The night was unnaturally quiet.
Under the dim glow of distant streetlights, three figures dressed in black crouched in the shadows, their presence nearly invisible against the darkness. The air was thick with tension, one wrong move, and everything would fall apart.
Ahead of them stood an abandoned warehouse.
Silent. Still. Dangerous.
One of the girls, small and agile, moved first.
She slipped out from hiding, her footsteps light as she made her way toward the warehouse entrance. Her breathing was steady, controlled. Almost there,
A sharp click echoed.
Then,
BANG!
The gunshot tore through the silence.
The girl froze for a split second before collapsing onto the cold ground.
Hidden in the shadows, another figure lowered her weapon, unaware of what she had just done.
Unaware… that she had just taken down her own teammate.
From a distance, the third girl watched everything unfold. Her lips slowly curled into a satisfied smile as her fingers moved swiftly, capturing the moment and sending it through her device.
Victory.
While the others were still caught in chaos, she had already secured the win.
A burst of laughter suddenly filled the living room of a modest house.
The intense atmosphere from moments ago vanished instantly, replaced by warmth and noise.
"YES! I won!"
Rania threw her head back, laughing as she dropped the game controller onto her lap, clearly pleased with herself.
Beside her, Zara groaned dramatically, flopping onto the sofa.
"Ugh… I thought I had it this time…" she muttered, pouting. "I didn't even realize you were still alive!"
Alisa snorted, trying and failing to hide her laughter.
"That's because you were too busy playing hero," she teased, nudging Zara lightly. "Again."
Zara shot her an annoyed look, crossing her arms.
"Excuse me, at least I try to win. Unlike someone who just hides and waits."
"Ouch," Alisa placed a hand on her chest, pretending to be hurt. "Says the one who's lost to Ran… what, five times now?"
"HEY!"
Zara grabbed the nearest pillow and smacked Alisa with it.
Alisa gasped dramatically before retaliating, and within seconds, the two were engaged in a full-blown pillow fight.
"Okay, okay... stop!"
Rania laughed, reaching out to push them apart. "You two are impossible."
The pillow fight slowed, though Zara still glared slightly, her cheeks puffed in annoyance.
"Don't be sad," Rania said gently, pinching Zara's cheeks. "Next round, you can beat me."
Zara blinked, her mood instantly shifting.
"...Promise?"
"Promise."
A bright smile spread across Zara's face.
Alisa rolled her eyes.
"Seriously? Look at you. One promise and you're happy again."
Zara flipped her hair smugly.
"That's because Ran loves me more."
"In your dreams," Alisa shot back. "She just feels bad for you because you never win."
Zara's eye twitched.
Another pillow flew.
"HEY!"
"Girls."
Rania's voice cut through the chaos, calm but firm.
"I love both of you equally. No fighting."
The room fell silent for a second.
Zara and Alisa exchanged a glance.
Then,
"Okay, we're not fighting anymore," Zara said innocently.
"Yeah, totally not," Alisa added, trying to keep a straight face.
Rania narrowed her eyes.
"You think I don't know that look?"
"Hehe… we're just play fighting," Alisa said quickly.
Rania sighed, shaking her head with a small smile.
"Do you remember our friendship motto?"
Zara and Alisa immediately straightened.
"Be The Best Person Ever, All for One and One for All!" they recited together.
A moment later, all three burst into laughter.
Suddenly...
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
A loud alarm echoed through the house.
The laughter stopped instantly.
Rania stood up, stretching her arms as if switching into a completely different mode.
"Alright, girls," she said, her tone sharper now. "Back to work."
Zara sighed, though a small grin remained on her lips.
"Yeah… always like this."
Alisa tilted her head slightly, sensing something off.
"...This one feels different."
Rania glanced toward the source of the alarm, her expression unreadable.
"Let's move."
Without another word, the three of them stood up and headed toward their next mission,
their playful laughter fading into silence...