observation. It sounded… like admiration. And the worst part was that he said it so naturally, so effortlessly, that he likely didn’t even realize how much weight his words carried.

  Liliane clenched her fists under the table, her face still burning. This is ridiculous. This isn’t even a big deal.

  Just as she thought she might regain control of the situation, a new voice cut through the air.

  “Well, well, well—look at this gathering. What a party we’ve got here.”

  Liliane turned just as a man approached the table, flashing an easygoing grin. Tall, confident, and exuding the kind of casual charm that made his presence immediately felt.

  Ian.

  Felix’s face lit up immediately. “Ian! Hey, man, what’s up?”

  Ian clapped a hand on Felix’s shoulder as he slid into the empty seat. “Just making my rounds, my friend. And look at you, sitting with quite the interesting bunch.” His eyes scanned the group before resting on Hollow as he winked reminding him of their earlier meeting, which Hollow ignored.

  Mei smirked, tapping her fingers against the table. “Still friends with this guy, Felix?” she teased, clearly enjoying herself.

  Felix chuckled, shaking his head. “Unfortunately, yes.”

  Ian placed a dramatic hand over his heart. “Mei, I’m hurt! And here I thought we had something special.”

  Mei rolled her eyes, unimpressed. “Yeah, yeah. Save the act for the girls who fall for it.”

  Liliane observed the exchange with mild curiosity. So they did know each other, but judging by Mei’s tone, she wasn’t buying into Ian’s charm the way others probably did.

  Ian, unbothered, turned his attention to Liliane. “And you, I don’t think we’ve met yet.” He extended a hand, offering a charming smile. “Ian. Pleasure.”

  Liliane hesitated for a second before shaking his hand. “Liliane.”

  Ian’s grin widened. “Oh, I know who you are.”

  Mei scoffed. “Careful with this guy, Lily.”

  Ian placed a hand over his chest, feigning offense. “Oh, come on now, Mei. I’m a gentleman.” Then he smirked at Liliane. “Besides, I already know I can’t make a move. Since you are with our fellow over here.”

  Liliane nearly choked. “Excuse me?!”

  Felix sighed. “Ian…”

  Mei snorted, but then narrowed her eyes. “Wait a second. Who told you that?”

  Ian gave her a look. “It wasn’t exactly a secret. Gossip girls have been talking.”

  Liliane looked completely baffled. “Why would anyone even care?”

  Ian chuckled. “Office life, sweetheart. People get bored. They need something to entertain themselves, and nothing’s more fun than juicy drama.”

  Mei nodded, leaning back in her chair. “That’s just how it works, Lily. You’re the new girl, you’re hanging around a new guy and wearing his shirt—of course people are talking.”

  Liliane covered her face with her hands. “This is ridiculous.”

  Ian smirked. “Not to them. To them, it’s the highlight of the week.”

  Mei leaned forward with a wicked grin. “So, Lily… got any good office drama to share yourself?”

  Liliane groaned. “Absolutely not.”

  Ian laughed, Felix shook his head, and Hollow continued eating as if none of this concerned him in the slightest.

  Liliane suddenly desperately wished she could switch places with him.

  Ian stretched as he pushed back from the table, his easy going smirk still in place. “Well, this has been fun, but I’ve got places to be.” He stood up, rolling his shoulders before giving Hollow a pointed look. “Oh, and Hunter—since people are talking, you might wanna take care of her.”

  Liliane groaned immediately, slumping forward. “For the last time, it’s not like that!”

  Ian held up his hands in mock surrender. “Sure, sure. But you might wanna listen,” he added, his tone a little more casual—but still directed more toward Hollow than anyone else.

  Hollow, who had been largely indifferent to the conversation, barely reacted—until Ian’s words settled in. Take care of her.

  His gaze shifted, just slightly, to Ian. He didn’t respond, didn’t change his expression, but for a brief moment, there was the faintest glimmer of acknowledgment—like something had registered, if only for a second.

  Ian caught the look, grinned, and gave the group a lazy wave. “See you guys around.” And with that, he walked off.

  Mei leaned forward, watching him leave. “Okay, what the hell was that supposed to mean?”

  Felix shook his head. “No idea. That was… weirdly vague.”

  Liliane crossed her arms. “Probably just him trying to stir things up.”

  Mei drummed her fingers on the table, glancing at Hollow. “Hunter, what do you think?”

  Hollow, who had already resumed eating, didn’t bother looking up. “Does it matter?”

  Felix chuckled. “That’s a no.”

  Mei sighed, slumping back in her seat. “Man, now I want to know. That’s annoying.”

  Liliane exhaled sharply. “Can we please just drop all of this?”

  Mei smirked but relented, reaching for another piece of bread. “Fine, fine. But I swear, Lily, your life is way more interesting than you give it credit for.”

  Liliane wasn’t sure if she’d call any of this interesting. More like exhausting.

  Meanwhile, Hollow—though he had dismissed Ian’s words on the surface—found himself lingering on them for just a moment longer than he expected.

  He didn’t understand what Ian meant… but a part of him didn’t want to ignore it.