The front door opened quietly.
Too quietly.
Marvello stepped inside first, Amanda half a step behind her. The house lights were on, warm and wrong against the cold focus in Marvello's eyes.
And there—
Nairo stood near the center of the living room.
Waiting.
Marvello stopped.
"So," she said evenly, voice calm enough to be dangerous. "You saved us the trip."
Amanda crossed her arms. "Where is Ji-Hyun?"
Nairo smiled, slow and unpleasant. He didn't answer.
Instead—
He lifted two fingers slightly.
The signal was casual. Lazy.
From the side hallway, two bodyguards stepped forward.
And between them—
Ji-Hyun.
He was walking on his own. No restraints. No visible injuries.
But the details told the truth.
His glasses were broken again, one lens missing entirely. The frame sat crooked, barely holding together. His uniform was wrinkled, shirt pulled half free, tie gone. His hair—normally neat, silky—was a mess, pushed back and uneven, like hands had gone through it more than once.
He looked tired.
Not weak.
Just worn thin.
Marvello moved instantly.
Not running.
Crossing the room in long, precise strides.
She stopped directly in front of him and lifted his chin gently—just enough to see his face clearly.
Her fingers trembled once.
Just once.
Then steadied.
"Are you hurt?" she asked quietly.
Ji-Hyun shook his head. "No."
Amanda exhaled behind them, sharp with relief.
Marvello reached up and removed the broken glasses from his face herself. She folded them carefully and slid them into her pocket like something sacred.
"You did well," she said softly. Not praise. Recognition.
Ji-Hyun swallowed. "They kept asking about documents."
Her jaw tightened.
"I know."
Only then did she turn back to Nairo.
Her eyes were fully visible now.
"You're finished," she said.
Nairo laughed. "You're in my house."
"Not for long."
The air shifted.
Footsteps echoed from the far hallway.
Measured. Unhurried.
Mr. Takahashi appeared, adjusting his cuffs as if he'd merely stepped out of a meeting.
"Enough," he said calmly. "The situation is resolved."
Marvello didn't look at him.
"You miscalculated," she replied. "You assumed loyalty could be shaken by pressure."
Takahashi's gaze flicked briefly to Ji-Hyun.
"He is… unusually loyal," he admitted. "For someone with so little to gain."
Ji-Hyun straightened at that.
Marvello stepped slightly in front of him without thinking.
"That's because you don't understand loyalty," she said. "You only understand leverage."
A slow clap broke the moment.
Mary.
She had been sitting on the couch the entire time, legs crossed, posture immaculate. She stood now, smoothing her sleeves, eyes settling on Ji-Hyun like something mildly distasteful.
"So this is him," she said lightly. "The boy who thinks silence makes him noble."
Ji-Hyun didn't respond.
Mary smiled, sharp and polite.
"You know," she continued, voice smooth as glass, "people like you always think you matter because someone dangerous glanced your way."
She tilted her head.
"But you're not important," she said softly. "You're just convenient."
The words landed carefully.
Not loud.
Not cruel on the surface.
But precise enough to sting.
Amanda took a step forward. "Watch your mouth."
Mary ignored her.
She looked Ji-Hyun up and down once.
"You'll go back to school," she said. "You'll sit quietly. And eventually, Marvello will forget you were ever useful."
That did it.
Marvello turned.
Slowly.
The room went silent.
"You don't get to speak to him," she said.
Mary raised an eyebrow. "Or what?"
Marvello smiled.
It didn't reach her eyes.
"Or you'll learn," she replied, "why everyone else stopped trying."
She reached back and took Ji-Hyun's hand.
Not to protect him.
To anchor him.
"We're leaving," she said.
Takahashi studied her for a long moment.
Then stepped aside.
Amanda opened the door.
As they walked out, Ji-Hyun glanced back once.
Nairo was no longer smiling.
Mary's expression had cracked—just slightly.
And Mr. Takahashi watched Marvello with something new in his eyes.
Not confidence.
Calculation.
The door closed behind them.
This time—
Nothing followed.
