Rina StarLai: Issue 007

13. INTRODUCTIONS:

The peaceful quiet of morning was shattered by a loud, echoing chime.

*RISE AND SHINE, STAR BABIES! MISSION PRIORITY: INVESTIGATE LAST NIGHT'S SURVEILLANCE BREACH. TIME TO GET THAT GLITTER MOVING!*

Rin bolted upright with a strangled yelp, the blanket flying off of him like a curtain reveal. Laia groaned beside him, face smushed into a pillow.

"Why is your AI like an alarm clock with ADHD?" she mumbled.

"Because God hates me," Rin croaked, wiping drool off his cheek.

*ADDENDUM: HATE IS INACCURATE. I AM MERELY EFFICIENT. AND DEEPLY ENTERTAINED.*

Rin swung his legs over the side of the bed, nearly falling off in the process. "Why do you sound chipper? You don't even have a body."

*I HAVE YOUR ENTIRE SPICE HISTORY ON FILE, MASTER RIN. I HAVE PLENTY TO SMILE ABOUT.*

Laia snorted. "Oh god. I forgot about last night." She shot him a look. "You were loud, by the way."

Rin groaned. "Don't say that. My mom was literally in the next room."

*CORRECTION: YOUR MOTHER WALKED PAST THE ROOM TWICE. HER HEART RATE INCREASED SLIGHTLY. INTERPRETATION: SUSPICIOUS, BUT POLITE.*

"I'M GOING TO DIE," Rin moaned, dragging a hoodie over his head.

-

The smell of breakfast wafted through the house as they crept down the stairs. Rin kept his eyes on the floor. Laia looked entirely unbothered in one of Rin's oversized t-shirts and fuzzy socks.

His mom stood by the stove, flipping green onion pancakes. "Morning, kids."

"Morning!" Laia chirped, sliding into a seat at the table like she owned it.

Rin mumbled something that could've been English and ducked behind the fridge door.

His mom didn't look up. "Sleep well?"

"Yup!" Laia answered cheerfully. "Best rest of my life."

Rin choked on air.

His mom turned slowly, eyebrow raised, spatula still in hand. She gave him a long, unreadable look... then turned back to the stove.

"You left your lavender oil diffuser on all night, Rin."

"I... did?"

"Very strong scent." She flipped a pancake. "Sounded like you were doing yoga in there. Deep breathing. Moaning. Lots of... stress release."

Laia bit her lip to keep from laughing.

"I was... stretching?" Rin offered weakly.

His mom gave a serene nod. "Mmm. Just don't hurt yourself."

Laia leaned close and whispered, "I love her so much."

Minutes later, the two of them hustled out the front door with backpacks slung over their shoulders.

As they reached the sidewalk, Rin paused and looked back.

His mom stood in the window, holding a mug, watching them with that same soft smile.

She raised her hand in a little wave.

Rin waved back, heart squeezing. She didn't say anything. Didn't ask. Didn't pry.

But he knew she knew.

And she was letting him go.

He turned back toward the street and took Laia's hand.

"Alright," she said. "Let's go play with your glitter cave."

"Can we not call it that in public?"

"Too late. Already tweeted it."

They disappeared into the rising morning sun - toward the temple, the mystery, and whatever the hell was waiting for them next.

As they reached the edge of the overgrown trail behind the last row of houses, the chatter between them quieted. The city noise faded, swallowed by the rustling trees and the soft crunch of gravel underfoot.

The temple loomed ahead.

Old stone, weather-worn and crooked, still stood like a relic of something forgotten by time. The sky above it seemed a shade darker than the rest of the neighborhood, like even daylight didn't dare intrude too deeply.

Laia slowed, the humor from earlier bleeding off her face. "It's different in the daylight," she murmured.

Rin nodded. "It always feels... heavier when I come here. Like the air's thicker."

They stepped inside the dusty interior, and the moment the shadows embraced them, something shifted.

The warmth they'd carried with them from breakfast was gone.

It felt like the temple had been waiting.

