"Why?" Caleb asked quietly. "You sound… surprised."
Luna went silent for a moment. Her voice tensed up… then shifted back to neutral.
"No, it's nothing."
"You sure?"
"Anyway," she continued quickly, "just send me your location later on DhatsUpp. I'll pick you up at five. Don't go anywhere, okay?"
Before Caleb could say anything, the call ended.
He lowered the phone, eyes narrowing.
Two people both claim to be my mom's best friend, but one gets weird hearing the other's name? That's funny.
Suddenly—
[Ding!]
The system chimed. A faint bluish hologram popped up in front of his face, floating calmly.
[Daily Quest Activated]
[Quest – 10 Minutes Inside Someone's Head]
[Details]:
– Target : 1 individual (your choice)
– Objective : Extract at least one personal secret from the target
– Reward: 10 EXP, 10 Hijack Points
– Bonus: +20 EXP and +20 Hijack Points if you manage to extract 3 secrets
[Duration: 15 minutes ]
[Time Left: 14:59…]
[PENALTY] :
Failing to complete the mission within the time limit will trigger short-term memory disruption for 24 hours.
Effects:
– Mental disorientation
– Difficulty telling real memories from system-inserted ones
----
Caleb stared at the notification, blank-faced.
He glanced toward the door, hearing the soft clink of a flower pot being moved.
"…Of course," he muttered. "There's always a price for peace."
He took a deep breath.
"Should I dig into her secrets? But she helped me…"
His hand gripped the side of the chair tightly.
"Shit… now I'm torn."
He kept staring at the screen. The translucent prompt slowly faded to the edge of his vision, but his heartbeat just kept getting louder.
The task was clear.
But…
He lifted his head, eyes drifting toward the flower display in the distance. Lucy was still there. Back turned. Calm. Focused. Like nothing had changed.
I could pick anyone. But who? Someone outside? A random passerby?
He knew he could walk out and find some stranger on the street.
But then what? Dig into the secrets of a beggar? A delivery guy? A parking attendant? and end up getting caught? Get labeled 'ButtManiac' again? What for?"
The system didn't say he had to ruin anyone's life. Just… uncover one secret.
But once you know one… it's easy to find the second. And the third.
And Lucy?
She's the easiest target right now. No CCTV. No crowd. She knew his mom. And more importantly—she's hiding something.
Caleb slowly clenched his fist.
Secrets…
That word flipped a switch in his mind. If Lucy had secrets about his mom—about the past—he wouldn't just complete the mission. He'd gain something much bigger.
He took another breath.
Then, in a voice barely above a whisper—
"…Open Menu."
He tapped [Single Target Hijack] with his finger.
[Ding!]
[Connecting to Hijack Hub...]
[10%... 30%... 60%... 80%... 100%]
[Connected.]
[Hijack Hub - Single Target Hijack Active]
[Type your hijack...]
He started typing:
[Being honest with the child of a woman you've known for a long time is only natural.]
Then he hit Enter.
[Ding!]
[1 Hijack Point Consumed]
Caleb stood up slowly, still holding the half-eaten sandwich in his left hand.
His steps were light. Casual. But his eyes stayed locked on Lucy's back as she leaned over the cashier counter, sorting through receipts and loose coins.
He approached.
"Taste okay?" Lucy asked without turning around, having heard his footsteps.
"Not bad," Caleb replied briefly.
A short silence followed.
Then Caleb spoke again—quiet, but straight to the point.
"As my mom's friend… there's something I want to ask you."
Lucy paused for a second, but didn't turn around. "Go ahead."
Caleb stared at her back, sharp.
"What's one secret… that only you and my mom knew?"
Lucy froze.
Then slowly, she turned her head, looking at him with a small smile—one that was… hard to read.
"A secret, huh… Only the two of us knew that, once… your mom planned to end your life in your sleep. But she didn't."
Caleb went still. His hand holding the sandwich trembled slightly.
The system chimed again, confirming the truth.
[Ding!]
[+1 Secret Acquired]
[Hijack duration still active. Keep going, host.]
"…Why?" he whispered.
Lucy let out a short breath. "Not because she hated you, Caleb. But because she was… furious. At your dad. For leaving her. For Maya. But in the end, she didn't do it. She said you were just a child born from a foolish man's seed."
Caleb lowered his head slightly. That name—Maya—it rang a bell.
He remembered a woman named Maya used to visit the house when he was little.
His memories of his dad were foggy. They'd been apart since elementary school. Even his face had started to fade from Caleb's mind.
"…Then," Caleb lifted his head again, voice a bit softer, "what do you think about our family back then? Did it seem… weird to you?"
Lucy gave a faint smile and placed a plastic flower onto the shelf beside the register.
"Of course. Very weird. And dumb, honestly. Your dad was an idiot. Divorcing your mom—the strongest woman I've ever known—for another woman?"
She let out a small laugh.
"If he was smart… he could've just had two wives. He had the money. Could've made it work."
Lucy stared at a coin—worthless compared to her assets—then gently placed it on the shelf.
She didn't turn to Caleb right away. Just stood there, eyes fixed on the counter—like she was sorting through something in her mind.
Then she spoke. Quiet. Honest. But there was a faint tremble in her voice.
"Maybe…" she said, "it'll ease my heart a little if you knew this."
Caleb held his breath. His eyes locked onto the movement of her shoulders.
Lucy finally turned—their eyes met. And this time, her smile wasn't fake. It wasn't motherly. It was the smile of someone who's been holding something in… for way too long.
"I…"