Chapter Text
Saturday morning flew by for Ellen. That late-night call had acted like a spark she couldn’t put out—she felt light, full of energy, as if nothing could possibly ruin her day. Even her usual exhaustion seemed to have surrendered to that strange impulse that ran through her body, from her chest all the way to her fingertips.
Even though the investigation assignment had already ended, the café’s owner had managed to convince her—through a generous payment—to stay one more day and help promote the business. Apparently, Ellen had been attracting quite a few customers. She didn’t mind much; after all, on Sunday she was going to see Wise. Just thinking about that made any inconvenience feel insignificant.
At some point during the morning, Lynn messaged the group: the draft of the script would be ready by tomorrow, and it would be good if everyone reviewed it. Ellen replied with a quick “sure” before going back to work. She had things to do—and a smile that simply wouldn’t leave her face.
The afternoon dragged on for Ellen. Fatigue had settled into her shoulders, and although she kept moving with almost automatic efficiency, the momentum that had carried her through the morning was starting to fade. Still, she forced herself to keep going; after all, the effort would be worth it. Lycaon had promised her a few days off once everything was over… and she planned to make the most of them.
Customers came and went nonstop. Ellen barely paid them any attention: she took orders, delivered them, ignored poorly disguised invitations and lingering smiles. None of that mattered to her. Her heart already belonged to someone—and he was very far from this place.
Until she saw him.
Amid the murmur of the café and the clinking of cups, a familiar face appeared at the entrance.
Marco.
Ellen froze for a fraction of a second.
Damn it… I should have told him not to come back, she thought.
But there was nothing she could do. The café was packed, and besides, every extra customer meant extra pay. There were no excuses this time.
—-
Marco, for his part, had spent the entire day floating inside a strange haze. That feeling hadn’t faded—not even a little. If anything, it had grown with absurd strength. So much so that he had even dreamed about her. About Ellen.
That alone had forced him to focus all morning on his pending assignments, as if sheer intellectual effort could silence what he felt… with very little success.
When afternoon came, something inside him—a dangerous mix of impulse and newly gained confidence—pushed him back toward the café.
As soon as he walked in, he looked for a seat almost on reflex. And then he saw her.
Ellen was wearing the maid uniform, and for a second Marco felt like the air had left his lungs. It wasn’t just that she looked beautiful—he already knew that—it was that there was something different about her now. Something closer. More real.
Their eyes met.
Marco’s heart made a small, traitorous leap.
“Hey, Ellen,” he greeted, trying to keep his voice steady.
She sighed, clearly tired, not bothering to hide it.
“Yeah, hi… tell me, why did you come back?” she asked, her tone more exhausted than hostile.
“I was hungry and… well,” he replied, surprising himself with how firm his voice sounded, “this place has really good food.”
Ellen raised an eyebrow, studying him.
“Hm… you’re not wrong,” she admitted after a moment. “So, what are you having?”
Marco smiled, ordered his usual, and watched her walk toward the register. He didn’t like seeing some of the customers trying to get her attention, but that irritation quickly faded when he noticed how Ellen ignored them without hesitation—sharp, almost cold.
She’s not interested in any of them, he thought, and that realization calmed his chest in a dangerously satisfying way.
When she came back with his order, Marco ate with exaggerated enjoyment, more because of the atmosphere than the food itself. After a while, when Ellen passed by his table again, he decided to speak up.
“Hey,” he said quietly, “are you going to the meeting tomorrow?”
“Yeah, obviously,” she replied. “I’m also going to show the draft to a couple of people I know so they can help us out. They’re the most knowledgeable about movies that I know.”
As she said it, a small smile appeared on her face.
Marco stared a second longer than he should have.
Her smile was… something else. Something that tightened his chest without asking permission.
She walked away to keep working. Marco decided not to bother her any further and stepped outside the café, planning to wait for her. Time passed faster than he expected, until the insistent calls from his family forced him to leave.
As he walked away—still carrying a strange sadness he couldn’t quite explain—he couldn’t help but notice an absurd scene on the street: a sentient machine running away while a black-haired woman chased after it.
