The morning sun slowly ascended above the city, enveloping Lumeria in a soft golden glow. Rent woke up sluggishly—or at least, he tried to. Before he even stepped out of bed to look in the mirror, it was already apparent that dark circles were hanging heavily under his eyes.

  "I... had a nightmare," he said with a weak voice.

  Fyra-Bunn was still asleep at the foot of the bed, followed by Moro, who just popped out from under the bed frame.

  "Yaaawn. Morning, Sir. How was your sle—" Moro's (imaginary) eyes widened slightly. "Good heavens! What happened to your face? Did Sir Rent not sleep at all st night?"

  "Yes," Rent answered briefly. "Where is the bathroom here? I want to clean up this pathetic self of mine. Now."

  "Oh—um, the bathroom is right next to this room. The towel is inside the desk shelf, Sir. The old man told me yesterday."

  Rent simply nodded slowly. He walked groggily toward the desk shelf, grabbed a towel, and draped it around his neck. Then, he walked out, leaving his room for the adjacent bathroom.

  Inside the bathroom, Rent spshed water on his face again and again. He stared at his own hands, then went back to massaging his forehead.

  "Ugh, why won't that disturbing visual disappear? It feels like I'm staring at myself, but through a strange lens."

  "Haaah... no. I'm sure yesterday was just a hallucination." Rent spshed his face one more time before finally starting to clean himself with the soap provided there.

  After a few minutes, Rent returned to his room, feeling slightly fresher. He was already wearing his white t-shirt from inside the bathroom. His wet bck hair slightly covered his eyes, but his gaze remained as dead and ft as ever, even after a bath.

  He walked toward the writing desk, pulled out the wooden chair, and sat down with the towel still draped around his neck.

  Rent reached for his bag on the table, taking it and emptying its contents. Specifically, the empty book and the quill pen from before. For a moment, Rent just stared at the two items in silence.

  "What is the use of this pen and book? Whatever, useless items."

  Rent opened the empty book; there were only pin brown pages. Not a single word was written there. Then, Rent gnced at the quill pen he had taken out. He stared at it intently.

  It was the same item he had pointed at Fyra-Bunn as if it were a sharp weapon in the middle of being chased by that rabbit yesterday.

  "This damn thing... ugh... I feel like I need to erase that embarrassing memory," Rent muttered softly.

  While he was focused on staring at his quill, Moro came floating toward Rent from outside the bedroom door.

  "Sir Rent!"

  The shout instantly shattered Rent's daydream. He turned his head slowly toward the fur ball; the look in his dead fish eyes didn't change one bit. "What is it?"

  "The old man who owns this inn gave us coupons! He said it's a gift for new visitors!" Moro excimed while spinning happily in the air.

  "Hmm. What coupon?"

  "Free food coupons! Come on, let's go to the food stall across the street. How about it?"

  "Hmm..." Rent gnced briefly at Fyra, who was still snoring softly in the corner of the bed. His own stomach had indeed started to protest. "Alright. I might as well clear my head."

  Rent got up from his chair. He pced the pen and notebook on the empty wooden shelf. Then, he walked to the clothes rack, hanging the wet towel right next to his brown jacket.

  Rent turned his head briefly, looking at Fyra, who was still sleeping curled up, one more time.

  This creature... she really enjoys her sleep casually.

  As if yesterday's incident was nothing. What a troublesome creature, he thought.

  He stared at the rabbit intently, observing the soft snoring and regur breathing coming from the tiny mouth of a fire rabbit.

  "She sleeps so soundly. Damn it, why can't I be like that? Tch," he muttered softly with a hint of envy.

  Rent looked away, then turned back to Moro. "Let's go."

  Moro's body vibrated with excitement. "Let's go! I'll show you the food in this pce; it tastes so good!"

  The blue fur ball shot out the door first. Rent let out a short sigh, then stepped out to catch up with him.

  He closed the room door slowly.

  CLICK.

  The morning air in the West District of Lumeria was so refreshing. Birds with unique wing colors flew slowly above the trees. The surrounding flowers were still dewy. The activities of the surrounding residents began to bustle, passing by on this neatly arranged street.

  Rent came out wearing only his white t-shirt and cargo pants, walking leisurely among these residents. Although the surrounding atmosphere was so lively, his eyes remained empty, staring straight ahead.

  Deep inside Rent's head, his mind cshed between imagination and reality. He was still slightly haunted by the unreasonable sight at the window yesterday.

  That girl yesterday... was she really real?

  Or... was it just a hallucination?

