Hope stared at Andrey with her blue eyes, her voice soft but sincere. "Andrey... I also feel like I’m needed. So if something comes up, just tell me, okay?"

Andrey’s heart pounded in his chest. His pulse quickened, his breath caught, and something in his chest loosened. He wanted to step closer. He wanted to close the distance between them and kiss her.

Hope felt the shift in the air. Her cheeks flushed, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her tank top. Her voice came out nervous, almost breathless.

"Andrey...?"

They leaned toward each other. Their faces inches apart. Hope’s eyes fluttered half-closed. Andrey’s gaze dropped to her lips.

And then—

His phone rang.

Loud. Sharp. Insistent.

They both jolted apart, the moment shattering like glass. Hope turned away quickly, her hand pressed to her burning cheek. Andrey fumbled for his phone, his fingers clumsy, his face flushed.

He glanced at the screen. Sarah’s name. Of course.

"I... I need to go," he said, his voice hoarse. He stood up, nearly tripping over the edge of the rug.

Hope nodded, not meeting his eyes. "Be careful."

Andrey reached the door, his hand on the handle. He paused, looking back at her. She was still facing away, her shoulders slightly hunched.

"I’ll text you," he said quietly.

Hope nodded again.

Andrey slipped out, closing the door softly behind him.

Hope stood alone in her apartment, the afternoon light warm on her skin. She pressed her fingers to her lips, still tingling from almost being kissed. Her heart was still racing.

"Ahh... he almost kissed me," she whispered to herself, her voice a mix of embarrassment and something else. Something softer. She touched her chest, feeling her heartbeat beneath her palm. "He almost kissed me..."

Outside, Andrey walked down the street, his hands shoved in his pockets, his phone still clutched in one hand. He looked at the screen again. Multiple messages. Sarah, Lisa, Sein. All asking where he was, when he was coming back, if he was okay.

He let out a long breath, tilting his head back to look at the sky.

"It seems I’m going to be scolded when I get home," he muttered.

He tucked the phone back into his pocket and kept walking, his footsteps steady despite the chaos still churning in his chest.

Andrey walked along the sidewalk, his steps heavy but steady.

He sighed deeply, pressing the elevator button at the subway station.

’That was close,’ he thought. ’What was I doing? She’s Hope—an S-rank. And I’m just... someone who happens to have a strange system that forces me to grope women’s chests.’

He shook his head, trying to discard the thought.

The train arrived. Andrey boarded and sat by the window, letting the blurring city scenery mesmerize him. His phone buzzed again. This time, a message from Sarah.

Sarah: "Where are you? Dinner’s ready. You’re taking forever."

Sarah: "Don’t tell me you’re still with Hope."

Andrey rubbed his face with his hand. He typed a quick reply.

Andrey: "20 minutes till I get home."

Sarah: "Hmm."

Just that. But Andrey knew exactly what Sarah’s "Hmm" meant. Not a good sign.

He closed his eyes, letting the hum of the train and the exhaustion from the battle with Etos slowly fade. His regeneration had closed most of his wounds, but his body still felt sore. On top of that, drowsiness was starting to creep in.

’Just this once, I’ll sleep soundly,’ he promised himself.

--------×--------

Andrey opened the apartment door. The living room light was still on, dim. The lingering scent of food hung in the air. Three pairs of eyes immediately turned to him.

Sarah stood near the dining table, hands on her hips. Her expression was a mix of relief and irritation. Lisa sat on the sofa, legs tucked beneath her, her face anxious but breaking into a small smile when she saw Andrey. Sein leaned against the wall by the hallway, arms crossed, her face flat as usual but her eyes observed intently.

"Andrey," Sarah broke the silence. "You took forever."

Andrey removed his shoes by the door, setting down his keys and the remaining remnants of his belongings on the small table. "Sorry. There was something I had to take care of."

The apartment fell silent for a moment. Sarah’s arms remained crossed, her expression caught between lingering irritation and genuine concern. She studied Andrey’s torn clothes, the fading bruises on his arms, the exhaustion behind his cracked glasses.