“Let me dismantle you, handsome!” she shouted.
“Never! I have rights!” the robot in the red jacket yelled back.
Marco let out an involuntary laugh as he continued on his way home. At least he’d have a strange little anecdote for dinner.
—--
Ellen left the café with her body heavy and her mind even more exhausted. The shift had been long, draining, and every step toward the subway felt almost automatic. Her feet ached, her shoulders were tight, as if she had been carrying something invisible for hours.
As she walked, she barely registered what was happening around her. An officer struggling with a black-haired mechanic, a sentient machine trying to escape… chaotic scenes that, on another day, would have made her smile. Not this time. She was too tired to care about anything other than getting home.
On the train, she leaned her back against the wall and let her head fall back. The car hummed softly, and for the first time in hours, she had a moment to breathe.
Wise…
She pulled out her phone without thinking too much about it. She knew he’d be busy, so she wasn’t expecting a long conversation. Still, she wanted to know if he was okay.
Ellen:
Hey
Are you okay? :)
The reply took a few seconds.
Wise:
Tired.
Belle and I just finished.
We even had to call Division 6.
We wanted to wrap it up today…
It was more than we expected.
Ellen’s eyes widened slightly as she read. Wise wasn’t someone who exaggerated, so if he said it had been rough, then it truly had been. Even so, a soft smile slipped onto her face.
He always pushes himself too hard…
Ellen:
That sounds awful ;(
I’m just glad you’re okay at least.
They talked a little more. Nothing too deep—small comments, brief complaints about the day, short laughs. But for Ellen, it was enough. She could feel her exhaustion becoming easier to bear with every message.
When the train reached her station, she put her phone away and continued on her way home. She greeted Corin, who looked just as tired, and they shared a quiet dinner with everyone together. Lycaon had cooked, and for once Ellen didn’t have to worry about anything beyond eating and listening.
Later, already in her room, she dropped onto her bed.
Tomorrow… Tomorrow I’ll see him.
That thought alone was enough for sleep to take her quickly.
—----
Sunday arrived accompanied by the soft sound of a door opening carefully.
“G–good morning, Ellen…”
Corin’s trembling voice slipped into the room along with the morning light.
Ellen let out a small groan and rolled over under the sheets, still half caught between sleep and wakefulness.
“Morning to you too, Corin…” she mumbled, her voice thick with sleep.
Then, vaguely pointing toward a nearby table, she added,
“My dirty clothes are over there… don’t worry about anything else.”
Corin nodded enthusiastically, as if she’d just been entrusted with a very important mission. She picked up the clothes and almost trotted out of the room. Ellen smiled faintly before closing her eyes again.
But only for a second.
She opened one eye. Then the other. She looked at the clock.
The meeting…
She sat up abruptly. Even though it was Sunday and the meetup wasn’t until noon, she knew that if she relaxed too much, she’d end up running late. She got up, stretched lazily, and headed straight for a quick shower.
As the water fell over her, her thoughts were already moving ahead.
After the meeting, I’m going straight to Random Play… I can’t show up looking like a mess.
She chose her clothes with more care than she would ever admit. Nothing over the top: a black shirt with red lace details, well-fitted jeans, comfortable boots. Still, when she looked at herself in the mirror, she nodded, satisfied.
Good. That 's enough.
—----
Marco arrived at the meeting spot a few minutes before the agreed time. The place was quiet, with only a few tables occupied. He saw Lynn walk in almost at the same time, carrying several sheets of paper clipped together.
“Ellen… she’s not here yet,” he commented, trying to sound casual.
“She’s always a little late,” Lynn replied with a small laugh. “It is Sunday, after all.”
Marco nodded, but he couldn’t stop glancing at the door every few seconds.
And then she walked in.
Ellen crossed the threshold with confident steps, as if the place belonged to her. The light hit her fully, and Marco felt—quite literally—the air leave his lungs for a second.
Wow… he thought, swallowing any words that might’ve escaped.
“Wow, Ellen,” Lynn blurted out without thinking. “You look like you’re going on a date.”
