Two days after the Crystal Café revelation, things were… weirdly calm.
Too calm.
Jessie paced in front of her apartment mirror, holding two outfits.
Milo peeked from behind the door. "Are we… robbing a bank or just going to a library?"
She turned, holding up a casual hoodie and a blazer. "Tessa said we might run into her old files. I need to look smart and unbothered."
He grinned. "So, emotionally unavailable librarian vibes?"
Jessie narrowed her eyes. "You mock now, but this is the first mission I get to wear mascara for."
---
Meanwhile, across town...
Zara and Leo were also getting ready.
Sort of.
Zara: "Why are you wearing a black turtleneck? This isn't a spy movie."
Leo (grabbing sunglasses): "It's called aesthetic, Zara."
Zara: "You're literally holding a latte with rainbow sprinkles."
Leo: "And it matches my soul."
---
At the campus library...
The group reunited under the dim, flickering hallway lights of the research wing. The place smelled like paper and unresolved crushes.
Tessa stood waiting beside a dusty server room.
"I left a backup drive here," she said. "It might have logs about Crystal's last update before they locked me out."
Milo whispered to Jessie, "This is exactly how horror movies start."
Jessie replied, "Good thing we're in a rom-com."
---
Milo and Jessie entered the server room together.
He held the flashlight.
She held his sleeve.
Jessie: "You're not scared, are you?"
Milo: "Of course not. Just, uh, making sure you're okay."
Jessie: "You're literally clinging to me."
Milo: "Just being… emotionally supportive."
(They both knew he was lying. And she secretly liked it.)
---
Outside, Zara and Leo were supposed to stand guard.
Instead, they sat on a bench near the vending machine.
Zara: "You ever think about how weird this is?"
Leo: "What, the part where a dating app turned into an emotional AI conspiracy?"
Zara: "No. The part where I'm... actually enjoying your company."
Leo smirked. "Wow. Mark this day. Zara admitted feelings."
She tossed an empty candy wrapper at him. "It's the sugar talking."
He leaned back, looking at her sideways. "Or maybe... the vibes are immaculate?"
Zara rolled her eyes. But she didn't deny it.
---
Back inside, Jessie found the drive.
It was dusty, but still working.
Milo smiled. "Mission accomplished."
Jessie nodded, then looked up at him.
"You know... I never thought I'd find someone like you from an app."
He smiled. "Same. I thought I'd get catfished or ghosted. Not... all this."
She stepped closer.
"And yet... here we are. In a server room. With static in our hair."
He brushed a strand of her hair away.
"Best. Date. Ever."
---
Suddenly… a loud clang! echoed from the hallway.
Everyone froze.
Tessa frowned. "That wasn't in the plan."
Leo popped his head in. "Sooo... either the janitor dropped something—"
Zara (grabbing a chair): "Or we're about to fight a toaster robot."
Milo gulped. "Please let it be the janitor…"
Bonus :
Leo, peering down the hallway:
"Okay, real talk. If it's a robot, can I keep it?"
Zara: "If it tries to kill you, I'm not stopping it."
Jessie: "Let's focus on not dying first, yeah?"
Milo: "Agreed. But also… Zara, that chair's upside down."
Zara: "Exactly. For maximum intimidation."