Tessa sipped her coffee like she hadn't just dropped a digital bombshell.
"I didn't come here to play villain," she said calmly. "But someone else did."
Zara folded her arms. "Start talking."
Leo added, "And maybe start with who the heck Echo-Z really is. And why he lives in our devices like a tech-ghost."
Tessa sighed, digging into her hoodie pocket. She pulled out a folded photograph—old, faded, worn.
"This," she said, placing it on the table, "was the original Crystal team."
Everyone leaned in. Jessie recognized one of the faces immediately.
"That's… my professor."
Tessa nodded. "He used to believe in connection. Real connection. Not... algorithms."
---
Flashback (from Tessa's point of view):
The app had started as a research project—empathy-based digital bonding. It was meant to help people with social anxiety connect safely.
But then the investors wanted more: engagement, emotion spikes, addictive loops.
Tessa resisted.
Then she vanished.
Literally unplugged and disappeared.
Until now.
---
Back to the café…
Milo, ever the peaceful one, asked gently, "So what do we do now?"
Tessa looked straight at Jessie. "You're the only one who can override the final firewall. Because he—"
She pointed to Milo,
"—is the Original Match."
Collective gasp.
Leo dropped his muffin.
Zara blinked. "Wait. WHAT now?"
---
Romantic tension alert.
Jessie stared at Milo. "Wait, I'm… matched with you? Like, officially-officially?"
Milo turned bright red. "Well… uh… I was hoping to ask you after we saved the world but—"
Jessie laughed nervously. "Plot twist, huh?"
Then she stood and walked toward him.
"I guess," she said with a smile, "if we're gonna crash a love app, might as well do it… together."
And yes—they kissed again. Not awkward this time.
Sweet. Real. The kind of kiss that made the jukebox play Coldplay on its own.
---
Meanwhile, in another corner...
Zara looked at Leo.
He raised an eyebrow. "So. Feelings?"
She sipped her latte. "Vague. Confusing. Possibly glitchy."
He leaned closer. "Glitchy is my favorite type."
She didn't say anything for a moment.
Then she stood, grabbed his jacket collar, pulled him close…
And whispered:
"If you tell anyone I like you, I'll deny it forever."
He grinned. "Deny it all you want. You still held my hand on the way here."
She pushed him lightly. "That was for balance, idiot."
Bonus :
Jessie: "Okay. So Milo is the Original Match, Echo-Z is getting stronger, and Tessa might be our only way out."
Leo: "And I still didn't get a refill."
Zara: "Priorities, Leo."
Milo (chewing): "Honestly… the muffin's worth the drama."