Kai closed his bedroom door softly, the warmth of the dinner and Natasha's embrace still settling in his heart. The apartment was quiet again.
His physical body was the first to speak up. A dull, heavy ache pulsed in his legs and back, and his shoulders were tight. The hour-long brisk walk, the relentless note-taking, and the nervous energy of the day had completely taxed the body of the previous, sedentary owner. It was a good kind of pain, though proof that the work was finally real.
He changed quickly into loose, comfortable clothes. Despite his exhaustion, his academic mind demanded one last task. Mathematics. Unlike history or science, math was a skill that withered without active practice. Even with his adult knowledge, the complex formulas and calculus techniques would become slow and unreliable in the pressure of an exam if he didn't drill them.
He pushed the weariness aside and spent the next hour working through a series of demanding calculus problems. His brain felt sharp, finding the most efficient path to the answer every time, but his body was a dead weight in the chair, reminding him how quickly he would crash if he kept pushing.
He closed the textbook, the last of his energy spent.
Kai crawled into bed, settling into the familiar ache in his muscles. He reached for his phone and opened the System Bank App.
The balance was a staggering $35,434,465.30.
He stared at the numbers. Thirty-five million dollars. Just hours ago, he had been a man with nothing. Now he held a ridiculous fortune.
His gaze drifted to the closed door. He thought of Natasha, doing the final tidying, trying to put aside her exhaustion for him. He remembered her tender words, her worry about him being in pain, and her guilt about her late husband Kai's brother whose death in an accident she had no power to stop. She felt like she failed her husband by not being a good enough guardian to his younger brother.
He felt a deep pang in his heart. He was rich, but she was still suffering under that emotional burden and the daily stress of work. He had given her a lovely dinner and five million dollars in secret return, but tomorrow she would still go to her job, still worry about money, and still come home emotionally drained.
He had to move faster. The money was useless if it only sat in a digital account while the person he cared about most suffered.
He promised himself: Soon, you will have a tension-free life.
A high-level plan began to form in his mind. It would be complex, requiring perfect execution to change their lives without raising massive alarms. But he knew with absolute certainty he could do it. Tomorrow would be the day the plan began.
He fell asleep almost instantly, the ache in his muscles a physical counterpoint to the quiet, powerful resolution in his mind.
The morning sun was trying to peek through the blinds when a soft, hesitant knock sounded on Kai's door.
Knock. Knock.
Kai woke instantly. The body still ached, protesting the previous day's sudden exertion, but his mind was sharp and already focused on the plan forming in his head.
The knock was from Natasha. The previous owner of this body had made it abundantly clear that he wanted absolute solitude. He would get angry if anyone came near his door, forcing Natasha to simply leave food outside and disappear quietly. This gentle knocking was a new, tentative move from her. She was worried, trying to be close to him without violating his space.
Kai felt a profound rush of emotion. It was a mother-like presence gentle, concerned, and persistent. He felt terrible for the genuine distress he, and the previous Kai, had caused this kind woman.
The previous owner had wanted to stop worrying her, but his depression and failures had only made her more frantic. Now that Kai was here, his resolve to give her a tension-free life became even stronger. He swung his legs out of bed.
"I'm awake, Natasha. Give me two minutes," he called out, his voice sounding rested and calm.
He quickly dressed in a simple t-shirt and went to the small kitchen. Natasha was at the stove, finishing breakfast.
"Good morning," she said, turning with a relieved smile. "I was worried. You were so quiet last night."
"I just focused on math and crashed," Kai said, pulling out a chair.
The smell of the food hit him. It was a simple, comforting meal of scrambled eggs and toast but it was definitely not the carefully measured, high-protein meal on his Atlas App diet plan.
"Sit," Natasha instructed, placing a plate in front of him.
Kai knew he had to eat it. He could not, after all her kindness and worry, tell her that her lovingly prepared meal was against his new regime. He ate slowly, savoring the familiar taste and the warmth of her presence.
As he finished, Natasha placed a small, neatly wrapped container next to his plate.
"And here is your lunch," she said cheerfully. "I made extra. It's a chicken and rice dish. It will keep you full while you're focused on your work today."
Kai looked at the lunch. He was supposed to be eating the pre-portioned, nutrient-specific meal prepared by the Atlas Club's kitchen. He had to eat that too. He couldn't say no.
He took a deep breath. It was time to set a boundary gently.
"Natasha," Kai began, pushing his plate slightly away. "This was delicious, thank you. But I need to tell you something. I'm actually starting a strict diet today. It's a personalized plan that goes with my fitness goals. So, I would rather you didn't cook for me as much, or at least, not until I can figure out how to adjust the plan."
Natasha's cheerful expression instantly collapsed. Her lips trembled slightly, and a flash of sadness crossed her eyes.
"Oh," she whispered. "Did I mess up your plan? Did you already start it? I'm so sorry, Kai."
"No, no! Not at all," Kai quickly reassured her, reaching over to touch her hand. "It's fine. Really. I had two meals today that were different from the plan, and that is absolutely okay. I can officially start the strict diet from dinner tonight. Nothing bad happened."
"Are you sure?" she insisted, still looking troubled.
"I promise, it's fine. Nothing big," Kai insisted, giving her his most sincere smile.
She sighed, but nodded, picking up her plate. Kai knew he had gotten his point across, but it had come at the cost of a little sadness. He would have to make it up to her soon