Grey eased open the door to his hotel suite, the hallway light casting a muted glow across the threshold. The living room was quiet save for the soft hum of the air conditioner. The furnishings were sparse: a low coffee table holding a single, half-drunk mug; a plush armchair with its cushion slightly askew; and a floor lamp that flickered occasionally, casting unsettled shadows across the carpet.
Hana sat cross-legged on the armchair , her gaze fixed on the mirror hanging on the wall opposite her. She seemed lost in thought, her expression unreadable as she stared at her reflection, lost in contemplation. Grey watched her for a moment before clearing his throat, breaking the silence that enveloped the room.
Hana's eyes narrowed as she met Grey's gaze, her body tense with a defensive posture. The air between them seemed to crackle with tension, as if waiting for one of them to make the first move.
Grey paused, hand resting gently on the doorframe. "You're here," he said softly, his voice tinged with surprise and something deeper, an unplaceable ache.
He offered a small, disarming smile, as if trying to lighten the tension. "Sato wasn't too rude to you, was he?" He asked gently, the question hanging in the air as a tentative attempt to bridge the distance between them. Grey's attempt at breaking the tension only seemed to make her more guarded, her eyes flickering with a mix of emotions. She took a deep breath before responding, "Sato was... professional."
Then her eyes narrowed further, a hint of suspicion flashing in them as she continued, "But I can't say the same for everyone else here."
Grey shifted awkwardly, uncertain what to do next. After a moment, he glanced toward the coffee table and cleared his throat. "Would you… like something to drink? Tea? Coffee… water?" His tone was hesitant but caring, a small gesture of concern amid the tension.
Hana's eyes flicked to the table, then back to him, a flicker of conflict passing through her expression. She remained silent, the air between them thick with unspoken questions.
Hana's eyes narrowed further. She didn't answer back. Instead, she folded her arms and leaned back, her posture defensive and her expression icy. "What do you want from me?" she demanded, her voice edged with anger and disbelief. "How dare you just walk in here and act like everything's fine?"
Grey's smile vanished, and a quiet regret took its place. He took a deliberate breath, grounding himself before he spoke. "I know I hurt you. I never meant to; I…I just want to talk."
******
The memory struck Hana like a thunderclap, raw, vivid, and impossible to ignore.
She and her team had moved through the fog-drenched forest in desperate silence, every breath sharp, every step cautious. Their hearts pounded as they slipped between the trees, each member haunted by the unknown danger that trailed them. They didn't understand how they found them out directly when they came out of the lab; it's like they were waiting for them. Hana's eyes narrowed as she tried to piece together the puzzle of betrayal that had unfolded before them. The tension in the air was palpable, and she knew that their next move would be crucial in determining their fate.
Disaster then struck as they drew near the extraction point, a battered clearing framed by emergency lights and the distant hum of engines. From the shadows, villains emerged, ready to use their quirk with smiles reflecting their enjoyment of the situation. Hana's heart raced as she realized they had walked right into a trap. With no time to waste, she signaled for her team to prepare for a fight against the unexpected threat.
That's when Sato appeared. A mitraillette pointing toward the enemy.
And with one push, he turned the ambush into chaos. The villains were caught off guard as Sato unleashed a barrage of bullets, giving Hana and her team the upper hand in the fight. In the chaos, they were able to regroup and strategize a counterattack to escape the trap and secure their extraction. Bullets flew, bodies dropped, and in that moment, saying to hana's team to get on the van. Hana realized she had no choice. There was no room for hesitation, only survival. Sato seized her arm, his grip iron-strong, and pulled her toward the waiting van. The rest of the team followed, adrenaline-fueled and terrified. As they raced toward the van, the sound of gunfire echoing behind them, Hana knew that their only chance of survival was to trust in each other and make a swift escape. With Sato leading the way, they jumped into the van and sped off into the night, leaving chaos and destruction in their wake.
When the van doors slammed shut, Hana collapsed onto the seat, lungs heaving. In the harsh, flickering light of the cabin, she watched Sato, Tomo, and Kaori. They were talking quietly and easily, like old friends wedged into familiarity. Their laughter was soft and casual, and it sent a cold spike of betrayal through Hana's chest. and when she asks what is happening
Then the truth dropped.
"We're working for Grey," Sato said, voice calm, almost distant.
Hana's stomach dropped. She turned to them, confused and raw. "You… you're joking, no?" Sato's expression remained serious, his eyes meeting hers with a coldness that sent a shiver down her spine. "I wish we were," he replied, his tone devoid of any humor. The reality of their situation settled heavily on Hana, realization sinking in like a stone in her gut.
Tomo nodded, eyes avoiding contact. "We've been following your orders, sure," he said. "But not because of you." Hana felt a wave of disbelief crash over her. She had trusted them, relied on them, only to find out they were working for someone else all along. The realization left her feeling alone and vulnerable in the midst of supposed friends.
Kaori's voice was softer, but just as devastating. "We're here because Grey needs what you've got. Your intel, your access… and your resources." Hana's heart sank as she realized the depth of the betrayal. She had been played by those she thought were her allies, leaving her with a bitter taste of betrayal in her mouth.
Her throat tightened. She felt exposed, used. The van's engine roared in the background, but all she heard was the hollow echo of betrayal. Her breath caught, tears threatening to surface, not just from anger, but from the ache of being manipulated by people she'd trusted.
In that moment, the van became a cage. The air tasted metallic. She stared at the three of them, their faces calm, collected actors in a play she didn't know she was starring in.
