The knock at the door was persistent, echoing through the quiet morning like a small drumbeat of urgency.
Ara squinted at the clock on her nightstand and let out a soft sigh. Way too early.
The knocking grew heavier, more impatient.
"Karl…" she called gently, her voice still thick with sleep.
"Karl!" she repeated, louder this time.
Karl stirred from where he had been standing near the window. His senses were already alert, his shadow-born instincts reacting faster than most humans. In a few strides, he reached the door and pushed it open.
Ara froze. Her half-clothed body was wrapped in a duvet, the fabric clinging to her skin as she instinctively covered herself.
"Karl! Can't you knock?" she snapped, her voice a mix of annoyance and embarrassment.
Karl blinked, momentarily caught in a state of confusion. He didn't understand the human custom of knocking versus barging in. His eyes flicked toward her, searching for guidance, and then back to the door.
"Please… go and check the door," Ara said softly, laying back on her bed, tugging the duvet closer.
Karl obeyed instantly, moving silently across the room with a grace that belied his human form. He opened the door gently.
Mims stood there, smiling brightly. The morning sunlight caught her hair, making it glow like liquid gold.
"Ohhh… the angel in disguise," she teased, her voice playful.
Karl remained silent, standing straight, his pale eyes studying her in quiet observance.
Mims tilted her head, glancing him over with amusement. "Is my friend home? Ara?"
Karl nodded and stepped aside, allowing Mims to pass. She walked slowly, still sneaking glances at him, the corners of her lips twitching into a mischievous smile.
Ara hissed from the bedroom. "Hey, Miss Royalty, you're still sleeping when there's such hot… food here?"
Mims yawned and stretched. "Hot food? Are you talking about breakfast, or has Karl already prepared something?"
Ara's eyes narrowed. "Oh, stop it."
"I mean that hot guy I saw," Mims whispered, leaning against the doorframe and smirking at Karl.
Karl stiffened imperceptibly but said nothing, his expression unreadable as she stretched and moved past him.
"The team from Busan will be reporting today," Mims continued, her voice businesslike now, though her eyes kept flicking toward Karl. "They're really interested in the contracts, and they need everything signed urgently."
Karl's attention snapped back to her. "So… quick?" he asked, his voice low, precise.
Mims smiled knowingly. "I guess so."
Downstairs, the dining table was already set. A hot plate of ramen steamed gently in the early morning light. Ara turned toward Mims, eyes wide.
Mims whistled softly. "Wow… what a chef you've got this time," she said as she took her seat.
Karl emerged from the kitchen, moving with measured, careful steps. His pale skin glowed softly under the light, and even the faintest motion carried a fluidity that seemed otherworldly.
Ara's gaze sharpened. "Karl… you're still in the same clothes. Don't you have anything else to wear?"
"And… have you taken your bath?" she asked, suspicion creeping into her voice.
Karl blinked slowly, tilting his head. "Bath?" he repeated, the word foreign to him.
"Yes, Karl. A bath," Ara clarified, patience thin but not gone.
"I… I think… I do not understand," Karl admitted, his voice quiet but steady.
Mims burst into a soft laugh, covering her mouth with her hand. "Ohhh, it's going to be a very… hot start," she whispered, eyes gleaming with amusement.
Ara turned back to Karl, her lips curved into a faint smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Are you serious? Do you have a history of mental… issues?"
Karl did not respond. He merely watched her, steady, unflinching.
Ara exhaled sharply. "You know what? First, we'll go shopping. Clothes. Then, maybe… we can talk about the rest." She gestured to the ramen. "And thanks for the food."
Karl nodded slightly, standing still as Ara sat down, her chopsticks poised above the steaming dish.
The air around Karl seemed charged. A faint shimmer of energy pulsed along his limbs, invisible to Mims and Ara, yet tangible to him. Every sense was alert. The room felt alive.
Ara took her first bite, eyes closing briefly at the rich, savory flavor. "This… is really good," she murmured. Karl's lips twitched, almost imperceptibly, at her words.
Mims leaned forward, curiosity overcoming etiquette. "You made all this?" she asked Karl, voice barely above a whisper.
Karl inclined his head slightly. "Yes… I prepared it," he said simply.
Ara shot Mims a look that clearly said, don't encourage him too much.
Mims only shrugged, a grin teasing the corners of her lips. "He's… interesting," she said softly, the word heavy with multiple meanings.
Karl's gaze swept the room. His eyes lingered on Ara briefly, then Mims, then back to Ara. There was a pull, almost magnetic, toward the girl seated at the table. Something in her energy, in her presence, stirred the shadow within him—reminding him of the mission he could not ignore.
Ara finished her bite and looked up at Karl. "Eat. You've been standing there too long."
Karl shook his head faintly. "I… already ate," he said.
Ara raised an eyebrow. "And yet, you look… hungry."
Karl paused, then tilted his head. "I am… adapting."
Mims leaned back in her chair, smirking. "Adapting… huh? Sounds mysterious."
Ara rolled her eyes but didn't argue. Instead, she gestured to Karl. "Come on, I said we're going shopping later. Clothes first. And then… maybe I'll explain some customs to you. Starting with baths."
Karl nodded silently, noting every nuance of her tone, every movement of her hands, the way her eyes flicked toward him even as she focused on the ramen. He memorized everything, storing it carefully, understanding that every human gesture carried meaning he could not ignore.
"Don't think this is a punishment," Ara added lightly. "Consider it… guidance. And yes, you did well this morning. That's enough for now."
Karl inclined his head in acknowledgment. He did not fully understand the warmth that flickered in her words, nor the strange pulse in his chest at her glance. But he felt it. He felt the human curiosity, the unspoken connection, and the pull of something dangerous and alluring.
Mims, sensing the subtle tension, leaned closer to Ara. "So… you think he's just a chef?" she whispered.
Ara's eyes narrowed slightly. "Don't underestimate him," she said, her voice low. "There's… more to Karl than you know."
Karl, standing a few feet away, caught the faint shift in tone. He did not flinch, but internally, the shadows stirred. Every instinct, every ancient memory, whispered that this human world would challenge him, tempt him, and test the mission in ways he could not yet predict.
And yet… for the first time, he did not recoil from the human heart before him. The girl—Ara—was different. Her presence, her calm authority, her energy… it drew him closer even as the Master's command burned in his mind.
Ara finished her meal, placing her chopsticks down carefully. "Alright, Karl… change your clothes, then meet me downstairs. We'll go shopping."
Karl inclined his head, turning silently. He moved upstairs with careful, deliberate steps, his mind already scanning the energy around the house, the streets beyond, and the girl who had unknowingly captured the shadow within him.
Mims whispered after him, almost to herself, "An angel in disguise, indeed…"
And Karl—half-shadow, half-flesh—felt the pulse of purpose and desire entwine in ways he had never experienced. The mission remained. The command remained. But something new had entered his human heart: curiosity… and perhaps, the faintest stirrings of… attachment.