The city didn't punish us right away.
That was how I knew the delay had worked.
No alarms.No collapsing streets.No sudden edits masquerading as coincidence.
Instead, the world grew… precise.
Every sound arrived exactly when it should. Footsteps echoed at the correct distance. Wind brushed skin with calibrated pressure. Even my breath felt measured, like the air itself had decided to count.
Arjun noticed it too.
"Why does everything feel… sharper?" he asked.
"Because nothing's being wasted," Aaryan replied."When interest accrues, the system stops leaking."
The brand in my chest was cool now—too cool. Not dormant. Banked.
[ System Notice: Deferred cost — compounding ][ Status: Stable, accruing ]
The girl glanced at me."You're quieter again."
"I'm listening," I said.Not to the city.To the weight behind my ribs, shifting into a new configuration.
The other Ishaan spoke softly.
Delayed costs don't disappear, he reminded me.They choose better timing.
✦
