Natalia curled her legs beneath her on Satori's bed, pretending to focus on the manga in her hands. The pages blurred as her eyes skimmed over panels without absorbing anything. This room had transformed completely in the past weeks. Gone was the disaster zone of empty snack packages and discarded clothing. Now everything had its place—desk neat and organized, floor spotless, bed made with military corners.

The only personal touch was a small shelf of well-worn manga volumes. She flipped another page, not really seeing the heroic characters spouting nonsense about friendship and loyalty. The irony burned in her chest. Here she was, reading about heroes while helping a villain build his empire.

The bathroom door clicked open. Steam billowed out in a thick cloud, and Natalia's breath caught in her throat.

Satori emerged, a towel hanging dangerously low on his hips. Water trickled from his damp red hair, leaving glistening trails down his neck, over his collarbones, and across the hard planes of his chest. Droplets clung to the defined ridges of his abdomen before disappearing beneath the towel.

She kept her eyes fixed on the manga, but her peripheral vision betrayed her, cataloging every detail. The broad expanse of his shoulders. The lean muscle of his arms. The sharp V-shape disappearing beneath white terry cloth.

Her heart hammered against her ribs, the sound deafening in her ears.

Satori grabbed another towel and began drying his hair, the movement causing his back muscles to flex and ripple under his skin.

"Find anything interesting in there?" His voice rumbled low, a knowing edge to his tone.

Natalia swallowed hard, keeping her eyes stubbornly on the page. "It's childish. All this talk about the 'power of friendship.' Utter nonsense."

"Is it?" He turned toward his closet, presenting her with a view of his broad back tapering to a narrow waist. "I find it fun."

Without warning, he dropped the towel. The soft thump of fabric hitting the floor was thunderous in the quiet room.

Natalia's eyes snapped up against her will, just for a second. She caught a fleeting view of his bare backside—muscular and firm—before he pulled on a pair of boxers and dark jeans. The sound of the zipper cutting through the silence made her jump.

He pulled a simple black t-shirt over his head, the fabric stretching across his chest and shoulders as he tugged it down.

Natalia forced her attention back to the manga, her face burning.

"You're meeting her today?" she asked, aiming for casual disinterest and missing by a mile.

"Mmm." Satori ran his fingers through his damp hair, arranging it with minimal effort. "Study date at Cloud 9. Entrance exams are getting close."

"Just studying?"

His lips curved into that infuriating half-smile. "For now."

===

Emi stood before her mirror, smoothing invisible wrinkles from her cream-colored sweater. The off-shoulder style showed just enough skin to be cute without being obvious. Her navy pleated skirt swished around her thighs as she turned, checking her appearance from all angles.

"My, my. All this for a study date?" Her mother, Hanako, sat on the edge of Emi's bed, eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Mom!" Emi's cheeks bloomed pink as she adjusted her sweater again. "We're going to a café! I have to look presentable!"

Hanako came up behind Emi, meeting her daughter's eyes in the mirror. "You look more than presentable, sweetheart. You look beautiful." She reached up, tucking a stray strand of blue hair behind Emi's ear. "He's a lucky boy, this Satori-kun."

"I don't even know if he likes me that way," Emi whispered, fidgeting with a silver bracelet on her wrist. "He's so smart and focused and strong, and I'm just..."

"You're Emi Aoyama," Hanako said firmly, squeezing her daughter's shoulders. "A brilliant, kind-hearted girl with the power to heal. Never forget how special that is."

Emi's phone buzzed on her dresser, screen lighting up with Satori's name. Her face brightened instantly as she lunged for it.

"Hi, Satori-kun!" Her voice was breathless, excited. "Yes, I'm almost ready! Cloud 9, right? Great! See you soon!"

She hung up, clutching the phone to her chest, bouncing on her toes.

Hanako watched her daughter's pure joy with a soft smile. This was all she'd ever wanted for Emi—simple happiness. Being a Healer was a difficult path, always giving, rarely receiving. Perhaps this boy would give something back to her daughter.

"Don't forget your bag," Hanako reminded gently. "And your transit pass."

"Got them!" Emi grabbed her pastel backpack, checking its contents. "Notebooks, pens, highlighters, textbooks on Aspect theory and Gate biology..."

"And your lip gloss?" Hanako added .

Emi paused, then darted back to her dresser, grabbing a tube of strawberry-scented gloss. "Thanks, Mom!"

She kissed her mother's cheek and rushed toward the door.

"Emi?" Hanako called after her.

Emi paused at the doorway, looking back. "Yes?"

"Have fun. But remember to guard your heart, just a little."

Emi's smile faltered for just a moment before returning, slightly dimmer. "I will, Mom. I promise."

===

Natalia watched as Satori's entire demeanor transformed during the phone call.

He was smiling.

"That was Emi?" she asked when he hung up, trying to keep her voice neutral.

"Yeah. She's excited about today." Satori slipped his phone into his pocket and grabbed a button up from the chair.

"You're laying it on pretty thick with her."

He paused at the door, turning to look at Natalia with dark, knowing eyes. "Just playing my part, Princess. Isn't that what we agreed on?"

"I know, but—"

"But what?" His eyebrow arched. "Having second thoughts about offering up your best friend?"

"No! I just... don't want you to rush things. She's not like me. She's innocent."

"Which makes her perfect." Satori's expression softened, almost mocking. "Don't worry, I'll be gentle with your little friend."

"I'm not worried," Natalia lied.

Satori studied her for a long moment, then shrugged. "Don't wait up, Princess."

The front door clicked shut behind him, the sound echoing through the empty condo. Natalia sat frozen on his bed, the lingering scent of his soap and cologne wrapping around her like ghostly arms. It was intoxicating and infuriating all at once.

She hurled the manga across the room. It hit the wall with a thwack and fell to the floor, pages splayed open.

It wasn't enough.

This was the plan. She had suggested Emi herself. It made perfect sense—Emi's healing Aspect would be invaluable to their team. She was kind, loyal, and trusting. The perfect second Pillar.

So why did the thought of Satori smiling at Emi make her want to break something?

"This is foolish," Natalia muttered to herself. "I trust him. This is necessary."

But the memory of that genuine smile gnawed at her. Had he ever smiled at her like that? Or was she just a conquest, a stepping stone?

"He's still new to all this," she reasoned, her pace quickening. "He doesn't understand the vipers in this city. A late-bloomer with his potential? He's a target. Someone could challenge him."

The justification felt paper-thin even to her own ears, but she clung to it desperately.

"He needs oversight. Yes. That's it. I'm not being jealous. I'm providing tactical support. Protecting our most valuable asset."

Decision made, Natalia marched back to her room. She yanked a dark, hooded sweatshirt from her closet and a plain baseball cap. A pair of sunglasses completed the disguise.

Her lips curved into a cold, determined line.

Time to begin the surveillance operation.

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