The ice cream shop was bright and loud in the soft way places like that usually were—clinking spoons, a bell over the door, the low hum of people pretending the day hadn't almost gone wrong.
Ji-Hyun stood at the counter a second longer than usual, tongue brushing his lip.
"My mouth feels… really dry," he admitted quietly.
Marvello looked at him. Really looked.
"Cone," she said. Not a question.
Amanda's face lit up instantly. "Absolutely yes."
They ended up outside, sitting on the low brick ledge beneath the window. Evening air, sugar-sweet and cool. Ji-Hyun handed Marvello her cone first, careful like it mattered, then sat down between her and Amanda with his own.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then Amanda broke.
"I was really worried," she said, voice lighter than the words deserved.
Ji-Hyun glanced at her. "You were?"
Amanda nodded, licking her ice cream. "Yeah. Like—really worried. I don't do well with silence kidnappings."
Marvello huffed softly through her nose.
Amanda continued, quieter now. "I was… a little scared."
She glanced sideways at Ji-Hyun, then raised an eyebrow at Marvello.
"You know," she said slowly, "he reminds me of him."
Marvello didn't ask who.
"Your twin," she said instead.
Amanda sighed. A real one this time. She nodded.
"It does too," she admitted. "Same energy. Same way of being in the wrong place while being… good."
Ji-Hyun froze slightly. "I'm sorry," he said, instinctively.
Amanda shook her head. "No, hey. Not your fault."
She stared at the melting edge of her cone.
"He's missing," she said. "Not killed. Never that. Just… never seen again."
The air shifted.
Marvello nodded once.
"Hm," she murmured. "He was just like Ji-Hyun then."
Amanda let out a breath, half-laugh, half-warning. "Okay. Dangerous topic."
She stood abruptly, brushing her hands together like she was shaking it off.
"Alright," she said, brighter now. "Ji-Hyun. Let's go home."
Ji-Hyun looked up at her.
Then he smiled.
A small one. Tired. Real.
He nodded.
And for the first time that day—
The world felt like it had edges again.
They were halfway home when Marvello's phone vibrated.
She stopped walking.
Amanda noticed immediately. "That fast?"
Marvello glanced at the screen.
Eiren.
She answered.
"Yes."
His voice came through low, confused—but controlled. "You called me. I went to the place you usually disappear to when things go bad."
"I know," Marvello replied calmly. "I wasn't there."
"You vanished," he said. Not accusing. Stating a fact. "Why?"
Marvello leaned lightly against the fence, eyes forward. "Ji-Hyun was taken. Briefly. I needed to know who was watching who."
There was a pause on the line.
Then Eiren exhaled. "So it was Takahashi."
"Yes."
"And Nairo."
"Yes."
Another pause. Longer this time.
"I figured," he said finally. "Either way—Aria wouldn't let me stay quiet about this. If I don't show up, she'll come looking herself."
Eiren's voice came through, quieter now, edged with mild irritation. "Correction. I said Aria wouldn't let me stay silent—"
He paused.
"She wouldn't let me get involved at all," he added. "Because she hates you."
Marvello blinked once.
"…Noted."
Amanda leaned closer, openly listening. "Wow. Straight to the point."
Eiren continued, "If I step in, she'll assume I'm choosing your side. That becomes a whole different problem."
"That's fine," Marvello said evenly. "I didn't call you for permission."
A faint, almost amused breath came through the phone. "I know. Just… be aware. She's watching. And she's not rooting for you."
"Aria never does," Marvello replied.
"I should go," Eiren said. "Before she decides to prove her point."
"Then go."
The line went dead.
Amanda stared at Marvello. "She hates you?"
Marvello shrugged, unfazed. "Hate requires attention."
Amanda snorted. "You say that like you didn't commit multiple light felonies to get his number."
Marvello didn't deny it.
Amanda laughed again, shaking her head. "Unbelievable."
Ji-Hyun glanced between them, then said quietly, "I don't think she hates you."
Marvello looked at him.
"She fears you," Ji-Hyun added.
Marvello considered that.
"…That's more accurate," she said.
They kept walking.
And somewhere else—
Aria was already angry.