Zane’s mind wanders through many thoughts, but the one that bothers him the most is still the same: whether he is really safe or not.
His head turns around the room, taking in the sight of this mundane, cozy room which seems to instinctively provide a sense of comfort to him.
At one side of the room, he finally finds a mirror placed against the wall. He quickly walks over to it and takes a look at his face.
His gaze moves over his appearance, which still looks almost the same except for some roughness on his face and the slightly weary skin. The sight makes his eyebrows furrow automatically.
I look the same... but why does it feel like my face has lived through something I am not aware of at all?
His own words make him pause. They seem to click in his mind. He turns over to look at his figure, then his clothes and his height. Finally, he lets out an exhale before nodding.
Right. I guessed it right somehow. I indeed look like I have lived a different life. But, what happens to my own body...
At this thought, the voice comes again in his head, but this time, it seems to have lost its mechanical edge. Now the tone feels more alive.
The first pass has been unlocked because the host managed to hold off the separation. The host can hear my voice in a different tone now.
Free Information: The host’s original body is safe. The ’Box’ is active.
This time, Zane doesn’t appear shocked by the voice. The voice’s nature is strange in a way that it doesn’t sound threatening, and it doesn’t seem to disrupt him at all in reality.
Though, the words still make him think in the end.
God damn! So, it’s that box, in the end! But, it’s saying my body is safe, at least.
He ignores the message about the first pass, since he has no idea what he’s supposed to do with the different tone.
....
Just as he is wondering, Clara’s voice comes from downstairs.
"Jack! Come down, tea is ready!"
Zane’s head turns toward the stairs automatically, and for a moment, his mouth opens as if to call back, but suddenly he stops himself and blinks hard.
I was about to act instinctively again. I am Zane, not Jack!
He coughs once to reassert his presence and starts walking toward the stairs. He finally calls back, but not with the words that Jack might have said, but with his own words.
"I am coming, Clara!"
As he climbs down the stairs, the thought of drinking tea made by his ’wife’ makes his stomach churn with nervousness.
It has been a long time since someone else made tea for me...
Soon, he appears in the kitchen. His eyes look for her presence before finally settling on her back as she stands near the counter, pouring the tea into the cups.
His body urges him to turn toward the table automatically again. But his eyes don’t stray away from her.
I don’t want to sit right now.
Defying the physical responses of his body, he once again asserts his will, though he doesn’t even know what he did just now.
He starts moving toward her. His steps grow closer to her figure before he stops just beside her. His hands find the counter’s edge as he watches the movement of her hands.
Clara feels his presence beside her. Her eyebrow raises high as she glances at him briefly, then looks back at the kettle, though her gaze has softened even more than before.
Jack had stopped watching her like this many years ago. When the time for tea used to come, he would just take the seat at the table and would ignore her presence entirely.
But today, he is doing something different, and she doesn’t understand why. However, she is pleased with it anyhow.
She adjusts her weight slowly and slides a bit closer to him. She moves her hips and nudges against his hip with her own while flashing him a smile. "Do you want me to add more sugar today, Jack? I am feeling like adding more, since you are acting so sweet after all."
The nudge from her hip and her teasing words make his hands tighten on the counter’s edge in tension. Zane’s own feelings override the instinctual response of Jack’s body again and again.
After a moment, he nudges her hip too with his own and gives a small shaky nod.
"Hm. Add it if you want to. I will drink it."
Clara takes his words seriously almost instantly. She adds two spoons of extra sugar, mixes it well, and then slides the cup on the counter toward his side.
"Here... you must drink it then. No hesitating later, okay?"
He stares at the tea for a second, then he looks up at her.
Well... she added a bit too much.
As they both settle on the chairs later with their respective cups of tea, Zane’s eye twitches every time he takes a sip. The sweetness floods his tongue, making his mouth overwhelmed.
Clara watches this across from the table and just smirks. She knows what she has done and she is enjoying every second of it. She leans forward slightly and sets her cup down. Her hand reaches across the table before finally resting over his hand. Her thumb rubs the rim of his cup as she watches him.
"Well? You like it, right? I made it specifically for you... I will be sad if you don’t like it."
Her words, innocent and adorable, make him stop the twitching of his eyes even if forcefully. He nods frantically and takes a longer sip of the tea while babbling, "Obviously! This is too good! It’s more than I deserve, I swear!"
Clara’s eyes widen in delight, and she claps her hands with a giggle. "That’s my husband! That’s how you should do it!" She stands from her chair suddenly and drapes herself over the table.
Zane looks at her in shock, confused at her sudden action, but before he can process what is happening... a pair of wet, sticky lips presses against his cheek.
The tingling sensation moves down the back of his neck. The cup feels too light in his hand as he stares at her.
She sits back on her chair and lets out a soft hum before murmuring, "Sweet kiss for my... sweet husband."
Synchronization bar unlocked!
Synchronization rate: 1%
[Host has started asserting his will on Jack’s body. The changes are happening around you.]