Amaris' POV
"Hey, guys! Nice to—whoa, what happened to you two?" Ethan's voice cut through the usual hum of Hayley's Cyberspace.
"Nothing," Trent and I answered in unison.
At present, we were seated at our usual corner booth, looking like the living embodiment of exhaustion. My body felt heavy—lead-like, sluggish. Both Trent and I were teetering on the edge of consciousness after surviving what might have been the busiest shift we'd ever endured.
In addition, for the past week, we'd stayed up far beyond reasonable hours, pushing ourselves to create a device that might remove the evil encoding from Trent's Morpher. The result? Two sleepless, half-delirious teenagers fighting off collapse with sheer stubbornness.
"'Nothing'? You guys look like zombies," Conner remarked, laughing.
Trent groaned, his head dropping to the table with a dull thud. My eyelids, heavy as iron, began to droop. I fought to keep them open. 'No… I must not fall asleep. Showing such an undignified display in public—especially in front of my peers—would be utterly disgraceful.'
With a subtle motion, I pinched my thigh.
"Ah—" I flinched, the sharp sting jolting me awake.
When my eyes refocused, I realized everyone was staring at me with concern. Everyone except Trent, whose quiet breathing revealed he had already surrendered to slumber. His head rested on the table, cheek pressed against his folded arm.
Hayley crossed her arms, a faintly amused but worried expression on her face. "Sigh… You two do know you can take a day off, right? Cyberspace can run without you. I'm not that stingy with breaks."
At that, Trent's head shot up as if her words had pierced through his fatigue. "Busy? Again? Which table?"
He was already halfway to standing when Conner pushed him gently back into his seat. "Dude, chill," Conner said, half-laughing, though the concern in his tone was obvious.
"Okay, you guys seriously need a break," Kira said, exasperation bleeding into her voice.
"No bluff," Ethan added. "What did you two even do to end up looking like that?" He leaned closer, poking Trent's cheek.
"Heir…" I began, only to be interrupted by a yawn I couldn't stifle. "...duties."
That was the simplest way to put it. In truth, the reason went far deeper. After countless sleepless trials, I had finally succeeded in constructing a prototype—a small device capable of slowing the spread of the evil encoding in Trent's Morpher. But it was still far from perfect. And to make matters more complicated, for the past three days, Trent and I had also been searching for his Dino Egg—the one that would eventually hatch into the Dragozord.
"Oh, right," Ethan said, nodding as if remembering something. "You two come from those big, fancy families. Makes sense."
"Well, either way," Hayley continued, "you both need rest. Like, actual rest. You don't have to come in tomorrow."
At those words, I stood up instinctively—but gravity claimed me instantly. My vision darkened momentarily as I stumbled.
"You okay?" Kira asked, eyes wide with worry.
I nodded, straightening my posture as best I could. "I am quite all right, Miss Ford. Merely… slightly disoriented," I assured her. Then, turning toward Hayley, I added, "However, I must decline your offer. I will still report for work tomorrow."
Hayley blinked. "You what?"
"In the Shin family rulebook, it is written," I began, standing tall despite my drooping eyes, "'No matter the circumstance, a Shin must never abandon their work. The project is the extension of the soul—once begun, it must see its end.' Therefore, I, Amaris Shin, will return tomorrow."
I spoke with every ounce of remaining dignity I possessed.
Not even a minute later, Trent stood as well. "Yes. The Mercers have a similar rule," he said with quiet conviction. "'No matter the cost, a Mercer must never abandon their creation, their research, or their pursuit of completion. To leave it undone is to betray the family.' My dad might... not approve of me working here, but he would be very disappointed if I didn't finish what I started."
Hayley sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Well, Ms. Shin, Mr. Mercer," Hayley said with mock formality, "—this isn't about abandoning your work. This is me telling you to rest. Even heirs deserve a break."
"Understood," I said immediately, bowing my head slightly in acknowledgment.
Everyone smiled, perhaps believing I had finally conceded. But then I straightened my posture again and said firmly, "I will rest as soon as I arrive home. However, do expect me to return tomorrow."
Hayley's smile faltered. "Of course you will," she muttered under her breath.
"Same here," Trent said, already reaching for his car keys. "I'll rest tonight, then come back tomorrow."
Before he could stand, Conner intercepted him. "Yo, bro—love the commitment, but if you drive in that state, you will crash."
Trent frowned. "Then how am I supposed to get home?"
Ethan took a long sip from his milkshake and said lazily, "Conner can drive. Problem solved."
"Oh, yeah. I can drive you," Conner realized, nodding as he reached for Trent's keys.
Trent hesitated, then sighed and handed it over. "Thanks, man."
The two waved goodbye and exited the Cyberspace, leaving me alone with Kira, Hayley, and Ethan.
Kira turned toward me, her expression soft but tinted with worry. "What about you, Amaris?" she asked gently.
"Oh, I am merely waiting for my driver," I said, stifling another yawn.
Kira nodded, but I could see her eyes flicker with concern. My head began to tilt, then dropped entirely, bouncing slightly as I fought against the pull of fatigue. Then—warmth.
A gentle hand steadied my head, guiding it to rest against a firm shoulder.
"You can rest on my shoulder for now," Kira said quietly, adjusting her position to support me better. "You look like you need a nap."
Exhaustion and embarrassment waged war within me, but exhaustion won with brutal ease. "Thank you… Miss Ford," I murmured, my words already slurred by sleep.
Her perfume drifted faintly to my nose—a soft, citrus sweetness—Dolce & Gabbana's Light Blue Eau de Toilette, I recognized immediately in my fading consciousness. It suited her—bright yet calming, confident yet tender.
The edges of the world began to blur as my eyes closed.