The betrayal wasn't just about manipulation; it was about trust shattered and the illusion of camaraderie ripped away. Every step she'd taken with them now felt like a lie.
*****
Hana's eyes glistened not with tears, but with anger that had been buried deep. "You used me," she whispered, voice cold. "You used us."
Grey's expression softened, a pain flickering behind his eyes. He took a careful breath before speaking, voice quiet but resolute. "I did it because I thought… maybe even you would see that this world is fake." Hana's heart clenched at his words, realizing the depth of deception that had been woven around her. She had been a pawn in a game she never knew existed, and now this.
Hana's shoulders tensed, her gaze unyielding. She leaned forward slightly, voice low and sharp. "You think manipulating me would open my eyes? You turned my life into a lie and then expected me to just see through it?"
He paused, searching her face for any sign of understanding. "I believed that if you understood the truth of what this place is, maybe you'd see things the way I do. It's the reason why you're here."
Grey paused, choosing his words with care. "Hana… haven't there been moments when things just didn't make sense? Missions that felt off, betrayals that seemed too convenient, chaos that felt orchestrated?"
Hana's lips parted, about to refute him. But something in his vulnerable, searching tone made her hesitate. The words stuck in her throat as she stared at him, the anger in her eyes slowly giving way to a flicker of doubt.
She swallowed, the silence stretching between them, heavy with unspoken questions.
At last, she spoke, her voice quieter but still firm. "Understanding doesn't excuse betrayal," she said, but there was a hint of softness now. "But… maybe they had time, yes."
Grey nodded, relief and hope flickering in his eyes. "If you can give me just that one chance to earn your trust back, I'll take it."
Hana's gaze remained guarded, but the tension in her shoulders eased slightly. "Then start earning it," she replied quietly. "Explain everything step by step."
Grey exhaled softly, voice quieter, more haunted. "I'm not from this world," he began.
Hana's eyes widened, confusion flickering across her features. She stared at him, unblinking, as though trying to process a sudden shift in her reality. Her brow furrowed, tension coiling in her shoulders. After a long moment of silence, she spoke, her voice cautious and edged with doubt:
"What… what are you saying? That none of this is real?" Her tone wavered between disbelief and mistrust.
She shifted in the chair, arms tightening around herself, as though bracing for a blow. "And why should I believe you?" Her gaze hardened, suspicion replacing the flicker of empathy that had softened her earlier.
Grey's chest tightened beneath the weight of her doubt. He met her gaze, steady but vulnerable, silently pleading for understanding even as the chasm between them widened.
Grey swallowed hard, gathering the courage to speak the rest of his truth. "Before all of this I was a petroleum engineer," he said, voice low and steady. "I worked offshore, on a rig in the Gulf of Mexico. Then… there was a gas explosion. and... I died."
He paused, letting the weight of those words settle between them. "I shouldn't be here. But after I died, I woke up in this body, in this world. Everything I've done since then… has been an attempt to make sense of that."
Hana's breath caught as she absorbed his confession. Her arms wrapped tighter around herself, and her expression shifted from confusion to something more guarded, doubt and mistrust replacing any flicker of empathy she'd felt before.
"How do I even know you're telling the truth?" she asked, voice wavering but firm. "A petroleum engineer… gas explosion… It sounds like something out of a story."
Grey met her gaze, hope and vulnerability shining in his eyes. He managed a melancholic smile, soft and, almost wistful, as if memories of another life flickered behind it. "I know how it sounds," he said quietly. "I don't expect you to believe me right away. But I'm telling you the truth."
Silence filled the room, thick and heavy. Hana's eyes searched his face, trying to discern honesty from deception.
He exhaled softly and continued, voice quieter, more haunted. "I died. And then… I was thrust into this body, into this world. But I'm not just living here; I'm being changed. The sudden shifts in my personality, the unexplainable changes… they're not normal."
Hana's breath caught.
Grey's eyes darkened, haunted. "Every time I tried to assert myself, to change something, disaster followed. Remember the Shadow Wings hero who turned villain? That wasn't in the original story. And the death of my colleague—he shouldn't have died. I only learned about it after I became the boss of the faction."
He leaned forward, voice trembling. "Every time I act on my own, something catastrophic happens. So I started manipulating others. It was the only way I could steer things to avoid chaos and keep some semblance of control."
Hana stared at him, shock and curiosity warring in her expression.
Grey's gaze locked onto hers. "You… you're like me, Hana. The way you act is determined and instinctive, like something else is guiding you. I thought you might understand what it means to be possessed, to feel this world trying to overwrite your identity."
Hana's breath hitched, her eyes widening as the weight of his words settled over her. The room felt smaller, the silence thick with unspoken truths. For a moment, she simply stared at him, struggling to find the words.
Then, softly, she spoke, her voice trembling with a mixture of awe and revelation:
"So… that's it. I've been wondering… why I feel so out of place, why sometimes it's like I'm watching myself from the outside. I couldn't put it into words, but… maybe I wasn't just imagining it."
She paused, searching his face, a glimmer of understanding dawning in her eyes. "You may be right. Maybe I'm… like you. Not fully in control. Not fully… me."
Her voice softened further, laced with uncertainty and a touch of sorrow. "I don't know if I should be grateful… or terrified. To meet someone like me, someone who understands… I don't know what that means." She paused again, taking a shaky breath. "I never wished for someone to live the experience I've had. But… here you are.