They descended the narrow stairwell into the hidden chamber. Each step was met with a low, distant hum, like the temple itself was vibrating. Breathing.

The moment Rin's lips touched the lipstick-marked stone wall, the magic surged to life.

But this time, it wasn't gentle.

A pulse slammed through the chamber like a shockwave. The velvet walls shimmered into view with a sudden, almost aggressive crackle. The jade archway lit up, not with a soft glow... but with a flickering, unstable blaze.

Laia stumbled back. "Okay, that's new."

"Sis," Rin said, his voice tense. "What the hell was that?"

*ENERGY SPIKES DETECTED. OUTSIDE INFLUENCE INTERFERING WITH BASE STABILITY.*

"What kind of interference?" Laia asked, eyes narrowing.

*UNKNOWN. SOURCE IS MASKED. HOWEVER... THE SIGNAL MATCHES A PATTERN RECENTLY DETECTED AT COORDINATES IN THE UNITY NETWORK.*

Rin and Laia shared a look.

"This is about that message," Rin said. "The 'candidate' thing."

The Control Room screens flickered on their own. A single phrase flashed across the main display in red:

CANDIDATE 5: EVALUATION WINDOW CLOSING. OBSERVATION IN PROGRESS.

Laia stepped forward, jaw tight. "Are they watching us?"

*YES.*

"Right now?"

*YES.*

The lights dimmed slightly. A low, thrumming static buzzed in the walls... so subtle it was almost imperceptible, but Rina felt it in her bones.

It wasn't just a message anymore.

It was a warning.

Rin clenched his fists. "If they want to see what I can do... I guess we better give them something worth watching."

Suddenly, the temple lights flared bright red.

*WARNING: THREAT DETECTED IN CITY DISTRICT 4. MULTIPLE HOSTILES EXHIBITING UNSTABLE POWER SIGNATURES. MATCH: ENHANCED DRUG STRAIN - LEVEL 3.*

Rin's stomach twisted.

Laia moved to the console. "That's near the college strip... those are packed during the day."

"Sis, how many?" Rin asked.

*THREE CONFIRMED. MORE LIKELY IN TRANSIT. CIVILIAN THREAT LEVEL: HIGH.*

Rin turned toward the Glam Room. "Gear me up."

Laia caught his wrist. "Wait, Rin. You saw what that last guy was like. You can't just rush in-"

"I'm not rushing," Rin said. "I'm responding."

Laia hesitated. He looked back at her with fire already burning behind his eyes.

"... You're going as Rina, right?" she asked quietly.

He gave her a small, grateful nod.

Laia swallowed. "Then go melt some assholes, fire bitch."

Rin smiled as he hiked up his leg on the wall and pulled his pants down to reveal his transformation chamber.

He popped the plug in place with a cut moan and engulfed in flames.

Fire erupted around his body, licking up his spine and blooming across his chest as his skin shimmered, reshaped, and flared into form. The smoky red bodysuit snapped into place with sizzling tension. Long gloves. Thigh-high heels. Lashes sharp enough to kill a man.

Rina flipped her hair back.

"Let's burn."

Rina blasted through the city's edge like a meteor on heels.

She moved fast, faster than she thought she could. The wind rushed past her face, the heat from her own aura trailing like a comet tail. With the Transport Room now locked on civilian zones, she landed on a rooftop two blocks from the chaos.

Below, screams echoed.

Cars swerved. Shop windows shattered.

And in the center of it all - three figures, twitching with the same unstable glow as the last attacker. Their skin flickered green and yellow with veins of corrupted light. One of them hurled a stop sign like a javelin. Another leapt onto a parked car and howled.

"Okay," Rina muttered, crouched on the edge of the building. "Three of them. No plan. Heels on. Let's be cute and terrifying."

She jumped.

She landed in a superhero crouch that would've been flawless... if one heel hadn't skidded.

"WHOA-!" She spun, caught herself mid-slip, and struck a pose like it was all intentional.

One of the drugged-up hostiles turned, eyes glowing. "Who the hell are you?!"

