The air turned still the moment Shia finished her report.
No one spoke.
The atmosphere was dense—thick with unspoken thoughts, each of them processing the magnitude of what had just been revealed. Shia's throat felt dry. A bead of sweat slid down her temple as her eyes cautiously flicked toward Vivianne. The Overseer hadn't moved, her expression unreadable as she stared blankly at the table.
Just as Shia shifted nervously in place, she noticed Vial subtly waving at her, gesturing toward the seat beside him. She blinked, slightly startled, but took the silent offer. With a quiet nod, she stepped forward and sat next to him.
Vial leaned in slightly, his voice low enough for only her to hear.
"You look like you're about to collapse," he teased with a gentle smile. "Relax, Doctor. You already impressed the queen."
Shia blinked again, then gave a small, involuntary laugh—a genius chuckle, quick and heartfelt. The tension in her shoulders eased, just a little.
Vivianne's eyes narrowed with a playful glint. "You two seem… close," she said, her voice smooth but with a note of dry amusement. "I might start getting jealous."
Vial grinned. "Well, I wouldn't mind adding another girlfriend to the list."
Vivianne laughed softly. "Tempting offer."
The exchange was light, but something shifted beside Vial. He turned slightly to glance at Shia, only to feel her hand grip his under the table.
Tightly.
He looked down. Her fingers clung to his as if trying to keep something from slipping away. She hadn't said anything, and her expression remained composed—but her body spoke differently.
Something inside her stirred, unfamiliar and unwelcome. A twist in her chest. A twinge she couldn't name. It wasn't pain, exactly, but it wasn't pleasant either. Her pulse quickened, her mind spinning. Why did it sting?
She didn't know the answer.
She only knew that when Vivianne joked back… something in her heart had recoiled.
She held onto Vial's hand like a tether, hoping he wouldn't pull away.
Vial looked down at Shia's trembling hands—still clinging tightly to his. Without a word, he gently reached over with his other hand, softly patting and stroking hers, The silent gesture soothed her.
Shia's breathing slowed, and though her expression turned calm, there was a flicker of apology in her eyes—like she regretted showing that vulnerability.
Vivianne, watching the moment with a subtle smile, finally stood. "That concludes our meeting. I'll need time to process everything," she said, her tone thoughtful but composed.
Vial raised a brow. "So… am I in the clear now?"
Vivianne nodded. "For now, yes. You're not under immediate protocol anymore."
Relieved, Vial stood and offered a respectful nod. "Then I'll take my leave."
Shia stood as well, giving Vivianne a brief, polite bow. "Thank you, Ms. Vivianne."
Vivianne returned the nod, her gaze lingering a bit longer on Vial than necessary. "Take care, both of you."
Rael, meanwhile, remained silent, still standing behind Vivianne like a shadow—eyes narrowed slightly, deep in thought.
As Vial and Shia stepped out of the room, the tension they'd just escaped seemed to lift. They walked toward the elevator side by side.
Ding.
The elevator chimed and the doors parted.
Inside stood a young woman—short, but striking. She looked more like an idol than someone who belonged on the top floor of a government facility. Her pink hair was tied in a high ponytail, tucked under a stylish cap, and she wore casual, slightly oversized clothes that contrasted with the formality of the environment.
She blinked, then lit up with a bright, mischievous smile. "Haiii~!" she sang, throwing up a peace sign before skipping out of the elevator with a playful hop bounce. Her energy was radiant—borderline chaotic—as she bounced joyfully past them, completely unbothered by the silence she left in her wake.
Vial gave an awkward, confused "Hi?" in return, watching her prance toward the meeting room like she owned the place. 'That's... normal?' he thought, glancing at Shia.
Shia, on the other hand, had shot the girl a sharp glare the moment she appeared—but the pink-haired stranger either didn't notice or didn't care.
As the elevator doors closed behind them, Vial leaned slightly toward Shia. "So... should I be worried that someone dressed like that is visiting Vivianne?"
Shia didn't respond right away. She just stared at him with narrowed eyes.
He smirked. "What? I know I'm too handsome. Can't help it."
She sighed dramatically and rolled her eyes. "Haah… Don't get too full of yourself, you walking ego."
They both chuckled as the elevator descended.
When the doors opened, they stepped out together. The hallway split—Vial's room one way, Shia's lab the other.
Just before parting, Shia tugged his arm gently, pulling him closer. Without a word, she kissed him on the cheek, then gave him a small, genuine smile.
"I have something to do," she said softly. "I'll see you later."
And just like that, she turned and walked off, leaving Vial standing there—still feeling the warmth of her lips on his cheek.
He blinked, dazed. 'Did that just happen?'
Then his thoughts shifted. Wait… I haven't touched my phone in days.
He hurried toward his assigned room in the building, hoping it was still there—and more importantly, hoping it hadn't died on him completely.
As he got to his room, Vial looked around for his phone. It was right where he left it on the table beside his bed. He picked it up and sighed in relief upon seeing that it still had battery. The familiar welcome screen lit up his face, and for a moment, he simply stared at it, hoping, absurdly, that maybe—just maybe—there would be something in it. Some clue. Some hint. Anything to explain how he had ended up in this strange, female-dominated world.
But as expected, there was nothing new. No missed calls from his original world, no odd data logs or unexplained files. It was just... normal. Too normal. The wallpaper, the apps — everything as it had been before. Still, the comfort of the device gave him a sense of grounding.
Then his eyes shifted to the notification bar. There were several unread messages.
He tapped into them, and that's when he remembered — Xia Maki. He had added her to his contacts after their cafe meeting.
The chat opened with her first message from days ago.
[Hey! Did you get home safe?]
[Just checking in. How are you doing?]
[Would you like to meet again sometime soon? Maybe a second date?]
[Vial? Are you okay?]
[You're not responding. Are you busy? Or... are you ignoring me?]
[I hope nothing bad happened. Please text me back when you see this.]
Her texts gradually shifted from casual curiosity to worry. Vial felt a mix of guilt and warmth. Maki was the first girl he had really talked to in this world — the first one who had treated him like a person, not a prized object or specimen.
He sat on the bed, fingers hovering over the keyboard, unsure what to say first. An apology? An explanation? A simple "I'm okay"?
He started typing.
[Hey, sorry for not replying sooner. A lot happened. I'm safe now. Want to meet up?]
Before hitting send, he paused. Was it safe? Would Vivianne or Rael allow it? Then he remembered—Vivianne had already given him the green light. He was technically "in the clear."
With a small nod to himself, he pressed send.
Just seconds later, his phone buzzed with a reply.
[OMG you're okay!! I was so worried!!]
[Of course I want to meet! When?? Where?? I'm free anytime!]
He smiled slightly at her enthusiasm. Despite the strangeness of everything, her reactions made things feel normal — human.
Since he was already dressed, Vial simply took off his suit jacket, loosened his collar, and gave himself a quick look in the mirror. He didn't feel the need to freshen up—he wasn't trying to impress anyone, or at least, that's what he told himself.
Pocketing his phone, he stepped out of the room and made his way to the meeting place he and Maki had agreed on.