Chapter 53: Rooftop Reverie
The rooftop of the safehouse was modest—concrete lined with a few mismatched chairs, a weathered tarp they'd once used for cover, and string lights Damian had insisted on hanging months ago that no one had bothered to take down. The sky above was a soft shade of lilac fading into indigo, the first stars peeking through the veil of dusk.
Audrey climbed the stairs with purpose, arms crossed and eyes determined. "Alright, guys," she said, glancing back at the others following behind her. "It's time to check off the next thing on my bucket list."
Damian raised a brow. "Let me guess—skydiving? Shark cage diving?"
Audrey turned, smirking. "Stargazing. With all of you."
"Oh." Damian paused, then beamed. "Well, that's both adorable and logistically convenient. I'm in."
Kenzo emerged behind them, already carrying a portable telescope and a neatly packed tripod. "I anticipated this."
"Of course you did," Hana muttered, carrying a folded blanket and a thermos. "INTPs and their contingency plans."
They set up quickly. Damian sprawled across a beanbag he dragged from the living room and unpacked an entire tote of snacks—everything from chocolate-covered almonds to spicy ramen in Styrofoam bowls. Hana laid out the blanket with military precision, adjusting each corner as though measuring wind resistance.
Audrey stood at the edge for a moment, gazing at the city lights beneath them. "I always wanted to do this. Just... lay under the stars and pretend for a second the world isn't burning."
Kenzo quietly adjusted the telescope. "You don't have to pretend tonight."
They settled into place as darkness fully claimed the sky. The city noise dimmed into a low hum, like distant waves. Above them, the stars shimmered—soft and unbothered.
"Okay, rules for tonight," Audrey said, holding up a hand. "One: no talking about missions. Two: no ghost jokes. And three: you each have to share one thing you wish you'd done when you were alive."
Damian groaned. "Audrey, this is dangerously close to a therapy circle."
"It's stargazing with emotional depth," she said firmly.
Kenzo nodded. "I approve."
Hana lay back, arms folded beneath her head. "Fine. But Damian goes first."
"Traitors, all of you," Damian grumbled, popping a chip into his mouth. He chewed thoughtfully, then sighed. "Okay. I always wanted to open a bar. Not a normal one. Like... a weird one. A bar for people who needed to laugh but couldn't anymore. Full of terrible puns, karaoke booths, zero judgment."
Audrey blinked. "That's... oddly wholesome."
Damian winked. "I contain multitudes."
"Kenzo," Hana said. "You're up."
Kenzo didn't look up from the telescope for a moment. When he finally spoke, his voice was quiet. "I always wanted to write a book. Non-fiction. Something that explained the universe. Not theories—truths. The kind that only reveal themselves when no one's looking."
Audrey smiled softly. "You still could, you know."
Kenzo looked up at her. "Maybe."
"Alright, Hana," Damian said, mouth full of mochi. "Your turn."
Hana exhaled slowly. "I wanted to take my mom on a trip. Just her and me. Somewhere with white beaches and no cell signal. We were always saving money, but never time. I kept saying 'someday.'"
There was a silence that followed—not heavy, but respectful.
Audrey reached over and lightly touched her hand. "She'd be proud of you."
Hana gave a small nod, her lips tightening with emotion she didn't voice.
"Your turn, star-girl," Damian said after a beat.
Audrey looked up at the sky, blinking as the stars slowly blinked back. "I wanted to help someone. Really help. I spent so long studying systems, structures, justice... but I felt like I was always one step behind. Now? After everything? It's strange, but I think I've finally done it. With Miho. With all of you."
They sat in silence after that, the weight of their words settling between them like a second blanket.
The stars stretched above them, vast and uncaring—but somehow comforting.
Damian passed the hot chocolate around. Hana actually took a sip. Audrey pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. Kenzo sat beside her, closer than usual.
He spoke softly. "You've helped more than just Miho. You reminded us we're still people, even like this."
She glanced at him, surprised by the emotion in his voice. "You all helped me, too. You kept me from fading."
Damian yawned and curled deeper into his beanbag. "Okay, someone say something dumb before I cry."
"You're the dumbest thing here," Hana replied instantly.
"Ahhh, balance restored," he sighed contentedly.
