It was eight o'clock.

"So, you woke me up this early just for this little thing?" Bai Ya sat hunched on her computer chair, knees hugged to her chest, a mug of coffee in hand. She glared at them with ill temper. Fresh out of bed, her hair was a messy tangle, chin resting on her knees, eyes half-lidded and drowsy.

Yue Ge held Little Ash innocently, hesitated, then stayed silent. The girl beside him showed no remorse at all—her gaze kept flicking toward Yue Ge. Her hair was a rare pale gold, and she stood taller than Bai Ya.

If Bai Ya had stunned Yue Ge at first sight, this girl was the kind of idol who’d make every passerby turn their head. She radiated pure confidence and charm, even with a cold face. A smile would’ve made her a heartthrob. Her golden hair held not a trace of dye, just like Bai Ya’s.

Her name was Sunan, Bai Ya’s so-called friend. Her attitude toward Yue Ge wasn’t welcoming, but not hostile either. Probably not easy to get along with.

"No, no—I don’t usually bother you," she shook her head.

"So what?" Bai Ya asked drowsily. "Sunan, why are you here so early?"

"...My lady, you forgot? You called me over. I’m swamped—if I weren’t already nearby, I wouldn’t have come." Sunan looked ready to strangle her.

"Oh, right," Bai Ya propped her head up, finally remembering. "My breakfast—did you bring it?"

She’d invited Sunan specifically to discuss Yue Ge, to avoid future trouble. Some things were better said face-to-face.

"Is that the priority now?" Sunan facepalmed, glancing at Yue Ge. "This is the person you mentioned?"

"It’s only eight—no rush," Bai Ya rubbed her eyes, sipped her coffee, and seemed more alert. Yue Ge caught a whiff of bitter black coffee from across the room.

"You’re hopeless. I’m in a hurry—I wasn’t even supposed to be here. You’re killing me." Sunan sighed, pushing Bai Ya’s chair toward her bedroom.

"Alright, alright," Bai Ya gave in, turning to Yue Ge. "There’s a breakfast stall at the street corner. Grab me something."

"Oh—" Yue Ge started, but Sunan shut the door before he finished.

He paused. He had no money. Not even spare clothes. Bai Ya had promised to handle everything after moving to the new base, including paperwork. For now, his pockets were empty.

The door opened again. Bai Ya poked her head out, tossed him a card. "Money’s on it. Steamed buns—no chives." The door clicked shut.

Yue Ge examined the card. Pitch black, no markings. Without Bai Ya’s words, he wouldn’t have known its purpose.

"A credit card?" He pocketed it, set Little Ash down, and headed out. Little Ash had just finished eating and dozed off, but woke when moved. It shook its head and followed.

Yue Ge ignored it, closing the door. Little Ash squeezed through the crack, barked once, then darted ahead—glancing back every few steps.

Yue Ge wasn’t surprised. He followed, knowing Little Ash had heard Bai Ya’s request. Sure enough, after two turns at the corner, they reached the breakfast stall. The street was quiet, no customers in sight.

To Yue Ge’s surprise, Little Ash headed straight for raw meat. The shopkeeper recognized it, confirmed with Yue Ge, and prepared a portion without hesitation. Payment went smoothly. Yue Ge even ate his own breakfast there with Little Ash before heading back with Bai Ya’s share.

No key meant knocking. Sunan opened the door, not Bai Ya. Bai Ya lay sprawled on the sofa but sat up when she saw Yue Ge, waving with a suddenly bright expression.

"Why only buns?" She frowned at the bag he set down.

"I didn’t know what you wanted—got a variety." Sunan had taken the spot beside Bai Ya, so Yue Ge sat opposite. Little Ash hadn’t come inside; it lingered outside.

"Meat buns... ah, and soy milk." Bai Ya nibbled small bites.

Sunan grabbed a bag. "When are you leaving?"

"Anytime. I’ve packed everything." Bai Ya sounded distracted.

"Fine—I’ll submit the application. Tell me when it’s approved." Sunan pulled out her phone, typing one-handed. "I can’t stay long anyway."

"You’re still so busy," Bai Ya murmured.

"It’s a mission. But I don’t mind." Sunan ate two buns, wiped her mouth. "Bai Ya, about what I said earlier—you really won’t reconsider?"

"No." Bai Ya glanced at Yue Ge. "I’ll handle it."

"...Fine. I can’t change your mind." Sunan stood, resigned. "I’m heading back—they’re waiting. We’ll celebrate after your move."

"Mhm." Bai Ya smiled.

Yue Ge rarely saw her smile so naturally. They’d known each other less than a day, yet their bond felt deep. Sunan hadn’t spoken a word to him—not out of hatred, but deliberate avoidance.

He sensed no real malice from her, only a scrutinizing look whenever her eyes flicked his way. Impossible to guess her thoughts.

Bai Ya walked Sunan to the door, chatted briefly with Little Ash outside, then returned. The moment Sunan left, she collapsed face-down on the sofa, utterly drained.

"What did she say?" Yue Ge asked casually.

"Nothing much." Bai Ya lifted her head slightly, turning to him with a teasing gesture. "But if you misbehave, the ‘Organization’ might ‘clean you up’."

"I wondered about that yesterday. ‘Organization’ sounds like a secret group’s codename."

"Kind of." Bai Ya bit into a bun, voice muffled. "Officially, it’s ‘Heavenly Mandate’—the largest unofficial group for ‘Chosen Ones’. They handle things internally."

"You’re a member too. Is it safe to talk so freely?"

"It’s fine—you’ll learn soon. Sunan and I are both in it. You need to register, or they might ‘clean you up’ someday."

"Mhm." Yue Ge didn’t argue. "When do we leave?"

Strangely, though they’d met barely a day ago, talking felt effortless. With Bai Ya, his mind settled. Was it the ‘Essence’? No—probably just because they treated each other like ordinary people.

"When the movers arrive. They’re from the ‘Organization’ too—ship things no one else can see."

Officially, ‘Essence’ research was banned. ‘Chosen Ones’ were urban legends. Most people only knew ‘monsters’ as vague rumors—real ones never reached cities, intercepted long before.

"Will Little Ash come with us?" Yue Ge turned. Little Ash had slipped in somehow, perched on a cabinet. The door was shut.

"Mhm. It roams outside—like when you met it yesterday." Bai Ya waved, but Little Ash ignored her, already curled up. She frowned, clearly displeased.

Yue Ge smiled.

"What’s funny?" Bai Ya asked.

"Nothing. Just... it feels new. Chatting like friends." He glanced at Little Ash.

He’d had almost no friends. In that place, no one knew if they’d see tomorrow. Smiles were rare; frowns were common. He’d killed time by spacing out—not hating it, but bored.

Chatting like this, so ordinary, felt like something to cherish.

"Really?" Bai Ya tilted her head. "How strange."

"Maybe." Yue Ge scratched his head, letting the topic drop.