n

n

nKairos, Chen, and Nicole all looked down the hall. They saw a girl that was leaping and somersaulting through the corridor like she was performing a gymnastics performance. And to accompany that, she was dodging swords appearing out of the walls that were randomly swinging at her.

nIt was a woman with short blonde hair and blue eyes. She was breathing steadily, like doing this was normal for her.

nWith an impressively beautiful landing, the girl stepped into the room. There wasn’t a single scratch on her, nor was there any look of caution on her face despite jumping into a room with three strangers.

nShe gave everyone a quick once over and realized that Nicole didn’t even seem panicked. Off this basis, she shot her a smile.

n“Ah, it looks like we have someone that can hold their own here, and it’s a girl too! Do you want to come with me?”

nNicole was taken aback. She needed a few seconds before she could answer.

n“U-Um, sorry I’m not going.”

nThe girl let out a helpless sigh, but didn’t seem to care that much.

n“Pity.”

nChen furrowed his brows as he looked at her.

n“What the hell’s your deal? We aren’t in a playground right now.”

nThe girl raised an eyebrow and smirked.

n“Oh really? Well, I already know where the exit is. I’m just here to try out all of the different traps that this dungeon has to offer!”

nChen’s eyebrow twitched when he heard that.

n“You already know where the exit is but you’re still here?”

nThe girl let out a scornful chuckle.

n“It may be strange to you, but some people may not actually find this difficult if you didn’t know.”

nChen narrowed his eyes but didn’t respond. He seemed to be feeling some indignation, almost like he wanted to cry out that he didn’t actually find it difficult. However, it looked like he wasn’t hung up on his pride.

nKairos scratched the side of his head.

n“Do you mind telling us where the exit is then?”

nThe girl put both hands on her hips and looked back disdainfully.

n“Oh? And why exactly should I do that?”

nKairos couldn’t help but think of the times when he asked for directions as a kid. Although nobody ever explicitly said it, he felt as though all of the adults were thinking exactly that. He let out a small sigh.

n“I was just asking. If you don’t want to help, that’s fine too.”

nThe girl leaned in as her smile widened.

n“Oh? Playing the tough guy now, huh? I’m sure with injuries like those you are soo desperate to get to the exit.”

nKairos blinked a few times.

n“I guess so.”

nHe couldn’t help but wonder what this girl’s deal was. She acted like she didn’t want anything to do with him, but still stuck her nose in any way. The hypocrisy was rather jarring to him more than anything.

nFrom the way Chen was looking at her, it seemed he was basically thinking of the same thing.

nThe girl clicked her tongue.

n“Well, whatever.”

nShe turned to look at Nicole once more.

n“Are you really not coming with me? Last chance.”

nNicole shook her head without hesitating for a moment.

n“…I’ll be here.”

nThe girl narrowed her eyes when she heard that.

n“And why is that? Don’t tell me one of these guys is your boyfriend or something.”

nAfter hearing that, Nicole blushed furiously. She held her hands together and looked down at the ground, unable to make eye contact any longer.

nIt seemed that this somehow triggered something within the girl. There was a scowl on her face that seemed to come from genuine displeasure.

n“Ha? Girl, you can do far better, trust me. What? Is it that guy?”

nShe pointed towards Chen.

n“Look, I get that he might be better than average, but if you’re really going to attach yourself to someone, it has to be a guy worth your standards! Don’t undersell yourself.”

nNicole didn’t respond. As for Chen, an awkward expression formed on his face as he shot a glance at Kairos. It seemed Chen really didn’t know what to say after hearing that.

nAfter a moment of silence, Kairos let out a soft sigh.

n“She isn’t dating either of us. At most, it’s friends.”

nNicole’s gaze snapped to Kairos, and she had a betrayed look on her face.

n“E-Eh?”

nThe girl now looked confused.

n“…What the hell is going on here?”

nChen clicked his tongue.

n“Does it really matter? Why do you even care so much?”

nThe girl put one hand on her hip.

n“Oh? And since when did I have to answer you?”

nChen looked back at her with hostility.

n“If you can freely move around, then why are you sticking around here?”

nThe girl laughed.

n“Still ordering me around, huh? Do you really think I’ll listen?~”

nNicole didn’t seem to hear their argument. She shyly tugged onto Kairos’ arm almost like she was a child.

n“H-Hey.”

nKairos smiled bitterly and whispered to her.

n“We agreed to only be friends, remember? Only when everything calms down.”

nNicole let out a disappointed hum.

n“Ok…”

nThe girl’s gaze darted to the side.

n“Girl, tell me your name.”

nNicole looked at her strangely but complied.

n“Um, Nicole.”

nThe girl nodded.

n“Hello, Nicole. My name is Kaede. Now I would like to know why you seem so hung up on this man.”

nKairos’ eyelid twitched. If nothing else, he had to give her credit for being good at pushing one’s buttons. Nicole bit the bottom of her lip and seemed to get a little mad.

