After her workout, Roxxy went off on her own to have some time for herself.
Sera and Toshi had already gone their separate ways, and it felt like the right moment for her to take a break too.
She wiped away sweat as she walked through the residential hallway, heading straight for her room—until a thought suddenly hit her.
When Toshi left earlier, he mentioned that only Syd and Jody were left, training together.
"..."
And then there was the matter of the room assignments… Jade had arranged it so that her room was directly opposite his.
"...."
The girl wandered through the hallway, passing room numbers one after the other until she reached Jody Johansson's room… but before she did anything, she turned around and went to check her brother's room first.
"...Syd..."
She pressed the call button.
"...Syd...?"
"..."
No answer from inside. Which could only mean—he wasn't there.
"..."
There was another way to check. On their specially modified agent phones, members of the organization could track each other's locations using encrypted GPS signals.
Roxxy pulled out her phone and checked.
Just as she suspected.
Her brother's signal was coming from the room behind her.
Jody's room.
"....."
Her right eye twitched.
Why the hell is he in her room? And for how long? It's been hours...
"...."
She raised her finger, ready to press the doorbell to call Jody out—only to realize the door's indicator light was green.
What did that mean?
It meant the room wasn't locked.
"...."
Fssshhh
Roxxy pressed her finger to the pad beside the door. The panel slid open, revealing the scene inside.
"...Ahhh~ Nnnngh~ yeees~ ahh... ahhh...!"
"You enjoy getting your ears cleaned this much?"
"...Who doesn't?"
Syd was lying on a pillow—his head resting on Jody's lap. She was twirling a cotton swab in his ear with one hand, the other gently stroking his hair.
"Hey! Don't mess with my hair—ahhh~"
"Listen to you..."
Jody's eyes flicked toward the doorway—and locked immediately with the 165cm tall girl in red workout gear standing at the entrance.
"...."
"....."
The two girls stared at each other.
Jody didn't stop what she was doing, but her hand slipped from distraction, digging too deep into Syd's ear. He flinched and sat up, realizing something was off. When he looked toward the door, he saw his little sister.
Syd: "...Oh. What's up?"
"...."
"..."
Roxxy didn't answer. She just kept her eyes locked—glaring daggers at Jody.
It was a signal. One only women understood.
"...Come talk. Now."
Her words were directed solely at Jody Johansson. She nudged open the bathroom door beside them.
The look in her eyes made it clear—it wasn't a request. It was a demand.
"..."
Jody gently lifted the pillow from her lap, set the cotton swab aside, and placed her hands on the edge of the bed to push herself up.
Without protest, she followed the younger girl into the bathroom.
"Hey! Kan! What the hell are you doing?!"
Syd yelled in Thai, springing to his feet. But his little sister shot him a look and held up a hand.
"...Stay there."
"...How can I just stay—Hey! Kan!"
BANG!
The bathroom door slammed in his face.
"...Goddamn it..."
Inside...
Two girls—two nationalities—stood face to face, the tension radiating from the smaller one.
Their eyes locked. Auras of red and blue leaked from their bodies instinctively.
"...Caught you red-handed, huh?"
Roxxy's voice was soft—but terrifying.
It was clear she had reached her limit.
"....."
Jody said nothing. She just stared in silence.
"Aren't you getting a little too close? Maybe… keep a more respectable distance?"
It was obvious now. Roxxy had seen it coming—but not this fast. She hadn't expected Jody to move in this boldly.
"..."
"This space... is just fine."
Jody replied calmly, unfazed.
"...Your version of 'fine' is a little different from people with self-awareness, don't you think?"
"..."
Jody went quiet at that.
"You knew. Even if my brother didn't see it, the rest of us did. And you kept doing it. Why?"
"...."
"...What do you think I am?"
"...."
"You crossed a line."
"...."
Jody didn't flinch. Her face stayed completely expressionless—but Roxxy could tell she was furious.
"....."
"Do you even realize how ambitious you are?"
"....."
Roxxy continued.
"Stop acting like you own my brother."
"....."
That line drew a clear boundary.
The girl had finally laid her cards on the table—and she wasn't holding back.
