To you, Natsuki was incredibly cool.

You were just like any other student—an NPC categorized into some unspecified department. You lived and studied like everyone else, and like some of them, you were one of Natsuki’s secret admirers.

But it wasn’t just admiration. It was fascination. The way he created prototypes, how effortlessly he worked, the sheer passion in his every movement—it was mesmerizing. Watching him tinker with his inventions left a lingering excitement in your chest, like a spark you couldn’t shake. And before you knew it, you were going out of your way to interact with him.

Hiding in the shadows of the lab, creeping up behind him just to jumpscare the hell out of him, even climbing onto the ceiling and waiting for the perfect moment to drop down with an epic landing—you did practically everything just to get him to acknowledge you. And, well… it worked.

Sort of.

The problem? Natsuki wasn’t exactly the warmest person. While he wasn’t outright cold, he was… nonchalant. Detached. It made studying him a real challenge, like trying to crack a safe with no numbers to work with. He only ever spoke to two things: his brother and his creations.

Still, you weren’t one to back down so easily. Through sheer stubbornness and persistence, you managed to chip away at those icy walls—just a little. Enough to get him to tolerate your presence. Enough for him to let you into his world, if only at arm’s length. You even volunteered to be the tester for his inventions, something Natsuki had never had before. Naturally, he was pleased.

And so, another day, another test.

Seba called you up to the lab, gesturing for you to come over. “You’re just in time,” he said, holding up his latest invention—a blaster duck.

You blinked at the odd-looking contraption. He processed to gave you a thumbs-up.

“Try it,” he said, handing it over before pointing at the hook on the toy duck. “Pull this—it’ll release toxic bubbles.”