"I'm Rina StarLai," she purred, rising from her crouch with a flick of fire off her fingers. "And I'm the fire your mom warned you about."

CRACK- A bolt of green energy shot toward her.

She twirled aside, fire spiraling in a whip from her heel to her hand. "Oh baby, if you're gonna shoot that fast, at least buy me dinner first."

She spun and hurled a fireball at the first hostile, who took the hit and stumbled back, flames crawling up his arms. The second lunged at her from behind, Rina dipped, heel popping as she did a split spin and kicked him square in the ribs.

"Not on the first date," she quipped.

But the third was fast, faster than the others.

He came at her low, swiping at her legs. Rina leapt - barely - and twisted mid-air, flame circling her like a halo. She landed in a crouch and snarled.

She charged forward, letting the heat build inside her, twirling with grace and chaos. Her hands glowed like suns.

The three hostiles surrounded her.

"Get her!"

"Oh honey," Rina cooed. "You're not ready."

She dropped into a split, slammed her palms into the pavement, and unleashed a circular wave of fire from her body, radiating outward in a pulse of glowing petals made of flame. A full-blown Flame Bloom.

The heat singed the air.

The three men screamed as their power spasmed out of control. Their corrupted energy sputtered and collapsed, bodies jerking as the fire purged whatever was inside them.

One by one... they fell.

Smoke still curled off the pavement where the last hostile had fallen, the energy long since fizzled into sizzling scars across the asphalt.

Rina adjusted her top, caught her breath, and fanned herself with a spark.

Then the shadows moved.

Three silhouettes dropped from the sky like lightning without thunder. The wind changed. The heat in the air didn't feel like hers anymore.

The Unity had arrived.

They didn't just appear... they descended, like an entrance was part of their training. Gold shimmered off Solace's aura, violet waves of distortion circled around Echo's boots, and Valiance landed dead center with a weight that made the ground crack.

All eyes turned to her.

Rina straightened her spine.

Valiance was the first to speak. "Name."

She blinked. "Sorry, you didn't say 'please.'"

"Your name," he repeated, low and commanding.

She gave him a fire-eyed glare, then smiled sweetly. "Rina. StarLai. But I also answer to 'goddess,' 'flame queen,' or 'that bitch with the fireballs.'"

Echo let out a soft chuckle. Valiance didn't smile.

"You're unregistered. Unvetted. And reckless."

"Thanks for watching my highlight reel," Rina quipped. "Didn't know I had fans."

Solace took a step forward. Her voice was gentle but carried a sharpness beneath it, like velvet over steel. "This isn't about popularity, Miss StarLai. You're using an artifact tied to deep-source energy - something older than what most heroes touch. And your control is... developing."

"Translation: you're dangerous," Echo said, tapping at her visor. "But the way you flipped off that energy wave mid-spin? Gotta say, impressive."

"I work hard," Rina said, striking a pose. "And in heels."

Valiance stepped closer now, close enough that she could see the fine circuitry glowing beneath the armor on his collar. "There were civilians here. You should have called someone."

"I was someone," Rina shot back.

The tension crackled.

Solace tilted her head. "You didn't panic. You responded. And you chose to overload the attackers rather than destroy them. That was intentional?"

Rina nodded. "Their bodies were absorbing energy. I just... gave them a little too much to handle."

Echo leaned in slightly, scanning Rina again. "That's risky. Smart, but not sustainable. You overloaded your core in the process. I'm surprised your body didn't combust."

Rina shrugged. "Wouldn't be the first time I exploded in public."

Echo actually smirked. Solace gave her a look. Valiance didn't flinch.

"Where did you get your artifact?" Solace asked.

Rina hesitated.

"That's... personal."

Solace's eyes flicked slightly. "So is your power signature. It's not bonded like a natural mutation or augmented tech. It's something... chosen."

Rina stayed quiet.

Then Valiance said, "The way you move. The theatrics. You think you're playing a role."

She turned to him, slow and deliberate. "No. I am one."

A pause.

Then Solace's voice, softer. "We don't usually do this. But given your visibility, your power, and... the current rise in enhanced threats, we're offering something rare."