n“Why do you care! It’s my life, not yours!”

nKaede shrugged her shoulders.

n“Our mothers always get mixed up in our lives and tell us what to do, no? But that’s just looking out for us. That’s what I’m doing.”

nNicole frowned.

n“Well thank you for your opinion. You can leave now.”

nKaede laughed quite hard, almost like it was a really good joke.

n“Ironic. So ironic. Don’t you know?”

nNicole blinked a few times.

n“Know what?”

nKaede sighed.

n“That’s the kind of guy that’s super non-committal. He’ll just keep pushing you away no matter how hard you try. It’s not like he’s even any good either, just insecure as could be. The only thing he’s gonna do is leave you.”

nNicole’s breathing immediately became heavy. She began stumbling like she was losing her balance. Her words were incomparably weak.

n“N-No…”

nThen, she burst into tears. After seeing this near breakdown, Kairos got a little worried. He held onto her hand and spoke softly.

n“You don’t have to listen to her. I’m right here.”

nKaede seemed to be enjoying Nicole’s current state, on the verge of breaking apart. And so, she continued on.

n“What? It’s not like I told either of you anything either of you didn’t know. Both of you were just denying it, and I put it out in the open.”

nNicole cried out like she was being stabbed.

n“AHHHHHHH!”

nLike a waterfall, tears began falling from her face. Kairos was at a loss. He didn’t even really understand why Nicole was like this. After thinking for a while, he looked at Kaede with narrowed eyes.

n“What did you do?”

nKaede raised an eyebrow.

n“I didn’t do anything, mind you.”

nKairos grit his teeth.

n“You… used some sort of spell.”

nKaede smirked.

n“Haha, as if. Nicole just knows that you’re going to leave her, and that’s that.”

nKairos took a step forward, getting in between Nicole and Kaede.

n“Leave.”

nKaede crossed her arms.

n“Make me.”

nThe two stared at each other for a few moments. And at that time, Chen wasn’t looking at either of them, but rather… Nicole.

n“She… stopped crying?”

nKairos relaxed when he heard that, thinking that Nicole had calmed down. However, that turned out to be wrong. Out of nowhere, Nicole threw herself at him, clinging tightly, wrapping both her arms and legs around him.

nKairos felt a hot breath next to his ear. Nicole whispered to him.

n“You… you aren’t leaving me.”

nThis sent a chill down his spine. Kairos’ face twitched. He looked over at Kaede, thinking she was responsible. However, there was a genuine expression of surprise on her face. Kairos realized that he may have underestimated how fragile Nicole’s state of mind had become.

nRealistically speaking, that should’ve been obvious with her dad dying, then her mom’s personality inexplicably changing. But for some reason, Kairos didn’t catch onto it. Almost like he couldn’t see why that was a problem.

nHe spoke slowly.

n“I never had any plans of leaving you.”

nNicole reached towards his chest and blatantly began fondling them like a pervert, not caring for a moment that both Kaede and Chen were literally nearby.

n“But you’re going to leave, aren’t you? You… you’ll leave me. Leave me all alone. All by myself.”

nHer grip around him became even tighter. It seemed that she was using her full strength, as it was quickly becoming somewhat painful. Kairos slowly took in a breath.

n“I won’t leave. Seriously.”

nNicole’s grip softened a bit when she heard that.

n“…Really?”

nKairos nodded and spoke softly.

n“Really.”

nNicole didn’t seem to be satisfied.

n“Really, really?”

nKairos let out a soft chuckle.

n“Really, really.”

nHe thought she finally calmed down, but for whatever reason, both Kaede and Chen were looking at him like he was a ghost.

n…No, that wasn’t it. They were looking at Nicole.

nKairos slowly moved his head to the side and out of the corner of his eye he could see Nicole with an expression he hadn’t ever seen her make before. It was incredibly obsessive. The smile on her face made it seem like she was delirious, or completely wasted off drugs.

nAs for her eyes, they were opened all the way, and it seemed like she was actively trying to open them even wider than they already were to see him more.

nKairos felt a foreboding feeling but ignored it. He attempted to salvage the situation.

n“Nicole, you can calm down. I’m right here.”

nNicole slowly nodded.

n“Yes… right here…”

nShe mumbled something but didn’t say it loud enough to be comprehensible.

n“Stay… you will stay.”

nKairos slowly nodded.

n“Ok. Are you ok with letting go of me?”

nNicole tilted her head to the side and stared at him like a hawk.

n“What? Y-You said you would stay!”

nKairos spoke calmly.

n“Yes. I am staying with you. But we have to go together and we can only do that if you let go.”

nNicole violently shook her head.

n“No! We don’t have to go!”

nKairos sighed.

n“Nicole, we can’t stay here forever. We’ll starve to death. Come on, let’s go now. It’s better to do it sooner rather than later.”

nNicole mumbled to herself. Out of nowhere, she began rubbing her head against the side of Kairos’, messing up his hair.

nThen, she spoke.

n