Ellen shrugged, pretending not to care.
“I just grabbed the first thing I saw, honestly.”
Marco said nothing. He couldn’t. He just smiled like an idiot, doing his best not to stare too much.
They sat down, ordered something to drink, and Lynn placed the papers on the table.
“Here’s the draft of the script,” she said, clearly excited. “I made a copy for each of you.”
Ellen took hers and started reading with genuine focus, not just out of politeness. Marco did the same. Silence settled in as pages turned.
“The girl’s sacrifice,” Lynn explained, “is because the guy saved her life earlier. She just wanted to return the favor… and in the end, she manages to say ‘I love you.’”
Marco swallowed.
“Wow… that was… sad.”
“Yeah,” Ellen replied, without taking her eyes off the paper.
There was something about the story that felt uncomfortably familiar. Too close. It reminded her of that girl—Vivian.
Over the next hour, they discussed details: scenes, dialogue, pacing. Ellen gave very precise feedback, talking about camera angles, tension, about silences that said more than words ever could.
She’s not just strong… she knows so much… Marco listened, completely fascinated.
In the end, they assigned roles.
“Ellen will play the villain,” Lynn decided. “Marco and I will be the main couple.”
“Sounds perfect to me,” Ellen said without hesitation.
“I can take care of the set design,” she added. “I’m good with cardboard and stuff.”
“I’ll help you,” Marco said almost immediately. “I’m good at painting and crafts.”
Lynn watched them with curiosity. Marco seemed different. Looser. More confident. And Ellen… she spoke to him without any discomfort, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
When they finally noticed the time, it was already past noon.
Ellen looked up and straightened.
“I think it’s time to head out,” she said firmly. “I’ve got things to do… and I need to take the script to the managers.”
“You’re sure they’ll help us?” Lynn asked.
“Yes. I asked them myself.”
They left together and headed for the subway. Just like the first time, Lynn said goodbye first, leaving the two of them alone again on the platform.
Silence settled in.
“You’ve gotten more confident, huh?” Ellen said suddenly.
“Ah… well, yeah, I guess,” Marco replied, surprised. “You said it yourself.”
“Yeah…” she nodded. “And thanks for keeping the secret.”
“No problem.”
Marco opened his mouth to say something else, but Ellen’s train arrived at that exact moment. She stepped inside quickly, but before the doors closed, she turned back.
“Keep up the confidence,” she said with a smile. “You look cooler.”
The doors closed.
Marco stood there, completely still, as his heart exploded inside his chest.
He didn’t notice when his train arrived.
He didn’t notice the ride home.
He was completely in the clouds.
—---------
The air of Sixth Street always managed to calm her down.
There was something about those quiet streets—the distant hum of traffic, the faded colors of the shops—that made her thoughts fall into place on their own. Ellen walked toward Random Play, her heart beating a little faster than usual.
Easy… breathe.
She gave General Chop a quick nod and stopped in front of the video store’s door. She adjusted her shirt, ran a hand through her hair, and forced herself to relax.
Then she stepped inside.
Wise was helping a customer. Ellen didn’t interrupt; she stayed nearby, pretending to browse one of the shelves. Even so, he noticed her. He always did.
He gave her a small wave and a calm smile that, as usual, melted every last bit of her defenses.
When the customer left, Wise walked over.
“Good to see you again, Ellen.”
“Likewise… Wise,” she replied, a faint blush creeping up her cheeks. “I brought the script my group prepared. Do you want to take a look?”
“Of course. Belle’s in the staff room.”
“Perfect.”
They went inside. Belle was sitting at a table covered in papers filled with numbers and diagrams that looked incomprehensible even to Ellen. When she saw her, her face lit up.
“Ellen!” She jumped to her feet and hugged her. “It’s been so long!”
“Yeah… we’ve been really busy,” Ellen replied with a smile.
“Come in, come in,” Belle said energetically. “Onii-chan told me you had something for us.”
Ellen handed them the script. Both of them started reading it with that absurd speed that always left her baffled. She was barely on the second page when they were already halfway through.
In less than five minutes, they were done.
