Sarah leaned against the conference table, arms still clutching the shredded folder like a lifeline. Her face was a mix of exhaustion, defeat, and burning embarrassment. The pink barrier hummed softly around them, sealing in the awkward silence.
"I'm done," she muttered, voice tired. "I'm so done with today. Monsters, glitter explosions, eternal contracts… and now this stupid barrier. Just… get it over with, Andrey."
Andrey, still facing the wall, stiffened. "Are… are you sure? Sarah, we can figure out another way. Maybe negotiate with the system. Or—"
"Andrey." She cut him off, sharp but weary. "We've been stuck in here for twenty minutes. I'm half-naked, my feet hurt, and I just want to go home and pretend none of this happened. What other way? Come on. Hurry up already."
He turned slowly, eyes fixed firmly on the ceiling. "Excuse me, then…"
Sarah closed her eyes, turning her head to the side as Andrey stepped closer. His hands hesitated in the air for a second before gently settling over her chest, fingers brushing the soft fabric of her white bra. The touch was careful—almost clinical at first—like he was handling fragile office equipment.
But the sensation hit them both immediately.
Sarah's breath caught, a small, involuntary sound escaping her lips. Andrey's fingers moved slowly, exploring the warmth and softness beneath the thin material. Each gentle press drew another quiet moan from her—soft, embarrassed, but impossible to hold back.
"Andrey… don't look at me like that," she whispered, eyes squeezed shut, cheeks flaming. "I can feel you staring."
"I'm not— I mean— sorry," he stammered, voice unusually hoarse. But his hands didn't stop. The feeling was… overwhelming. Warm, plush, responsive. He hadn't expected it to feel this good. His perfectionist brain short-circuited; all he could focus on was the texture, the way she trembled slightly under his touch.
Sarah squirmed. "Anh! Wait— stop. I can't… I can't look at you while you're doing that. It's too much."
She turned around quickly, back to him, still clutching the folder in front like a shield. "From… from behind. Just— do it from behind. Please."
Andrey swallowed hard. "Okay."
He stepped closer again, arms sliding around her from behind. His hands returned to her chest, cupping gently, thumbs brushing over the fabric. Sarah leaned forward slightly, resting her forehead against the cool tabletop, soft gasps escaping with every slow squeeze.
Minutes passed—or maybe longer. Time blurred. Andrey's movements grew less hesitant, more rhythmic, almost trance-like. He couldn't stop. The softness, the warmth, the way she reacted—it was addictive in a way he'd never admit out loud.
Sarah's protests faded into quiet, shaky breaths. Her body relaxed against him despite herself.
Finally, the system chimed brightly.
System: Reward complete! Affection meter full! ❤️
Intimacy Barrier deactivated. Bonus: +20 Friendship Points! +15 Love Points! New passive unlocked: Shared Comfort (minor healing when in physical contact).
The pink barrier shimmered and vanished with a soft pop.
Sarah immediately stepped away, turning her back to him again as she clutched what remained of her clothes. Her voice was small. "We… we are never speaking of this again."
Andrey cleared his throat, adjusting his borrowed polo and staring intensely at the whiteboard like it held the secrets of the universe. "Agreed."
Neither of them moved toward the door just yet.
The silence in the room was heavier than before—but somehow, not entirely uncomfortable.
The door to the conference room finally clicked open on its own, as if the system was satisfied with its little "team-building exercise." Cool air from the hallway rushed in, carrying the distant sounds of medics and cleanup crews.
Sarah didn't move right away. She stood with her back to Andrey, clutching the remains of her blouse like a makeshift towel, face still buried in one hand. "I'm going to murder that system," she muttered. "Slowly. With audits."
Andrey, eyes fixed on the floor, nodded vigorously. "Seconded. Full compliance review. Possible lawsuit for emotional damages."
System: Aww, you two are so cute when you're embarrassed! Love Points +10 more for the adorable denial phase~
Both of them shouted at the same time: "Shut up!"
Sarah took a deep breath, then peeked over her shoulder. "Okay. New rule. We never, ever deactivate Magical Girl Mode in a closed room again."
"Agreed. Protocol established," Andrey replied instantly, already sounding like he was drafting a company memo in his head.
Sarah spotted a forgotten lab coat hanging on the back of the door—probably left by one of the medics—and quickly wrapped it around herself. It was too big, sleeves dangling past her hands, but at least it covered everything. She tied the belt tight and finally turned around, glaring at him. "And you—eyes up here from now on, mister perfectionist."
Andrey raised both hands in surrender. "Already implemented. Visual contact restricted to face and shoulders only."
She rolled her eyes, but the corner of her mouth twitched. "You're impossible."
Just then, a medic poked his head in. "You two decent? Hero Hope asked us to check if you're ready for a proper debrief and mana scan."
Sarah groaned. "Define 'decent.'"
The medic blinked, noticed her makeshift lab coat and Andrey's stiff posture, then wisely decided not to ask. "Uh… follow me when you're ready."
As he left, Sarah sighed and leaned against the table. "What now, manager? Back to saving the world in frilly dresses and… whatever this is?" She gestured vaguely between them.
Andrey adjusted his borrowed polo, expression serious again. "First, we get you proper clothes. Second, we spend those new points—efficiently. Third…" He paused, then added more quietly, "We figure out how to make this less… complicated."
Sarah looked at him for a long moment, then huffed a small laugh. "Yeah. Good luck with that last one."
System: Next candidate detected nearby! Potential Magical Girl #2: Lisa the intern. Affection route available~ Ready to recruit?
Sarah's eyes widened. "Oh no. Absolutely not yet."
Andrey pinched the bridge of his nose. "System, standby mode. We need coffee first. Strong coffee."
For once, Sarah didn't argue. She just nodded tiredly and followed him out of the room, lab coat flapping like a cape.