The alarm beeped as the metal roller shutter slowly rolled up, revealing the window behind it. Warm morning sunlight spilled through the glass and brushed across Jasmine’s face.
She squinted with her eyes still closed, but her body automatically woke, and she sat up in bed.
Jasmine stretched both arms overhead, twisting until her palms touched the softness of the mattress. She squeezed it and jiggled it with delight. Her body felt incredibly fresh and comfortable.
The bed had a built-in massage function that helped with relaxation while sleeping, and according to the manual, it could help Sentinels and Guides recover their mental energy faster and more efficiently.
Even though she’d become a captain in her final days, she’d never had a room this private or comfortable. Her old room had to be shared with three other roommates, with a hard mattress on a metal bedframe.
Jasmine wriggled happily against the mattress, a giddy smile spreading across her face as she enjoyed its softness.
If this is the afterlife upgrade, dying was overdue. This room is big enough for me and Rabbibi. I should pick him up later.
Jasmine quickly showered and changed clothes. She slipped on her brown uniform jacket, the words E-Rank printed across the chest.
Her finger tapped repeatedly against the E-Rank label.
Best fabric I had worn in years. Worst title printed on it.
She pursed her lips, then wore it anyway.
Before leaving, she looked at the papers she’d taped to the titanium wall the night before. She’d worked hard researching and studying the things that mattered most in Hesperia. But then her eyes landed on the paper in the center of the wall.
Jasmine — Oleander — Rosalie.
Three names were written in large letters, forming a triangle with Oleander at the top. Various tangled lines connected the names, and after hours of trying to make sense of their relationships, Jasmine had arrived at a conclusion that made her uncomfortable.
They’re cheating.
In her old world, her profession had never given her much chance to get involved in romantic relationships. Especially complicated ones. She’d always been curious about them, but she’d never had the opportunity to experience one herself.
But she knew enough to understand that cheating was bad and unforgivable.
Then she remembered Oleander saying that Jasmine wasn’t that kind of person. She’d wanted to ask him more about it, but after he’d said he was filled with rage and love, the elevator had opened, and he’d simply walked away.
Jasmine slowly grazed her fingers over her lips.
Such a shame our compatibility was below ninety percent. The kiss felt good. Very good, actually.
But why did my body feel like someone had plugged me into an electrical outlet?
Jasmine sighed, her gaze lingering on the word love above Oleander’s name. A shiver ran through her as she quickly turned and walked out of the room.
She couldn’t help imagining a baby coming out of her stomach whenever she saw that word love.
The moment Jasmine opened her door, Oleander opened his across the hall at the same time.
Their eyes met.
Jasmine blinked, then broke into an enthusiastic smile.
"Good morning."
Oleander looked at Jasmine, trying to act normal despite his unsteady heartbeat. He still couldn’t believe he’d nearly lost control the night before and made such a stupid confession to her.
Of course, the girl hadn’t been affected by it at all. She’d slept soundly and now looked as fresh and bright as the morning sunlight.
He could only hope she wouldn’t ask about his embarrassing emotional confession from last night.
What else could he expect from a woman who kept her eyes open while crashing her lips against his?
"Hm. Morning," he said curtly before heading toward the elevator.
Jasmine quickly followed, trying to match his pace.
"Oleander, can I pick Rabbibi up so he can live with me? I’m afraid if he stays in the cage too long, he might go berserk again."
"Hm. You can. Ask Professor Hatthon directly. They should be finished taking his blood samples by now."
"I got it." Jasmine suddenly remembered something. "Oleander, I received an email from the Warden asking me to go there for a blood sample."
"Yeah. You should go."
"You’re not coming?"
"No. I’m busy."
"Why? Is it a mission? Which district?"
"None of your business."
Oleander walked even faster.
Jasmine’s gaze dropped to his long legs and the wide strides he was taking.
In times like this, Aster’s hovering superpower would be convenient. His legs are unnecessarily long and bothersome.
Jasmine took a deep breath before calling out loudly.
"If you feel like you’re losing control even slightly, just teleport to the dorm lobby. I’ll be waiting there. I’ll kiss you."
Oleander stopped so abruptly that Jasmine almost walked into him.
He froze.
His eyes widened as though he’d just seen a ghost. Then he turned around and looked left and right, making sure nobody had heard Jasmine’s declaration before narrowing his eyes at her.
"If you’re that worried, why don’t you just bind a contract with me?"
"I told you. I need more than ninety percent compatibility."
"And that’s impossible to find. No one has ever had ninety percent. The next hunting season starts the day after tomorrow. How the hell are you going to find a match that impossible?"
"We never know. Maybe I’ll be the first. You heard it. I’m a treasure." Jasmine shrugged. "And as for the hunting season, I can start late."
"Then don’t bother with your sloppy kisses. I don’t need them." Oleander scoffed before turning and continuing down the corridor.
"Sloppy? Do you mean bad?" Jasmine asked, following beside him as they waited for the elevator. "Hmm... But I thought it was good."
Oleander’s heart skipped a beat.
He turned toward her.
"Because it tasted like an apple?"
Jasmine nodded firmly. "But after that kiss, I don’t know why I keep thinking about it. I want to taste it again. There was something else besides the apple that I can’t explain."
She looked at him with bright, blinking eyes, her expression caught somewhere between confusion and genuine curiosity.
Then she added, as though there were nothing unusual about the statement, "I’m glad my first kiss turned out to be a good one."
Oleander’s brain seemed to stop functioning.
The elevator doors opened.
Jasmine stepped inside the empty elevator, but Oleander remained frozen in the hallway, staring at her.
Obviously, he knew the guiding kiss wasn’t actually their first kiss. But hearing Jasmine say that it was good was something he’d never heard from her before. And somehow, those simple words made him feel like he was walking on clouds.
The old Jasmine had always looked sad whenever they kissed.
This new Jasmine confused him. Frustrated him, too. But her bluntness and naive honesty were like a breath of fresh air.
The elevator doors began to close, but Jasmine reached out and stopped them.
"Are you not getting in?" she asked.
Oleander clenched his fists at his sides.
"No. You go ahead. I left something behind."
"Sure."
Once the elevator doors closed, Oleander immediately braced himself against the wall and punched it.
He clenched his jaw as he headed for the emergency stairwell and pushed the door open.
He could have used his teleportation, but right now, taking a little exercise by walking down twenty-eight floors seemed like the better choice.
I can’t be alone with her in that elevator.