Rina tilted her head. "A branded cape and some rules?"

"A conditional partnership," Valiance said. "We monitor you. You assist if called. You stay in contact. Prove you're not a threat."

"And if I say no?"

"Then we still monitor you. Just... from farther away."

Rina folded her arms, one finger tapping her chin. "So I get to stay independent, serve looks, fight crime, and have my own theme music?"

"You already do," Echo muttered.

Rina smiled.

Then Solace stepped closer again - closer than before - and Rina felt it.

The brush.

That touch in her mind again.

Soft.

Careful.

Searching.

She stared into Solace's eyes, her body suddenly still.

"You don't know what you're holding," the telepath whispered. "But it's old. Powerful. Hungry."

Rina's breath hitched.

Solace's voice turned even softer. "It's not just syncing with you. It's learning you."

Echo's visor pulsed.

Valiance tensed. "Solace?"

The telepath pulled back suddenly. "She's fine."

But something flickered in her expression. A shadow of concern she didn't voice.

Valiance nodded. "Then it's settled. We'll be in contact."

They turned- swift, practiced, unified - and began to rise into the air.

But Rina called out. "Hey."

They paused.

She smiled faintly. "Thanks. For not zapping me."

Echo gave her a thumbs up.

Solace just looked back over her shoulder.

"You're not what I expected," she said.

Then the Unity disappeared into the sky.

Rina stood alone in the smoke, fire fading at her fingertips.

But for the first time since this all began...

She didn't feel like she was playing pretend.

-

The temple's velvet-lit control room was unusually quiet. No sass from Sis. No music. Just the low hum of magical circuitry pulsing beneath the floor.

Rina dropped onto one of the velvet lounges like a ragdoll, heels kicked off, hair slightly askew.

Laia handed her a boba and flopped down beside her.

"I'm gonna be honest," Laia said between sips, "I thought they were gonna zap you into space."

Rina groaned, peeling off her gloves. "Same. I thought I was about to get the laser-eyes-to-the-face treatment. I was mentally preparing my apology outfit."

Laia leaned her head back. "So let me get this straight: not only did you survive a team of the most elite supers on Earth showing up mid-fight, but now you're basically... on call with them?"

"Like a magical Girl Scout with fireballs," Rina muttered.

Laia snorted. "Okay, Fire Scout. But what was that thing Solace did to you? She looked at you like she'd just heard the NSYNC reunion in your brain."

Rina went quiet.

Her fingers tapped the rim of her drink.

"She... reached into my head," Rina said slowly. "Like, not just reading surface thoughts. It felt like she was peeling something back. And then she pulled out so fast. Like she touched something she didn't mean to."

Laia's brows knit. "Creepy. Violating. Sexy. In that order."

"Sis," Rina called out, voice lower now. "What did she mean about the amulet? That it's learning me?"

*THE FLAME CORE IS A SENTIENT SOURCEBOUND RELIC. YOUR MERGE WITH IT IS UNIQUE. IT IS... CURIOUS. UNFAMILIAR. BOUND BY CHOICE, NOT BLOOD.*

"Not helping," Rin muttered, shifting back into his normal form with a flicker of heat and an exhausted groan. He rubbed at his face.

Laia sat up straighter. "So she saw something in you. Something even the Unity couldn't place."

Rin leaned back against the plush headrest, eyes a little haunted now.

"I think the gem picked me... but not because I was the strongest, or the smartest. I think it picked me because I was empty enough to take it."

Laia frowned. "Rin..."

"No, I mean like... open. Vulnerable. Ready to be rewritten."

He looked at her.

"I think it wants to make me into something. Something new. And Solace felt that. She didn't just see me. She saw... it."

Laia reached over and laced her fingers through his.

"Maybe that's not a bad thing."

He glanced over.

"You got picked by something ancient and magical and a little bit horny. But so what? You're still you. Rina didn't replace Rin. She just lets you be more of who you've always been."

He looked down at their hands.

Then smiled faintly. "Why are you always right when I least want to hear it?"

