A muffled, strangled cry jolted her awake.
Mara blinked, disoriented. The light of dawn seeped through the silk curtains, painting the room in golden hues. She sat up slowly, the sheet slipping down over her naked body.
Where…?
Ah, right. Dahlia's mansion. The orgy. The drunken blur of sensations. And Reiko.
Reiko was standing by the door, eyes wide open, her face so pale she looked ready to faint. Her suitcase had fallen to the floor, forgotten.
"Reiko?" Mara tried to sound casual, though the accountant's expression unsettled her. "What are you doing here?"
The woman didn't respond. Her lips moved without producing any sound, as if she were trying to process something impossible. Her gaze swept over Mara's body with an intensity that bordered on terror.
Terror…? Why the hell is she terrified?
Mara frowned. She glanced around, searching for some explanation. The room was a mess of tangled sheets, clothes scattered across the floor, empty bottles everywhere. Nothing unusual after a night like yesterday.
But Reiko kept staring at her as if she had just seen a monster.
"Reiko, are you okay?" Mara stood up, not bothering to cover herself. There was no point—after working at The Velvet Veil, nudity was the least important thing.
The accountant took a step back. Then another.
She's… running from me?
Something twisted in Mara's chest. An odd, uncomfortable feeling. She didn't like being looked at like that. Like she was dangerous. Like she was…
Like she was something that shouldn't exist.
"Wait." Mara stepped forward, reaching out her hand.
Reiko trembled. Her knees gave out, and she collapsed to the floor, breath escaping her lips in short, broken gasps.
Shit. What do I do?
Mara wasn't good at this. Emotions. Comfort. Her life had been a string of fleeting pleasures and impulsive choices. She'd never had to deal with someone falling apart right in front of her.
But Reiko… Reiko was different.
Reiko had been kind to her. Patient. She had been…
Important.
Without thinking, Mara closed the distance. She knelt in front of the accountant and took her by the shoulders.
"Reiko, look at me."
Reiko's eyes locked onto hers. Blue against orange. Terror against confusion.
"I don't know what's happening," Mara admitted, her voice softer than usual. "I don't know why you're scared. But… I'm not going to hurt you."
Tears began to spill down Reiko's cheeks.
Damn it…
Mara didn't know what to do. Her mind went blank, every social instinct evaporating. Only instinct remained.
And her instinct told her to do the one thing she knew how to do well.
She leaned forward and pressed her lips against Reiko's.
The world stopped.
Reiko froze, eyes wide. Mara tasted her—salt from tears, the sweetness of trembling lips, and something deeper she couldn't name.
This is insane.
But she didn't pull away.
And after a moment that felt eternal… neither did Reiko.