“Mind if I write a few notes on it?” Belle asked, her eyes shining.
“Sure, go ahead.”
Belle shot off toward her room with the script in hand. Wise stayed behind, looking at Ellen with a soft smile.
“My sister likes these kinds of stories,” he commented. “She’s really good at giving them a final touch.”
Ellen nodded. She had always liked seeing the siblings like this, working together so naturally.
Wise gestured toward the couch.
“Have a seat.”
She obeyed without thinking. She settled in, lifted her tail, and rested it over her legs like she always did. Wise noticed… and smiled a little more.
This time… I don’t want to fall asleep, she thought.
—----
Marco got home as if the world were running on autopilot.
His mother looked at him as soon as he walked through the door. She didn’t say anything. She didn’t need to. The expression on his face said it all.
“Dinner’s ready whenever you want,” she said simply.
Marco went up to his room, closed the door, and dropped onto his bed, staring at the ceiling.
Ellen’s image kept coming back. Her smile at the subway. Her voice encouraging him. The way she looked at him when she told him he looked cooler.
When did this happen…?
He had never allowed himself to feel something like this before. Ellen had always been… distant. Untouchable. But now he had seen her working, getting tired, asking him for something almost pleadingly, trusting him with a secret.
She trusts me.
His heart was pounding.
“I…”
—-------
The first movie—a romantic one, surprisingly—ended. Ellen liked it a lot. The story, the duo, their chemistry, and the fact that it was a musical made her sigh with happiness, which was surprising considering romance usually wasn’t her thing.
Wise stood up to look for the next tape.
“Hey, Ellen,” he said while browsing. “You know… this movie reminded me a bit of you.”
She looked up.
“Me…?”
“Yeah. The protagonist was similar to you. You’re strong,” he continued. “Much stronger than I was at your age. You work, you study… and even so, you keep smiling. I find that admirable.”
“Stop…” she murmured, feeling the heat rise to her face.
“And I think you already know this,” he added, turning to face her, “but you’re very important to me. Irreplaceable.”
He paused. Ellen stopped breathing.
“All of this… is so you know I’m serious about what I’m about to say.”
He stepped a little closer.
“Ellen, I…”
—----
Marco was still staring at the ceiling, but he wasn’t really seeing it anymore.
His mind was somewhere else. In another district. With a girl who probably had no idea how much she had changed his world in just a few days.
“I…” he repeated, this time more firmly. “I love her.”
He closed his eyes. He didn’t know what he would do with that feeling.
But he knew it wasn’t going to disappear.
—--
“Onii-chaaaan!” Belle shouted from the doorway. “I’m going to buy something, I’ll be right back!”
The tension shattered like glass.
Wise let out a nervous laugh. Ellen frowned, puffing her cheeks slightly.
“Wise…”
“Sorry,” he scratched the back of his neck. “My sister has a special talent for ruining moments.”
He took a deep breath. This time, he wasn’t going to run.
“Ellen… sometimes you talk in your sleep.”
She froze.
“No…”
“And you said something,” he continued calmly. “Something important. I want to answer you now, looking you in the eyes.”
He took her hand firmly.
“Ellen… I love you too.”
The world stopped.
—-
Marco opened his eyes.
He didn’t know why, but his heart was beating with a strange intensity, as if something was about to change.
“I love Ellen,” he repeated, convinced.
—-
She didn’t think about it.
Ellen threw herself at Wise and kissed him.
It was clumsy. Intense. Honest.
Wise was surprised for barely a second… then he hugged her back, returning the kiss, resting a hand on her head, giving her small, reassuring pats.
“Since when did you know?” she asked, pulling back slightly.
“Since the last time you stayed over.”
“God… I’m so stupid.”
“You’re my favorite idiot,” he replied, holding her tighter.
Ellen felt like she was in heaven.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Belle spying from the window. She made a quick gesture. Belle understood and disappeared without a word.
“Hey…” Ellen murmured. “Can I stay the night?”
“Of course. Why not?”
They went upstairs together.
That night, Ellen slept with a smile that never once left her face.