Laia grinned. "It's a curse. Like your tiny fire twink energy."

He groaned and threw a pillow at her.

She caught it and chucked it back.

"But seriously," she added, "they're watching you now. If there's even more of those drugged-up chaos freaks out there, you'll need backup eventually."

"Which I now technically have."

"On probation," Laia said with a wink. "You're like the substitute teacher of hero teams."

Rin laughed despite himself.

Then his face sobered again.

"Do you think... Grandma knew? That all of this would happen?"

Laia was quiet for a beat. Then:

"I think she knew exactly what you could become."

She looked toward the glowing screen that still pulsed with that cryptic message:

CANDIDATE 5: OBSERVATION IN PROGRESS.

"And I think she made damn sure you'd find your way to it."

14. SMOKE AND SIZZLE:

The sun was dipping below the rooftops by the time Rin and Laia made it back to the house. The golden light cast long shadows across the quiet neighborhood. For a second, everything felt normal - like they were just two regular cousins walking home after a weirdly productive study session.

Laia stretched her arms over her head with a loud yawn. "Okay. Today was unhinged. I deserve dumplings and a foot rub."

"You can have one of those," Rin replied, unlocking the door.

They slipped inside. The house was warm. From the living room, the muffled sound of a drama series played - someone shouting passionately in Korean about betrayal and kimchi.

His mom looked up from the couch as they entered. She didn't say anything, just gave them a quiet once-over.

"You two were gone all day," she said lightly. "Out saving the world?"

Rin stiffened.

Laia, unfazed, breezed past and dropped her bag by the stairs. "Just temple-hopping. You know how it is. Sacred spaces. Inner peace. Self-discovery."

"Mm." His mom turned back to the TV. "I hope you're discovering something useful."

Laia paused. "Well, I did discover that Rin has zero glute endurance."

"LAIA."

His mom raised an eyebrow, amused but not surprised.

Rin flushed. "We'll be upstairs."

They bolted before more could be said, scrambling into Rin's room and shutting the door behind them. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Just the faint buzz of streetlights outside, and the dull clink of pans being washed in the kitchen.

Rin sat on the bed and sighed, long and heavy. "I can't believe I fought glowing drug monsters, got evaluated by a psychic space lady, and still somehow ended the day being roasted by my mom."

Laia flopped beside him. "You're living the dream, babe."

He gave her a tired smile. "Hey... thanks. For everything today."

She nudged him with her shoulder. "You'd do the same for me."

The moment settled like soft fabric over them - comfortable, familiar, safe.

From outside the cracked bedroom window, the moon had risen.

Watching.

Just like everyone else.

Just when Rin thought the day was over, his mom knocked on his bedroom door with the voice- that specific tone that meant "you're coming with us and you don't get a say."

"So," Rin said flatly, "we're being forced to go to dinner."

"You say that like we're being sacrificed," Laia replied, adjusting her hair in the mirror. "It's KBBQ. Meat. Fire. Bottomless side dishes. Your dream date, honestly."

Rin tugged on a hoodie and stared at himself in the mirror, still flushed from everything that had happened. The Unity. Solace. Rina being officially on someone's radar. The thrill still throbbed under his skin, like a second heartbeat.

But now, here he was boy-mode, hoodie zipped, hair tied back, dragged into reality by the words: "Look presentable."

Laia, of course, looked perfect. Oversized tee, jeans, that effortless glow. She never had to try.

They met Rin's parents at the car. His mom gave him a look that said "You better not be hungover from whatever you were doing all day", and his dad was already talking about the parking situation.

By the time they pulled up to the restaurant, Rin's nerves were frayed. He was hoping for a quiet booth and grilled pork belly peace.

Instead...

"Hi, welcome! Just the four of-"

Rin froze.

Laia froze.

The waiter glanced up from his notepad and smiled. "Laia?"

Her eyes went wide. "Jun?"

Jun. From the bar.

Same ocean eyes. Same sharp jaw. Same voice that had whispered into Rina's ear, "You're kind of incredible, you know that?"