"An urgent matter?" she repeated, her voice quieter now.

Andrey met her gaze. "Hope and I were trapped inside a gate. We fought a demon." He paused, letting the weight of the words settle. "The demon possessed a fragment of Laplace’s soul. Because of that, I lost contact with the system the entire time. I couldn’t reach any of you."

Lisa’s hand flew to her mouth. Her eyes were wide, searching his face for hidden wounds. "Andrey... are you okay? Are you hurt?"

Andrey shook his head. "I’m fine. My regeneration handled most of it. But..." He reached to his side, where his katana hilt should have been. His fingers touched empty air. He unclipped the shattered remnants from his belt and held them up. The blade was gone, only jagged fragments of steel remained above the hilt. "My katana is broken."

Sein pushed off from the wall. She walked toward him, her footsteps slow and deliberate. She stopped in front of him, looking down at the broken weapon in his hands. Her expression didn’t change, but something in her eyes softened.

"Tch." She reached out and took the shattered hilt from him, turning it over in her hands. "It’s fine. That sword was old anyway. Probably would have snapped on its own sooner or later." She handed it back to him. "What matters is you came back alive."

Sarah’s arms uncrossed. She let out a long breath, her shoulders relaxing. "You must be exhausted," she said, her voice gentler than before. "Sit down. I’ll handle dinner."

Lisa blinked, her head tilting in surprise. "Eh? Sarah, you can cook?"

Sarah’s head snapped toward her, cheeks flushing slightly. "Of course I can cook! What kind of question is that?!" 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Lisa raised her hands defensively, though a small smile tugged at her lips. "I’ve just... never seen you cook before. You always eat takeout or ask Andrey to make something."

Sarah huffed, turning toward the kitchen. "Well, tonight’s different. So just sit down and wait."

Andrey watched Sarah disappear into the kitchen, the sound of cabinets opening and pans clattering echoing through the apartment. Lisa patted the couch cushion beside her, gesturing for Andrey to sit.

He hesitated for a moment, then walked over and sank onto the couch. The cushions embraced his tired body. Lisa gently took his hand, her fingers warm and reassuring.

Sein didn’t sit. She leaned against the wall again, her eyes still on Andrey. But this time, there was no challenge in her gaze. Just quiet acceptance.

Sarah rummaged through the kitchen, muttering to herself. The clatter of pots and pans echoed through the apartment.

"Where’s the salt...? Ah, here... No, that’s sugar..."

Lisa leaned toward Andrey, lowering her voice. "Are you sure she can cook?"

Andrey’s lips twitched. "She can follow a recipe."

Lisa giggled softly. "That’s not very reassuring."

Sein remained leaning against the wall. She didn’t comment, but the corner of her mouth lifted slightly.

From the kitchen, Sarah’s voice rang out. "I heard that!"

Lisa eventually stepped in to help, and together they managed to put together a simple but warm meal. Andrey had showered and changed into a clean shirt and loose pants, his damp hair still clinging to his forehead. He sat down at the dining table, the familiar creak of the chair welcoming him like an old friend.

Sein, already seated with her arms crossed, eyed the dishes with open suspicion. She leaned forward slightly, sniffing at the steamed vegetables. "Is this safe to eat?"

Sarah, placing a bowl of rice in front of her, shot Sein a flat look. "It’s not poison."

Sein’s eyes narrowed. "That’s exactly what someone who poisoned the food would say."

Sarah’s eye twitched. "Why would I poison you? If I wanted you dead, I’d just challenge you to another sparring match and let your own recklessness finish the job."

Sein opened her mouth to retort, but Lisa quickly slid a plate of grilled fish between them, her smile bright but her eyes warning. "Eat up, everyone! It’s getting cold."

Andrey picked up his chopsticks, the familiar weight grounding him. He took a bite of the rice, then the vegetables. Simple. Warm. It tasted like home.

Sarah sat down across from him, her own plate piled high. She watched him eat for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then she looked away, focusing on her own food.

Sein finally picked up her chopsticks, still muttering under her breath, but she ate. Lisa beamed, serving herself last.