The air around us was quiet, charged with nerves I couldn't name.
"Can you show me the kitchen, and please inform me what you want to eat tonight?" I asked Akira, my voice small, almost swallowed by the room.
He lowered the paper in his hand and looked at me—calm, unreadable, like a man carved out of storm and shadow.
"Wait, wait. I have people for that." His lips curled into a subtle smile—polite, distant."You will be my personal assistant. We have to send lots of letters daily to communicate with our department. So I think you can write letters at least."
Personal assistant.
My heart skipped. Not a servant. Not invisible.
I swallowed a hard lump of anxiety. I used to write letters—warm, messy letters to relatives for family functions, letters scented with ink and childish hopes. But formal letters? Those belonged to a world I had never touched.
"It will be honor for me to work for you, but I don't know how to write formal letters. Can I please get guidance on that?" I asked, heat rushing to my cheeks.
Deep down, something ugly twisted inside me—a feeling of uselessness. I was replaceable. Anyone could do better than me. And yet… he gave me a chance.
Why?
Akira leaned back, unfazed by my fear. "Don't worry. It's okay. Miss Pearl will teach you today. She's good at these types of work and also gonna teach you professional living style. And guess what—she's my elder sister."
His sister.A spark of foolish excitement bloomed in my chest.
In silence, I wondered, Is she beautiful like him? Kind like him?I replied softly, "Thank you so much… Sir. It's such a kind act."
His gaze sharpened, amused."First of all, it's Akira, not Sir. Second, come with me. I'll show you the way to my sister's cabin."
I followed him down the narrow hallway. Soldiers passed by us but gave no reaction; only Akira's presence mattered. He opened the door to a room filled with warm lamplight and books.
Pearl wasn't there.
Akira walked casually to her chair and spun it toward the bookshelf. Then—like a mischievous boy trapped in a general's uniform—he started rearranging her books purposely out of order. I froze, watching him sabotage her careful world.
Then the door burst open.
A girl stepped in—confident, dangerous, beautiful in a wild kind of way. She pressed a finger to my lips, commanding silence. Without another word, she removed her jacket and pounced on Akira, covering his face with the fabric.
"How dare you mess with my books, stone head!" she yelled.
Akira wrestled under the jacket. "Help me! An ugly demon possessed me!"
I stood there, stunned, unable to decide if I should intervene or run.
She tightened the jacket."Yeah, I'm a demon born to punish stone heads like you. Say sorry or I tighten it."
His laughter echoed in the small room. "Okay! Sorry, sorry! Get off me, demon!"
The scene was ridiculous, childish—yet somehow beautiful. For a moment, I forgot I was trapped in a building full of soldiers. For a moment… it felt like a home I never had.
Pearl finally revealed his face."You messed up my hair. Now I'm looking like you." Akira muttered dramatically.
He gestured toward me. "Anyway, meet Amane. Amane, this defective piece is my younger sister, Pearl. She's just a year older than you, so I think you can be good friends."
Pearl turned to him, eyes wide with mischief. "Brother… is that your girlfriend? Oh my God, how did you find such a pretty girl with your chopped face?"
My breath caught. Heat flooded my cheeks.
"I'm—I'm her—I'm her personal assistant," I stammered, unable to meet her eyes. Compliments were foreign to me. Sharp. They cut deeper than insults.
"Personal assistant?!" Pearl repeated, shocked. She leaned into his ear—though her whisper was loud enough for me to hear."Tell me quickly. You never had a personal assistant in your entire life. What is she to you? You dating without telling me, huh?"
Their playful bickering filled the room with warmth I had never tasted.
Akira stood and walked toward me. "That's Amane. Remember I went to some merchant house today? That's her daughter."
Pearl froze."What the heck! You kidnapped a girl?"
Akira snorted."Yeah, kinda. But it's different. Her father treated her like trash, so I got pissed off seeing it. So I bought her from him. You don't need to worry—you know very well why I get pissed off when I see an abusive father."
Pearl came closer, her expression softening. She brushed her fingers gently through my hair—a soothing touch I wasn't used to.
She leaned into my ear. "Sorry for his childish behavior. I apologize for him, but he never does that to anyone. Seems something else is on his mind. Not bad intentions… but I think he kinda likes you."
My heart hammered so loudly I feared she could hear it.
Why would a man like him ever choose someone like me? I was nothing. A broken thing someone could buy.
Akira's voice cut the moment."Okay ladies, whisper things later. Pearl, you should teach her letter writing on the typewriter."
Pearl rolled her eyes."Don't use your army tone on your sister, asshole. And I'd like to give her teachings—but as a best friend, not as some teacher."
She turned to me. "So, Amane, wanna start from today or tomorrow?"
"I… I can start from today," I replied.
Pearl grinned, wrapping an arm around my neck like we were lifelong friends. "Why are you so introverted, girl? Chill. Treat me like a friend. Or am I not capable of being one?"
Before I could answer, Akira's phone rang. His expression shifted—calm to sharp, playful to cold general in a second.
"Hello Akira… okay… wait—what? Are they fine?" He stood abruptly."I'm coming in a minute. Don't do any action without my order."
He left without looking back.
The room suddenly felt cold.
And a question slipped from my trembling heart…
"What… is he to me?"