The Splinter of Delusion; Part-1

"So this is the place, huh?" Kaia muttered, eyeing the door with the bold 601 label on it. She tilted her head and gave the door a suspicious once-over, like it might leap out and bite her.

She was on the 6th floor of some nondescript apartment building, her new home for the time being. (Why the hell am I here again?) she thought, scrunching her nose.

Right. The Chameleon Splinter. The guy who liked to play hide-and-seek with the organization by switching his location every time they found him. Apparently, this was his new hideout. And, she got the job. They sent Kaia because she was a fresh face—new enough that The Chameleon wouldn't recognize her from a mile away. Also, they figured it was a good opportunity to test her. Great, Kaia mused, nothing says trust like testing your agent in a one-on-one with a notorious target.

The catch? They didn't know which room or which floor. The only thing she had going for her was that her new home came with "free" rent, courtesy of the organization. And her family? They thought she was here to pursue her studies. (What they don't know...) she thought with a smirk.

Her fist clenched at her side. "This is it." She took a deep breath, her eyes narrowing with pure, unshakable determination. (One week. That's all I have. One week to find The Chameleon and convince him to join the cause. Easy, right?)

With a dramatic flourish, Kaia swung open the door and stepped inside her new apartment. It was... already fully furnished. The organization had apparently been thoughtful enough to set up the place for her. A brand-new sofa, neatly arranged furniture, and even a bookshelf full of how-to-avoid-being-killed manuals.

Kaia flopped onto the sofa, giving it a deep, appreciative sigh. "Ahhh, the perks of being an agent." She wiggled into the cushions like a cat. "I always wanted to live alone. And free stuff? Money after the mission? Heck, I'm starting to think this isn't such a bad idea."

She leaned back, stretched, and threw a lazy glance at the television remote lying next to her. "I'll find him after a little break." With a single flick of her wrist, the TV came to life, blasting some random reality show. Kaia smirked. (Saving the world can wait. It's time for a snack.)

***

A goddess, no, a divine being, stepped out of the elevator. Anyone would've thought they were hallucinating if it wasn't for the denim jumpsuit, the white shirt with ribbon sleeves, and the floral-patterned tote bag swinging from her shoulder like she was straight out of a magazine.

She stared at the door in front of her, squinting at the numbers like they were written in a secret code. "Is this the floor?" she muttered, walking slowly, her eyes jumping from one door to the next. (I'm here to surprise Kaia. The guard said it was this floor… right?)

She stopped at room 601 and tilted her head, unsure. She glanced at the door next to it. "Was it 601 or… 602?" She rubbed her temples like it might help jog her memory. "Ugh, I don't remember what the guard said."

With a dramatic sigh, she decided on 602, ringing the bell.

"Who is it? The delivery guy?" A man, freshly out of his bath, wrapped a towel around himself like a flag, rushed to the door, and swung it open—only to freeze.

Standing there, like a vision from another universe, was her. The lady. The divine being. The world's most beautiful delivery girl.

The man's face turned beet red, his mouth opened, and before he could even form a sentence, he screamed at a pitch that could shatter glass. "Eeeekkkkk!!"

Kaia, who'd been lazily lounging on the sofa in the next room, jolted upright and fell to the floor in a heap by his scream.

The man, now in full panic mode, slammed the door shut so fast it rattled the walls. He leaned against it, arms crossed over his chest in a desperate attempt to cover himself. Why did I scream? Why is she so hot?! he whined internally. "I can't show my face anymore... but wait—she does not look like a delivery girl..."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the door, the lady blinked in confusion, processing what just happened. (Why was there a man in Kaia's apartment? Is she living with him?) Her eyes widened, horror setting in. No way. (My little sister... living with a pervert?)

At that exact moment, Kaia opened the door, looking entirely too relaxed for someone who had just heard a blood-curdling scream.

"Sis?" Kaia blinked, staring at her sister. "What are you doing here?"

Her expression went from concerned to bewildered as she looked between the two doors, then back at her sister. "That's where you live?"

"Don't tell me you rang the bell of someone else's door," Kaia said, hand going to her forehead, clearly exasperated.

Thalia pouted, looking sheepish. A blush crept up her neck. "I was just here to surprise you," she muttered, though it was obvious she was caught.

Kaia folded her arms and raised an eyebrow. "You were the one screaming like that?"

Thalia opened her mouth to protest but was interrupted by a loud thud as the door to 602 burst open. The man from before stood there, now dressed in a black vest that hugged his muscular frame, grey cargo pants, and—wait, what? A huge, oversized red jacket. On a hot day.

Both sisters blinked at the jacket, completely unimpressed by his abs.

(Looks like they're fascinated by my abs.) He thought smugly. Then, realizing he still had to apologize, he put on his best neutral face. "I'm sorry for earlier," he said with a calm tone, as though he hadn't screamed like a banshee just moments ago.

"No, no," Thalia quickly jumped in, her voice suddenly all sweet and innocent. "It was my fault. I knocked on the wrong door."

Her eyes sparkled, and she twirled a lock of her hair around her finger, and suddenly Zero's heart skipped a beat. The man froze, completely caught off guard by her charm.

"My name's Thalia. Nice to meet you," she said, extending her hand toward him. "This is my sister Kaia, and she's your neighbour."

"Call me Zero," he replied, shaking her hand with a stiff, almost robotic motion. But inside, his brain was screaming. (I'm holding her hand. Her hand is so soft. WHY IS MY HAND THIS SWEATY?!)

Kaia blinked, staring at him for a moment. (Zero? What a strange name,) she thought, but before she could say anything, her phone buzzed with a notification.

She glanced down and saw it was from Kiaan. (Must be the picture of The Chameleon), she thought, tapping her screen to open it.

Just as her finger touched the phone, a small figure zipped past her and collided with Thalia's legs, nearly knocking them both over.

"My phone!" Kaia groaned, watching in horror as her brand-new phone bounced across the floor. She barely noticed the kid dressed in a cute little hat as he clung to Thalia.

Thalia immediately caught the kid in her arms. "Are you okay?" she asked, her voice full of concern.

But then, she froze. Her eyes widened as she took a good look at his face. Or more accurately, the lack of one.

The kid had no face. Just a wide, sinister mouth, stretched into a grotesque grin. The smile seemed to widen as he looked up at Thalia.

"Won't you play with me?" the kid cooed, his voice sending a chill down her spine.

Zero's expression hardened in an instant, and he grabbed Thalia's arm, pulling her behind him. "Quick, get behind me! This isn't a normal kid!"

Kaia's heart dropped into her stomach as she felt a similar presence to the one she'd encountered that day—a presence far darker than anything human. She stepped forward, her eyes narrowing on the faceless child.

Her voice came out barely a whisper, a cold shiver running down her spine. "We've got a serious problem here."