  Why is my mind still revolving around that window incident? he thought.

  His mind visualized the purple-haired girl's face again. Her beautiful face, her purple eyes, her nose that was identical to his, and finally... that strange smile clearly dispyed on the girl's face, and the sudden wink. As if saying: "Try to find Me."

  Consciously, Rent patted his cheek with his left hand, lightly. PAT.

  His hand slowly moved up to his eyes and gently rubbed his cheek, which for some reason felt a little hot.

  Ridiculous. Why am I imagining that girl's face? Wake up! She's not real! he thought, a little frustrated.

  Moro, who had been floating in front of Rent, slowly looked back. Seeing his Master looking like a stressed person who had lost his job in the morning.

  "Umm... Sir Rent?"

  The fur ball's words instantly broke his train of thought again, just like in the room earlier. He looked back at Moro, still with his left hand touching his left cheek.

  "What?" Rent answered ftly.

  "Sir... are you thinking about something? Since yesterday, I've seen Sir daydreaming alone. Is there... something bothering your mind, Sir Rent?" replied Moro with his (imaginary) eyes narrowing suspiciously.

  "No." Rent brushed Moro away gently with his right hand. "I'm just thinking about food. Nothing more."

  "Hmm... Okay!" Moro floated and zoomed past Rent. "We'll take a shortcut, Sir."

  Rent's feet stopped walking. "Shortcut?"

  "Yes, we go through the alley intersection over there, Sir. Come on, hurry! Before we run out of breakfast!"

  "Whatever."

  They passed the main street, stepping into a small path between an antique shop and a flower shop. When they entered, the sound of Rent's footsteps echoed slightly there.

  Tap. Tap. Tap.

  The tread of boots on the cold stone path created echoes bouncing between the cold, dewy marble stone walls.

  "Sir, from here we should see a crossroads. The road to the food stall should be on the right path."

  "Are you sure?" Rent answered while observing his surroundings. "Your guess with that stupid rabbit yesterday lowered my trust, Moro," Rent sneered with a zy face.

  "Oh, ehehehe." Moro scratched his furry head with his small wing. "Sorry about yesterday, Sir. I was a little careless yesterday. But this time I make sure that this path is correct! I've analyzed this pce earlier. So you don't need to worry!"

  "Yeah, yeah, I believe you."

  As they went deeper, following the small alleyway, two crossroads appeared in the distance. A right path and a left path. Moro, floating far ahead, sensed a faint fragrant smell.

  "Hmm..."

  Sniff. Sniff.

  His nose (wherever it was located) fred. "This smell... contrasts a bit with... the smell of stone walls. Is there something..."

  Suddenly, imaginary steam burst out from the right intersection path. Directly inhaled by Moro's nostrils, repcing the faint fragrant aroma earlier.

  Instantly, his (imaginary) eyes widened and sparkled. "MASTER! This smell... NO DOUBT! WE ARE CLOSE!" His body spun around in front of Rent.

  "Smell? Smell of food?"

  "YES!" Moro stopped right in Rent's face, pointing to the right road ahead. "I WILL SECURE OUR FOOD PORTION FIRST, SIR! I'LL GO AHEAD!"

  In an instant, Moro flew as fast as lightning, leaving Rent alone again. Disappearing around the right bend of the road.

  "Haaah... that basic fur ball."

  Rent continued to walk slowly. Both hands tucked in his trouser pockets. His gaze was straight ahead while occasionally looking right and left.

  Just as he reached the intersection and was about to step to the right...

  Suddenly...

  Sret.

  A slender and graceful hand appeared from the direction of the left turn. Grabbing and pulling quickly on Rent's sleeve.

  "What the—"

  Before he could process it, the pull dragged his body forcibly into the left turn. Rent's vision spun for a second, then—

  Bugh.

  His back met the hard stone wall of the alley.

  "Ugh—?!"

  The impact wasn't painful, but the cold sensation from the stone penetrated his white t-shirt, making him gasp in shock.

  Because of the sudden jerk and pull, Rent's eyes were still squeezed shut. His back was pinned against the wall, however...

  TAK!

  Another impact nded right beside his left ear. The sound hummed, its vibration traveling through the wall to Rent's back. Making his hair stand on end, sensing danger.

  A foreign, fragrant aroma now pierced Rent's nose. The same aroma Moro had smelled before, but this time... the scent hit very close. Too close.

  What is this? What pulled me? Why is there a fragrant smell here?

  Out of panic, both of Rent's hands groped for whatever was in front of him. Still with eyes half-closed. Hoping to find a hold or at least know what was confronting him.