He looked at Laia with easy recognition... then turned to Rin.

And paused.

Rin felt it. That flicker. That almost.

Jun blinked, eyebrows furrowed for just a second too long.

Then smiled. "Table for four? Right this way."

Rin sat down like a robot, heart punching his ribs.

Laia leaned in the second Jun stepped away. "Girl."

"I KNOW," Rin whispered.

"Do you think he recognizes you?" she hissed.

"I don't know. He looked at me like... something clicked. But I don't think he's sure." Rin fidgeted. "Do I have hot girl energy in boy form? Be honest."

"You're giving nervous little brother, but in a cute way."

Jun returned with water and menus.

And his eyes lingered on Rin for just a second longer than necessary.

"I feel like we've met," he said casually, setting the glass down.

Rin choked on his own spit.

"Uh... school, maybe?" he croaked. "Face. I have one."

Jun chuckled. "Yeah. That explains it."

Laia was smirking like the villain she was born to be.

Dinner proceeded with sizzling meats, polite laughter, and Rin nearly setting his napkin on fire out of sheer panic. Every time Jun came by, it was another mini heart attack. Every refill of banchan, a crisis.

And then-

"Can I ask you something weird?" Jun said, leaning down beside Rin, almost conspiratorial. "Do you have a sister?"

Rin's soul evacuated his body.

"Wh-why?"

"You remind me of someone," Jun said, tapping his pen against his chin. "Someone I danced with at a bar recently. Firecracker. Gorgeous. Confident. High heels like weapons."

Rin blinked, mouth open.

Laia kicked him under the table.

"... Yeah," Rin said finally, voice strangled. "She gets that a lot."

Jun smiled. "Well... tell her she's unforgettable."

He walked off to help another table.

Laia turned to Rin, eyes gleaming. "Ohhhh my god."

"Don't."

"He thinks you're your own sister. This is so much better than I could have hoped."

"I want to crawl into the grill and die."

Rin's mom glanced between them, then back at Jun. She narrowed her eyes.

Quietly, she sipped her water.

And said nothing.

Rin spent the next thirty minutes in hell.

Every time Jun came by the table, Rin flinched. His mom noticed. Laia definitely noticed. And Jun, blissfully unaware that he was talking to the "sister," kept dropping lines like:

"Tell her thanks again. She was the highlight of my night."

"She had this... spark, y'know?"

"She moved like she owned the floor."

Rin tried to disappear into his banchan.

Laia, meanwhile, was having the time of her life. "You should see her when she's training," she said sweetly at one point, popping a lettuce wrap into her mouth. "The girl practically glows."

"Oh yeah?" Jun grinned. "She always like that?"

"She lives to burn."

Rin's dad was entirely focused on flipping meat. "This brisket's cut too thin," he muttered.

Rin's mom, however, glanced between Jun and her son with a subtle squint. The wheels were turning behind her eyes.

"I'd love to meet her sometime," Jun added, flashing Rin a smile. "I bet we'd really get along."

Rin, wide-eyed: "Haha. Maybe."

He wanted to crawl into a side dish and suffocate.

Just when he thought it couldn't get worse:

"Y'know, her voice was a little deeper than I expected. Sultry, though. And when she called me 'daddy'? Whew-" Jun gave a low whistle. "I've never felt so roasted and blessed at the same time."

Laia dropped her chopsticks from laughing.

Rin was actively malfunctioning.

"I need a bathroom," he blurted, standing up so fast he knocked over his water.

"Need me to help?" Laia teased.

"I WILL END YOU."

The restaurant bathroom was mercifully empty. Rin splashed cold water on his face, staring into the mirror like it held the answers to his life.

"This is fine," he whispered. "Totally fine. I'm a functioning human man and not an internet sex symbol in drag. I'm normal. I am NORMAL."

The door opened behind him.

Jun.

Rin froze.

Jun stepped up to the sink beside him, giving a little smile. "Hey."

"Hey," Rin echoed, voice an octave too high.

Jun washed his hands, then leaned against the counter slightly, drying them on a paper towel.

