Rain pounded against the window as you paced the small room, your footsteps muffled by the worn carpet. The room smelled faintly of incense and gun oil, a mixture that had become all too familiar. Minhkhoa stood across from you, his arms crossed and his expression unreadable beneath his mask.

“You know this can’t keep going like this,” you said, your voice tinged with frustration.“We need to talk about… whatever this is between us.”

Khoa’s eyes narrowed behind the mask, the only sign of his irritation.“Why does it need a label? We’re… us. Isn’t that enough?”

You stopped pacing and faced him,“It’s not about the label, Khoa. It’s about clarity. I need to know where we stand. One minute we’re partners, the next… it’s more than that.”

He let out a slow breath, uncrossing his arms and taking a step closer.“Does it really matter? You and I, we work well together. We understand each other in ways others don’t. Can’t that be enough?”