As the night deepened, the rooftop fell quiet. The stars wheeled slowly above them. Audrey leaned gently against Kenzo's shoulder, and he didn't move.
She whispered, "Thank you."
He smiled, almost imperceptibly. "Always."
Her eyes drifted closed, her breath evening out.
And as the city slumbered below, Audrey finally found a moment of peace—wrapped not just in blankets, but in belonging.
And Kenzo stayed right there, holding her world together.
Underneath a canopy of stars, they dreamed.
—
Just as the stillness of the night deepened and the world around them hushed beneath the stars, something changed in the air—a soft vibration in their chests, a whisper that didn't come from sound.
A shimmer passed across the sky, brief and subtle like a trick of light, and a single, glowing wisp drifted down from the stars. It twisted through the night like smoke, soft as silk, and came to hover just above the center of their circle. The air smelled faintly of lavender and ozone.
Audrey opened her eyes slowly. "...You guys see that, right?"
"It's not the hot chocolate," Damian muttered, now sitting up.
The wisp pulsed gently, and as it dissolved, silvery letters etched themselves across the rooftop tiles in glowing script—words only they could read:
New Case Assigned.Target: Male Student.Reported Abuse: Coercive sexual and emotional behavior by older girlfriend.
They all stared in stunned silence.
"Well," Hana said at last, standing slowly, "I guess the goddess didn't want to wait."
Kenzo's eyes remained on the words, his voice low. "That's rare. Direct transmission. And very specific."
Audrey's gaze turned thoughtful, her brows knitting together. She read the glowing text again, this time slower. Her shoulders lifted with a steadying breath.
Kenzo turned to her, his tone careful, but his eyes held more than concern—they held a quiet tenderness. "Are you okay handling this? It's... close."
Audrey didn't answer right away. She held his gaze for a moment, searching his expression like it was a question all its own. Then, with a soft, unwavering smile, she nodded. "I'm fine. I want to help. It matters."
There was a flicker of something like pride in Kenzo's eyes—mixed with a quiet ache. He reached over, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face, the movement gentle and unhurried.
"You're stronger than you know," he said softly.
Audrey leaned slightly into his touch. "Only because I have people who believe in me."
From the side, Damian groaned. "You guys are killing me with this tenderness. Can we get a firework or something before I drown in feelings?"
The message began to fade, curling into the sky like mist returning to the stars.
Kenzo gave Audrey's hand a final squeeze before letting go. "Let's make sure no one else suffers alone."
The rooftop, once serene, now carried a pulse of quiet resolve.
Their night wasn't over. And neither was their mission.
—
The next morning, the team huddled up in the living room. The air was heavier now, the warmth of last night replaced by silent preparation. Empty mugs from the rooftop were scattered around, a blanket still half-folded over the couch.
Damian leaned forward, elbows on knees. "Okay," he said, clapping his hands together. "What do we know so far?"
Kenzo sat cross-legged on the floor, tablet in hand. He tapped the screen once and brought up a profile. "His name is Alex. High school senior. Top third of his class. Quiet. Reserved. Doesn't have many friends. He's been dating someone named Angel—she's slightly older, already out of school, but they've been together a little over a year."
Hana frowned. "The name's... misleading."
"So is the case," Kenzo replied calmly. "He's been experiencing coercive behavior. Emotional manipulation. And from our initial scans, possible unwanted physical contact."
Damian blinked. "And no one believes him, right?"
Kenzo nodded once. "He's a guy. People assume he should feel lucky. Or that he's exaggerating."
Audrey's brows knitted. "That's the kind of silence that hurts the most. When your pain becomes a joke."
Damian's usual grin faded. "Kids like that... they carry it for years. Or worse."
No one said anything for a beat.
Kenzo spoke again. "There's enough surveillance data and flagged search history to indicate he's trying to understand if what he's experiencing is abuse. But he hasn't told anyone."
Audrey leaned forward, her voice firm. "Then we'll be the ones who listen. We're not just here to punish. We're here to protect."
Kenzo glanced her way, his gaze thoughtful. He nodded slowly. "Exactly."
Hana leaned back against the couch, arms crossed. "So how do we want to approach this case? Do we go undercover at his school? Reach out through a friend?"