"Okay, I gotta ask," Jun said, glancing sideways at Rin. "Your sister... what's her name?"

Rin's stomach dropped.

"Oh. Um. It's- Rina."

"Rina," Jun repeated, lips curving around it like it tasted good. "That fits. She was... wow. Kind of blew my mind."

Rin tried not to combust.

Jun leaned in a little. "Is she seeing anyone?"

Rin blinked. "I- what?"

"I mean... she kissed me like she meant it. Then disappeared. I've been trying to find her online, but no luck. No socials. No tags. You sure she's not, like, famous or something?"

Rin stammered. "She's... private."

"Right." Jun nodded slowly, then smiled. "Tell her I'm still thinking about her."

Rin stood there, heart pounding.

Then Jun leaned in just a bit more.

"And... for what it's worth?" His eyes flicked down to Rin's lips. "You've got the same smile."

Rin short-circuited.

He made some kind of squeaky noise and practically ran out of the bathroom.

Jun was returning from the bathroom just as Rin tried to sneak back to the table unnoticed.

But fate?

Fate is a messy little bitch.

Jun stepped out. Rin turned the corner. Neither saw the server bustling past between them.

A tray clattered.

A foot slipped.

And in a spectacular, slow-motion tangle of limbs-

Rin tripped, collided with Jun, and landed squarely on top of him.

Dead center in the narrow hallway between the kitchen and dining room. In full view of the restaurant.

Laia gasped and stood up at the table, hand over her mouth.

Jun groaned beneath Rin, flat on his back, strong hands gripping Rin's waist like he wasn't sure whether to help or hold on.

Rin blinked down at him.

They froze like that.

Straddled. Flushed. Practically nose to nose.

Jun's hands were still on Rin's hips.

Rin's thighs were on either side of Jun's lap. Pressed flush. Too flush.

"Ohmygod-SORRY-SORRY-" Rin tried to scramble off, but his heel caught on Jun's belt, yanking him back down.

He yelped. Jun grunted.

Laia was wheezing.

A nearby table let out a chorus of giggles. Someone said "oh my god" under their breath.

Jun stared up at him, wide-eyed. "Uh... you okay?"

"I'M FINE. I'M SO FINE. THIS ISN'T WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE."

Jun blinked. "Are you sure? Because it kind of looks like you just-"

"Don't finish that sentence," Rin begged, face crimson. "Please. I will combust."

One of the busboys leaned in from the kitchen. "Y'all good or should we bring out a second dessert?"

Laia shouted from the table, "I TOLD YOU TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER DINNER."

"LAIA!!"

Jun, still on the ground, gave a breathless laugh. "Okay, okay. Let's get up before the staff files a report."

He gently helped Rin off of him, his touch oddly gentle for someone just flattened in front of an audience.

Rin smoothed down his shirt and backed away like he'd just performed an exorcism.

Jun gave him a crooked smile. "For what it's worth, you fall with style."

Rin stared at him. "I have never wanted to crawl into a side dish more than I do right now."

"You okay?" Jun asked again, more serious this time. "That wasn't a light fall."

Rin nodded, still trembling. "Just bruised. Ego. Pride. Possibly my dignity."

"Hmm." Jun grinned. "You sure your sister's the dramatic one?"

Rin squeaked.

As he returned to the table, Laia held out a napkin and whispered, "You're straddling strangers now? My powerful little bottom."

"I will murder you with a rice spoon," Rin muttered, hiding behind his water glass.

His mom glanced between them. "What was that noise?"

"Just some spilled kimchi!" Laia sang. "Rin's just a little shaken. But don't worry, Jun caught him!"

His mom raised a single eyebrow and turned back to her soup with the tiniest of smirks.

Rin did not speak again for the remainder of the meal.

The sizzling of meat, clatter of side dishes, and the low hum of conversations filled the air. Rin was still trying to shrink into himself while Laia scrolled on her phone, grinning. Across the table, his mom was meticulously wrapping a perfect bite of galbi in lettuce. His dad was narrating his meat-flipping like it was an Olympic sport.

