The night was still alive as Tyler and Mira moved through the side streets. Her motorcycle rolled with a metallic squeak, half engine, half mechanical suffering.
"Do you want me to keep carrying it?" Tyler asked.
"No, no. I can handle it now." Mira smiled, though her pride seemed to have a broken spring. "I've made enough of a fool of myself for today."
He chuckled softly.
"I wouldn't call it making a fool of yourself. Everyone has days like this."
"You too?"
"A specialist. I have a Ph.D. in days like this."
The girl let out a light laugh. Not affectionate, but sincere. The kind of laugh that escapes without permission.
Tyler glanced at her: Mira had slight dark circles, hands covered in grease, and an intense gleam in her eyes, a mixture of passion and fatigue.
This girl... she really works hard.
Finally, they arrived at the workshop.
A narrow building, made of old metal, with a flickering neon sign: "Clarke's Garage."
Mira pushed up the metal curtain and turned on the lights.
The interior was filled with tools, parts, dismantled engines, boxes of spare parts... but everything was organized with a logic only she could understand.
"Welcome to the chaos," she said, stretching her neck. "It's a mess, but it's my mess."
"I like it. It has character."
"Yeah, character, grime, and debt," she said, sighing.
The System vibrated.
$$New Entry: Environment of Interest – Clarke's Garage$$
This location may generate related missions in the future.
Affinity +3
Tyler blinked.
The System registers locations now? That means... it plans for me to come back.
Mira gestured to him.
"Come on, help me get this thing onto the bench. The wheel is badly set, and I think the electrical system shorted out."
He assisted her effortlessly.
It was impossible for Mira not to notice.
"Have you always been this strong?" she asked, crossing her arms.
"Let's just say things have been... changing lately."
"For the better?"
"I think so."
She didn't press further, but it was clear she had her eye on him.
They both got to work. She dismantled the front part of the motorcycle while Tyler held things, illuminated areas, and passed tools.
The dynamic between them flowed naturally, almost rhythmically. As if they had worked together before.
Mira spoke as she concentrated her gaze on the screws:
"My old man left me this workshop when he went traveling."
"Traveling?"
"Yeah. 'Traveling.'" She made air quotes. "He left to compete somewhere and never came back. He left me this... and all the bills."
"Wow."
"But I'm not complaining. I'm good at this. Really good."
Tyler watched her. The way she tensed her jaw, the precision of her hands...
She was a woman without embellishments, without pretense, without masks.
Strong.
Direct.
Real.
The city, with all its tricks, lacked people like her.
The System vibrated again.
$$Affinity with Mira +5$$
Reason: Positive emotional evaluation.
She looked up.
"What? You're looking at me weird."
"Sorry," he replied, smiling. "I was thinking you work really well."
She blushed faintly.
"Idiot."
They continued like this for over an hour.
Tyler, despite knowing nothing about mechanics, adapted quickly.
His movements were precise.
His mind was clearer than ever.
It was as if the System had optimized him for this type of task.
Until...
$$Mission Update$$
Progress: 60%
New Secondary Objective: Discover the root cause of the breakdown.
Reward: Rarity C Item
Me? Discover the cause?
While Mira was changing wires, he checked the underside of the seat. Something caught his attention: a main cable torn from the inside, as if someone had cut it.
"Hey, Mira... come here for a second."
She approached.
"What is it?"
"Look at this wire. This doesn't look like wear and tear... it looks deliberate."
Mira froze.
She knelt down.
She touched the cable.
She examined it with a magnifying glass.
Then she gritted her teeth.
"Son of a... That damn Markus!"
"Who?"
"The owner of the workshop across the street. I've been rejecting his 'proposals' for weeks. And yes, they're exactly what you think. He wanted me to work for him... and not exactly on mechanics."
Tyler frowned.
"And he thinks sabotaging you will achieve anything?"
"He's a pig. He thinks if he ruins me enough, I'll beg him for a job."
"You won't beg him for anything," Tyler said firmly.
"Exactly." She locked her gaze on him. "I'm not going to let him take the only thing I have."
The System responded to the emotion.
$$Affinity +10$$
Current Level: 90/100
Evaluation: Deep connection established.
Tyler swallowed.
Ninety. Damn...
Suddenly, a digital sound interrupted him:
$$Main Mission Completed$$
Reward:
$3,000 transferred
Rarity B Item: "MULTI-TECH WRENCH"
A versatile mechanical wrench capable of improving any repair by 40%.
Affinity +15
Total Affinity with Mira: 105/100 – Advanced Relationship Unlocked
Tyler felt a slight dizziness as the wrench appeared in his digital inventory.
Mira was still examining the cable, indignant, when he approached her.
"Calm down," he said softly. "You're not alone in this."
She looked up.
Her expression changed.
It shifted from rage to something softer.
More dangerous.
"...Thank you, Tyler." Her voice was lower, more honest. "Truly."
They remained in silence for a few seconds that stretched too long.
Mira was the first to break it.
"Well..." she looked away almost shyly. "We're done for today."
"Do you want me to leave?"
"If you leave..." She paused briefly, biting her lower lip, "...I'll probably feel a little lonely."
Tyler's heart skipped a beat.
The System, as always, didn't miss the opportunity:
$$Special Event Available: "**Night of Trust**"$$
Do you wish to participate?
(No System reward. Direct emotional consequence.)
Tyler took a deep breath.
The night was still young.
The city was still buzzing.
And Mira Clarke, with grease-stained hands and a rapidly beating heart, was looking at him, waiting for an answer.
Tyler smiled.
"I'm in no hurry."
She smiled too.
The workshop door closed softly behind them.