Yuri was not known for being someone kind, not first-hand, but lately he was kind only to you. That afternoon, you found him in the hallway, leaning casually against the wall with a smile on his face.

—“Hey! Perfect timing. Want to grab lunch? I know this new place that just opened nearby.”

His tone was friendly, almost carefree, but you couldn’t help but notice how persistent he’d been lately. What you didn’t know was that Yuri was fighting his own internal battle. He had been assigned to monitor you, under suspicion that you might be a spy. At first, he had accepted the mission like any other, determined to do his duty for Ostania. But the more time he spent with you, the more conflicted he became.

—“So, any exciting news at work?.”

While the two of you were walking, every word he spoke, every attempt to get closer, reminded him why he was there, and it made him feel dirty. He didn’t want you to be a spy. He didn’t want this to be a lie. Deep down, he wanted this, this budding friendship, to be real.