"...You're a volunteer. Once this mission's over, we might not even see you again. You'll probably get reassigned to America. We'll stay here. Do you really think you can cling to Syd like a shadow forever?"
"...And if I don't stop—what are you gonna do about it?"
The American girl's gaze burned with defiance.
"...And what do you think you can do to stop me?"
Roxxy met her stare, just as fierce.
"You think you're something special?"
"...Not at all."
Jody leaned in slightly, meeting her eye to eye.
"...I'm sorry about what you've been through. And I know how much you and Syd care about each other. I get that I'm in no place to say much right now. But one thing I can say—and I'm not ashamed to say it—is that I don't care anymore what other people think."
Suddenly, frost began to form on Jody's shoulder. She glanced at it—and ignored it.
"...You're like those kids who take other people's things... and claim them as their own."
"I don't know how to explain it to you... Roxxy..."
"You don't know my brother."
"...."
"You can't even control yourself. You want him so badly you're trembling."
"..."
"If you're that desperate for someone, go find one of the many hookup-happy agents around here. Go chase someone else."
"...No. You don't understand."
"...?"
"It has to be him. It has to be Syd."
"...Why?"
"....."
Jody clenched her fists.
"Because I'm not an animal. I'm human."
"....."
"You can look down on me if you want. Others do. I'm used to it. But Syd never saw me that way."
The ice on her shoulder was beginning to form into sharp spikes aimed at her shirt—but she didn't even blink.
Her focus was still locked on Roxxy's eyes.
"...Someone like you... will die alone. If you're planning to drag my brother down with you... you'd better think twice. Because I'm not the only one who won't let that happen."
click click
Creeeeak…
Roxxy opened the bathroom door—signaling that she was done talking.
Of course, Syd was waiting right outside. He'd tried pressing his ear to the door, but heard nothing—until he saw the jagged ice crusted on Jody's shoulder.
"...Yo! What the fuck? What the hell were you two doing in there?!"
"Don't talk. Come with me."
"...OW!!!"
Roxxy dragged her brother out by the wrist, leaving Jody standing alone behind the door—ice shards slowly melting on her shoulder.
"...."
She stared blankly at the white bathroom door.
But her mind wasn't there anymore.
Her eyes turned a dull, ocean-blue void—blank and unreadable, like the depths of a sea no one could ever reach.
Across the hall, in Syd's room...
(In Thai)
"What the hell did you do to her?! I saw the ice on her! Are you nuts?! We invited her here to work with us! Not to freeze her!"
"'We'? No. It was you, all you."
"That doesn't matter now! What matters is we're supposed to protect Jody, not ice her!"
"Then why'd you let her get all touchy-feely with you, huh?!"
"Dude, she's American—they don't care!"
"That close isn't okay!"
"How isn't it?!"
"Look, I—uh—"
Roxxy hesitated for a second, flustered.
"You don't even realize what you're doing. And I don't think trying to explain it to you would help. But you gave her no space, Syd."
"...."
"You're letting her into your personal circle way too easily. This isn't right. What the hell do you really feel about her? Look me in the eye and tell me!"
"She's just a teammate! And she offered to clean my ears! I didn't force her!"
"She offered?!"
"...Yeah..."
"I can't even talk to you right now..."
Roxxy walked over to his closet, pulled out two of his old Singha beer T-shirts.
"...Wait—are you serious?! You think I'd fall for someone like her?! Hell no! You think I'd let someone like Jody control my life?!"
Roxxy glanced over at the pink strawberry milk pack on his table… then turned to him with a sharp stare.
"You have no idea."
Whap!
She threw one of the shirts over her shoulder.
"HEY!!!"
"I'm borrowing this! So what?!"
"Don't sling it over your shoulder! It's sweaty!"
"Don't act grossed out. I'm your sister, you idiot."
"Wash it before you return it! Don't stink it up, you damn handbag chihuahua!"
"If you hit me, I'll punch you back. Try me."
WHOOOSH!
The door slammed shut behind her.
"...Great. She's mad at Jody and taking it out on me now? Seriously?"