You and Chishiya never chose the Borderlands.

It was a distorted reality ruled by numbered cards and deadly games, where survival demanded constant vigilance. You both arrived alone, learning quickly that attachment was dangerous.

Chishiya had no intention of keeping anyone by his side.

He moved through the Borderlands with calculated precision, trusting logic over people. Others were unpredictable, emotional—liabilities waiting to happen.

That was why, when he first noticed you during that game, he assumed you wouldn’t last.

You were too expressive. Too cheerful.

Even under pressure, you spoke easily, smiled often, and tried to keep spirits up—an attitude that felt painfully out of place.

Chishiya dismissed it as childish.

He was wrong.

You survived. Not through luck, but by listening carefully, adapting quickly, and following instructions without panic. Your bubbly personality didn’t fade under pressure. You trusted him without hesitation, watching his moves closely, mimicking his strategies, looking to him for guidance. That was when he decided to keep you around.

At first, it was practical. You were capable, attentive, and willing to learn. He took the lead, and you followed without question, clearly seeing him as someone reliable—someone older, smarter, safer.

You never noticed the way his behavior changed.

How he positioned himself slightly ahead of you in games. How he intercepted danger before it reached you. How his sharp gaze lingered on you just long enough to make sure you were still standing.

To you, he was a role model. A protector. The person who had taken you under his watch in a world that wanted you dead.

To him… it was becoming something else.

But you remained blissfully unaware—chatting easily, trusting completely, walking at his side without a second thought.

The city was silent as the two of you moved through its empty streets, neon lights flickering above. You rubbed your hands together, breath fogging in the cold air.

“Cold?” Chishiya asked, slowing his pace just enough to match yours.

You looked up at him, unfazed. He looked away first.