  However...

  His hands nded on a foreign object hanging there.

  It wasn't a solid hold he found.

  His fingers instead sank into something... soft.

  Warm.

  And bouncy.

  What... is this?

  What strange object am I touching? he thought confusedly. His eyes were still tightly closed from the shock.

  Unconsciously, Rent's fingers moved. Gripping the object to confirm its texture.

  Squeeze.

  "Ennghh~"

  Silence.

  Rent's body froze completely.

  That voice... clearly wasn't a man's voice. It was a suppressed moan that appeared right in front of him.

  Warm breath swept across his face. Brushing against his own lips gently. Their distance... was too close.

  Slowly... very slowly... Rent's eyelids opened.

  The first thing that greeted his vision was the color purple. A pair of amethyst eyes that were beautiful, clear, and sparkling. Eyes he recognized very well. Because every morning, he saw the same eyes in the mirror reflection. Only, the eyes in front of him were adorned with long, seductive eyeshes.

  Their faces were only a span apart. Their sharp noses almost touched. Rent could see a thin red blush on the girl's cheeks. But strangely, there was no anger there. The girl's red lips curved up instead. Forming a smirk full of meaning.

  "Ara~?"

  That voice was heard again. Soft, crisp, and tickling the ears. The girl didn't sp Rent's hand away. She actually puffed her chest out slightly, pressing Rent's palms deeper into her own assets.

  "Have you had enough checking the quality of the goods? Mr. Stranger?" she whispered in a mocking tone. "Turns out your hands are naughtier than your ft face, huh?"

  Rent stared at the girl, then gnced at his own hands which were... increasingly pressing the soft object belonging to the girl in front of him.

  Quickly, he pulled both his hands back, then looked back into the girl's eyes intently.

  "W-Who are you? What is your business with me?" he answered quickly.

  His eyes were still staring straight, but his forehead was already visibly sweating. His cheeks suddenly heated up on their own, seeing the real scenery in front of him.

  The girl smiled even wider, a thin smirk, still in the same position.

  "My business? Hehehe... my business is right in front of me. Now, Mr. 'Me'."

  The girl leaned her body further forward. Making her assets press right against Rent's ft chest.

  Rent could feel the heartbeat of the girl through a touch that couldn't be defined by normal means.

  Thump. Thump. Thump.

  That rhythm. It wasn't just the girl's heartbeat he felt. But also a strange vibration that propagated into his own chest cavity. As if both their hearts were beating a drum with the exact same rhythm. A terrifying synchronization.

  "Your heart is so noisy~" whispered the girl. Her breath tickled Rent's ear, making the young man's hair stand on end simultaneously. "Even though your mouth is busy asking 'who', your body seems to have recognized me first. You dishonest Mr. 'Me'."

  Rent gritted his teeth, trying to process this illogical situation. His brain screamed to run, but his feet seemed nailed to the ground by the gaze of those amethyst eyes.

  "Back off," hissed Rent softly, his voice sounding hoarse. "You... are too close."

  "What if I don't want to?"

  The girl instead raised one hand. Her slender index finger traced Rent's jawline slowly, then stopped right at his chin. She looked up slightly, staring at Rent with an assessing gaze. As if looking at a mirror, but unsatisfied with the reflection.

  "What a pity..." she murmured, her tone changing from teasing to slightly disappointed. "Our face has god-tier potential. Sharp nose, defined jawline, sharp eyes... but you ruined it with that pathetic 'dead fish' expression."

  Boop.

  The girl's finger poked the tip of Rent's nose.

  "It's like seeing a beautiful painting used to wrap fried food. Such a waste."

  "Back off!"

  Roughly, he pushed the girl's shoulders to distance her, then turned his back to hide his face which was probably already burning red. "You're crazy," hissed Rent while rubbing his chin where she had touched. "Who are you really? A mimic demon? Or a flirtatious ghost?"

  "Ghost?" A small ugh was heard.

  Rent turned back warily. The girl was now standing casually, leaning back against the wall as if nothing had happened. Her right hand pyed with the tip of her purple hair, twirling it slowly.

  "Bad guess. Even though the answer is right in front of your eyes."

  The girl pointed to her own face, then pointed to Rent's face.

  "I am you. A version of you that is prettier, more cheerful, and... more well-endowed, you know? Mr. Handsome Mirror."

  She took one step forward. "My name is... Kaensista Saichi. Remember that, Ka-en-sis-ta."

  The girl winked one more time, this time with a confident smile.

  "Don't forget that, my Better Half."