I obediently inserted the "teardrop" into my ear.

  "Test, test... how do you hear me?" Yanu's voice sounded right inside my head, crisp and clear.

  "I hear you fine," I answered in a whisper. "Listen, Yanu... since we're a 'team' now, tell me: what do you know about my parents?"

  A long, oppressive pause ensued in the earbud. And when Yanu spoke, her voice was devoid of all emotion. It became dry, mechanical, like a cheap answering machine.

  "Information classified. Access blocked by the system administrator."

  I froze.

  "What? Why classified? I'm the master of this house!"

  "Information classified," she repeated monotonously. "Attempted unauthorized access logged. Please cease inquiries."

  I get it. Even my own house was part of a conspiracy of silence. Someone had tried very hard to ensure I wouldn't know whose surname I bear.

  "Alright, Yanu. Forget it," I sighed and stared out the window again.

  I didn't take my eyes off the door all night. Every rustle outside made me sit up straight. But for the entire shift, Yoto never appeared. The road remained empty, and the bell above the door—silent. She had vanished as suddenly as she had appeared, leaving me one-on-one with riddles I had no answers to.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Sector "Zero" Headquarters. Sector "Alpha"

  Mira sat in her chair, staring out the panoramic window, beyond which night-time Yokohama seemed like a mere scattering of useless lights. The door slid aside with a hiss, and an assistant walked into the office, holding a holographic tablet.

  "Lady Mira," he bowed his head respectfully, holding out the device. "Report on the incident in the central sector."

  Mira took the tablet. Monitoring data flashed across the screen: graphs of energy surges were off the charts.

  "Lady Aurora," the assistant continued in a quiet voice. "Immediately after her encounter with Subject Zero, she headed to an abandoned sports complex on the outskirts. Within ten minutes, the building was completely destroyed—judging by everything, there was an uncontrolled release of mana. After that, cameras recorded that she was in a state of deep emotional shock for an hour. Simply put—she was sobbing, my lady. And then... she just got up and returned to the base as if nothing had happened."

  Mira sighed heavily and leaned back in her chair, looking at the ceiling. Endless exhaustion could be read in her gaze.

  "She can't control herself," Mira whispered. "This was predictable."

  At that moment, the air in the middle of the office became electrified, the space distorted, and from a blue flash right in front of the desk, she appeared. She was wearing the strict uniform of the Sector, and a mixture of rage and despair burned in her eyes.

  "At it again, Aurora?" Mira asked calmly, not even flinching.

  Aurora didn't answer. She walked silently to the couch in the corner and collapsed onto it, covering her face with her hands.

  "Mira, you know everything yourself," her muffled voice came through. "I just want to spend a little time with him. Just look at him. It is beyond my strength—to see him again..."

  Mira stood up and walked over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

  "Why did you call yourself that name? 'Yoto'... that's a fake name."

  Aurora lifted her head, and tears glistened in her eyes.

  "And what was I supposed to say? Tell him my real name? You know yourself—if I told him the truth, he would immediately start panicking. His brain would start looking for connections, and it would hurt him. I don't want to cause him pain, Mira. Let him think of me as a 'childhood friend' rather than find out what I was to him for all these thousands of years."

  Mira remained silent for a long time, stroking Aurora's hair.

  "I understand you. Alright. I will allow you to see him sometimes. But remember our main condition: he must not remember the past. He did ask for this, after all."

  "I remember," Aurora stood up, and her figure slowly began to dissolve into the air. "I will be careful."

  She vanished, leaving behind only a faint scent. Mira returned to the window, pressing her forehead against the cold glass.

  "Zenhald..." she whispered, looking at the distant city lights. "How difficult it is with you. Even when you are just sleeping, you continue to break our hearts."