Kenzo tapped his tablet again, flipping to a different data screen. "We should start subtle. Observation. Track their routines, interactions, see where the pattern emerges. The girlfriend, Angel, works part-time at a local cafe not far from his school. She's also attending one of the top universities in the world."
Hana raised an eyebrow. "Wait, back up. What university?"
"National University of Singapore," Kenzo replied, his voice steady. "She's extremely intelligent. Comfortable background, not overly wealthy, but stable. Strong academic record. Socially charismatic. The kind of person people don't question."
Damian let out a low whistle. "Yeah, I kind of get why no one believes Alex. She's got this polished image. Perfect grades, sweet smile—everyone sees what they want to see. That kind of mask? It's bulletproof unless you're looking close."
Kenzo gave a slow nod. "Exactly. And since Alex is attending an international school in Singapore, we'll need to be on-site. This mission will require travel."
"So we're going overseas," Hana murmured.
Audrey leaned forward. "Then we better be careful. In a place that polished, no one's going to believe she's anything but perfect."
Damian tilted his head. "So one of us pulls barista duty at the cafe?"
"Possibly," Kenzo replied. "Or we become regulars. It's near campus. We need proximity to observe."
"And what about Alex?" Audrey asked. "Does he have any friends we can reach through?"
"He has a couple close friends," Kenzo said slowly. "But unfortunately, he's already tried to confide in one of them... and they didn't really believe him. Brushed it off like it wasn't serious."
Damian's jaw tightened. "Of course they did. It's hard for people to believe a guy could be the victim, especially when the girl looks perfect from the outside."
Kenzo nodded. "Exactly. It's isolated him further. Now, he eats lunch alone on the rooftop most days. That could be a soft entry point. No pressure. Just... presence."
Damian cracked his knuckles. "Alright. Subtle, quiet, strategic. I can do that. I'll even wear beige."
Hana snorted. "Your version of beige is neon with a filter."
"Details," he said, waving it off.
Audrey leaned forward, her voice calm. "Let's make sure we do this right. If he's finally starting to question what's happening to him, we need to be the steady ground beneath his feet."
Everyone nodded.
This time, there was no revenge in their mission.
Only protection.
—
The scent of espresso hung thick in the air of the quaint corner café nestled in a side street just off the main university district in Singapore. Wood-paneled walls, rows of potted greenery, and mellow acoustic music gave it an inviting charm. Inside, the usual morning rush had just subsided, leaving the staff to prep for the midday wave.
Angel stood behind the counter, sleeves rolled up as she frothed milk into a swirl for a caramel macchiato. Her movements were calm, practiced. She offered a dazzling smile to a customer picking up their order—an effortless charm that had made her a favorite among regulars and coworkers alike.
"Alright, team," the manager's voice called out as he entered from the office, clapping his hands together. "Quick heads-up. We've got someone new joining the staff. Bit of a last-minute thing."
The barista at the register—June—tilted her head. "Wait, new part-timer? I thought we were fully staffed?"
"Yeah," another staff member murmured. "Didn't see any open slots."
Angel arched a perfectly shaped brow, drying her hands with a towel. "Interesting. What's their name?"
The manager gestured toward the entryway.
The bell above the door jingled. In stepped Damian—smiling brightly, a canvas tote slung over one shoulder, sunglasses perched on his head like he belonged on a beach instead of a café floor.
"Everyone, meet Damian. He's here on a short contract basis—came highly recommended. He'll be shadowing for a few shifts and helping during the lunch rush."
Damian offered a dazzling grin and a small wave. "Pleasure to meet you all. I make a mean latte, decent jokes, and I can restock a fridge like a magician."
A few of the staff chuckled, disarmed by his energy. One of the junior baristas nudged another with a whispered, "Okay but why is he hot and funny?" Another nodded with wide eyes, mouthing, "This is not fair." Angel's eyes lingered a little longer on him, her expression relaxed and pleasant, like anyone else meeting a new coworker for the first time.
"Welcome to the team," she said, wiping down the counter. "Hope you like the grind."
Damian chuckled. "Oh, I live for the grind."
As he stepped behind the counter to receive his apron, Kenzo's voice echoed in his earpiece, tucked discreetly under his hairline: "You're in. Keep a low profile. And don't flirt too much."
"No promises," Damian whispered with a smirk.