Jun approached with a tray of drinks, clearly still trying to recover from the earlier floor straddle incident.

"Water for you, and a refill for the pretty lady," he said, giving Laia a wink. "And for you," he glanced at Rin, "grace in a glass."

Rin muttered, "I'll need something stronger if I have to see you again."

Jun laughed, and was about to make a comeback-

CRASH.

The glass door to the restaurant shattered inward, spraying shards across the floor.

A man staggered through the entrance, twitching, pulsing with sickly green light. His face contorted with rage, his pupils glowing unnaturally. The same signature.

People screamed. Chairs scraped. Someone dropped a whole tray of banchan.

The man let out a guttural scream and hurled a table with one hand.

Chaos erupted.

Rin's heart dropped.

Another drug-enhanced rage freak. Right here. In front of his parents.

Laia grabbed his arm under the table. "Go," she whispered. "Now. I got this."

"Wait, what are you-"

But she was already on her feet.

"Laia-!" Rin hissed.

She spun around, threw her arms wide, and shouted, "EVERYONE GET DOWN! This guy's clearly on bath salts and not even cute!"

People scrambled. Rin ducked out through the back hallway just as his mom rose halfway from her seat, clutching her purse protectively.

"Laia!" she yelled. "Where's Rin?!"

"He went to the bathroom!" Laia lied, eyes wide. "I'm sure he's okay! He's... very resilient!"

Meanwhile-

Rin ducked behind a stack of crates and yanked open his backpack.

"Sis," he whispered harshly. "I need a fast entrance. No time for sass."

*INITIATING RAPID TRANSFORMATION PROTOCOL. PLEASE PREPARE YOUR CHAMBER.*

He hiked up his shirt and positioned the transformation device.

"God, I hope this doesn't echo."

POP.

FWOOOSH.

Flames erupted. Smoke surged outward like a fire-bomb wrapped in glitter. The crates singed slightly.

And there she stood.

Rina StarLai.

Heels. Flames. Glitter. And one very pissed expression.

She stepped out of the smoke cloud like a model walking through the apocalypse. "Let's cook."

The drugged man had a hostess pinned to the floor, growling through clenched teeth.

Jun tried to intervene- only to be knocked into a table.

Rina burst through the smoke of the back hallway, landing hard in the center of the chaos.

"Alright, rage goblin," she called. "You're ruining dinner and someone's flirting rhythm. Let's wrap this up."

The drugged man turned. Snarled.

Rina flicked a fireball toward his feet. "Back. Off."

Before the man could lunge-

A new voice rang out. Cool. Calm. Dangerous.

"Step aside, StarLai."

Rina turned.

Solace.

Poised near the shattered door, coat billowing slightly, hands behind their back. Their eyes flickered with glowing silver light.

Rina's jaw dropped. "You again?! Did you microchip me or something?!"

Solace didn't answer. They raised a hand- and with a precise flick of the wrist, sent a wave of psychic pressure crashing down on the attacker.

The man crumpled.

"Threat neutralized," Solace said evenly. "You handled the last one well. But your heat signature nearly collapsed the building. Again."

Rina placed a hand on her hip. "What can I say? I'm a little extra."

"Indeed," Solace said.

By now, the diners were either hiding or filming. Jun peeked up from behind a table, eyes wide at the sight of the fire-clad goddess standing in the flickering light.

Laia reappeared, breathless, dragging Rin's parents to the side. "We're okay!" she called. "Everyone's okay! Probably."

Rina glanced around.

Too many phones. Too many witnesses.

"Sis?" she murmured.

*READY FOR EXTRACTION, MISS STARLAI.*

"Take me and discount Severus Snape with me."

FWOOOSH.

In a burst of flame and smoke, both Rina and Solace vanished.

Only ash, melted chopsticks, and stunned diners remained.

Rina's mom stared, then turned to Laia.

"That superhero lady," she said slowly. "She looks... very familiar."

Laia choked. "Really? I don't see it."

She was 100% lying.