The sun spilled across the living room in lazy, golden stripes, sliding through the blinds like liquid light. Kairo lay stretched across the couch, one arm tucked under his head, the other draped casually over the edge of the coffee table. His legs extended fully, toes barely grazing the soft carpet. The TV hummed quietly, blending with the faint buzz of the system AI monitoring his vitals—something only he and a few like him truly noticed. The room carried an perfect scent of incinses...ever heart beat Hade a AI in it
Rika had claimed her usual spot: perched atop his chest, tablet in hand, dark hair falling over her shoulders in a messy cascade. She giggled at some scene in the show she was watching, completely unaware of the sharp calculations running through his mind.
"The hacker who's been stealing data has been caught and identified as 38-year-old Richard Henderson. Officials claim he got this ability through an IQ burst, and he's currently being interrogated," the anchor reported, voice flat and professional, as if stating a fact that could soothe an ignorant public.
Kairo hummed, letting the words wash over him without shifting his gaze from the flickering screen. IQ burst, they claim? Sure, they're common, but no one can actually hack after that. Not like this. They spin stories for the fools who actually believe it. Stupid humans, stupider officials…
"Humm. Seriously… how stupid do they think we are? Something bigger is happening behind the picture," he muttered, voice soft but edged with the kind of quiet certainty that made even casual remarks feel like chess moves.
Rika's eyebrow arched, and her lips curved in a teasing smirk. "You know you're hard to please."
"I'm not hard to please," Kairo replied smoothly. "You just have to know what you're doing. And you… suck at it."
A playful flick of her hand caught the side of his head.
"That hurts, you know," he murmured, pretending to wince.
"Then react," she shot back, leaning closer.
"I'm too lazy," he said, stretching further under her weight. Too early for her energy. Too early for chaos. Let it simmer.
Footsteps echoed outside the doorway, deliberate and confident. Lilith's voice carried with casual authority, teasing yet edged with quiet danger. "You kids make sure you use protection."
Kairo tilted his head lazily. "We are not doing it," he replied, calm and assured, as if stating an obvious universal truth.
Rika, unfazed, tilted her head, eyes glinting mischievously. "But I want to do it. I really want a baby."
Kairo's lips quirked into a lazy smirk. She doesn't know. None of them do… not yet. I'll let them think they control this.
"Know what?" he said smoothly. "Get off my chest. You're too heavy."
Lilith chuckled from the doorway, her voice soft and knowing, like a blade wrapped in silk. "I wish he would just give me a grandchild soon… I know what to do."
Kairo froze for a heartbeat — not in panic, but in calculation. She means it. She's serious. She sees more than anyone suspects… but she won't interfere. Not yet.
Rika rolled her eyes, flopping onto the carpet beside him. "You're impossible sometimes."
Kairo let a small, lazy smile cover the flicker of alertness in his mind. Even in perfect life, someone is always watching. Always calculating. Always preparing.
He turned his attention back to the TV, scanning the anchor's words for inconsistencies. Richard Henderson… sure. IQ burst… convenient scapegoat. Nothing about anomalies, disappearances, or corrupted systems. Idiots. They have no idea what's happening. No one does.
Rika nudged him lightly with her shoulder. "You think too much."
"Thinking is survival," Kairo said softly. "Even when life looks perfect, it's never really that simple."
She laughed and tossed a pillow at him, which he caught with one hand, eyes narrowing as he analyzed the subtle twitch in her smile. She doesn't know. None of them do.
The room was quiet for a moment, save for the low hum of the AI tracking vitals and the TV's muted chatter. Kairo's fingers drummed lightly on the couch arm. One year… that's all the time I've got before someone starts noticing patterns, before curiosity digs too deep. Then… it's all different.
Rika leaned close again, brushing her hair behind her ear. "So, what's on your mind, genius?"
"World's stupidity, mostly," he replied flatly. "And how much I need to keep it entertained until it breaks."
She laughed softly, curling her fingers around his wrist playfully. "You're impossible."
Impossible… maybe. But perfect for this. Kairo's eyes narrowed slightly. I'll need to stay two steps ahead. Three if I can manage. IQ bursts, corrupted systems, disappearing hackers… none of them are random. Someone is orchestrating things, and I need to be ready before they notice me.
The morning stretched lazily around them. The smell of coffee wafted from the kitchen, mingling with the faint scent of Rika's shampoo. The system AI pinged softly in the background, noting vitals, reminding him of the mundane, while Kairo's mind ran simulations and possibilities. Perfect life… yes. But nothing perfect lasts forever.
Lilith's voice returned, teasing yet carrying the quiet authority that had always unnerved him. "And don't destroy the furniture while you're at it."
Kairo allowed a quiet chuckle. Even in perfection, someone is always watching… always calculating… always ready.
He glanced at Rika, dark hair framing her playful face. She's blissfully unaware… and that's how it should be. They'll see soon enough. Eventually, everyone notices. Eventually… I have to choose.
The news anchor continued in the background, talking about the captured hacker as though it were the most mundane event in the world. But Kairo didn't hear the words anymore. His mind raced through patterns, calculations, and possibilities. Richard Henderson… IQ burst… they're hiding something. And I'm going to find out what it is before anyone else can. One year… maybe less. Time to prepare.
He leaned back, stretching lazily, a small smirk on his face. The perfect morning, the perfect life… but Rika was actually heavy on his chest