MichaelChase

Luna Nakahara is used to playing games—on-screen and off. Sharp-tongued, reckless, and always toeing the line with her best friend Kai, their unspoken tension lingers like a loaded save file waiting to crash.

But when a chance encounter pulls her into the orbit of someone unexpected, the lines between control and surrender start to blur. Some connections are wired deeper than others, and this time, Luna might not be the one holding the controller.

Wireless: Glitches Between Us

The gallery was quieter now, the crowd thinning as the night wore on. Tess lingered by Kai's mural, her fingers tracing the edge of the frame. "This piece is… visceral," she said, her voice thoughtful. "It's like you've captured her soul but left yours on the canvas too."

Kai stiffened, his drink suddenly too heavy in his hand. "It's just art."

"It's never just art." She turned to him, her gaze sharp. "You're in love with her, aren't you?"

Tess sighed, pulling out a business card. "Call me if you ever want to talk. About your work. Or… whatever."

He took the card, shoving it into his pocket without looking at it. "Thanks."

She left, and Kai was alone with his thoughts—and the mural of Luna.

The apartment was dark when Luna stumbled in, her heels abandoned somewhere between the gallery and the Uber. She kicked the door shut, the sound echoing in the empty space.

"Kai?" she called, her voice slurred. No answer.

She flopped onto the couch, the tequila bottle still clutched in her hand. The room spun, her thoughts a jumbled mess of jealousy, regret, and something she couldn't quite name.

The door opened, and Kai walked in, his jacket slung over his shoulder. He froze when he saw her.

"You're back," she said, her voice small.

"Yeah." He dropped his keys on the counter, his eyes narrowing. "You okay?"

"Peachy." She took a swig from the bottle, wincing as the liquor burned her throat. "How's Tess?"

He sighed, running a hand through his locs. "Luna…"

"No, no, it's fine. She's revolutionary, right? Not raw. Not unpolished. Revolutionary." Her voice cracked, and she hated herself for it.

Kai crossed the room, kneeling in front of her. "You're drunk."

"And you're avoiding the question."

She leaned forward, her face inches from his. "Do you like her?"

"Then why were you talking to her?"

"Because it's my job, Luna. Not everything is about you."

The words stung, and she pulled back, her chest tightening. "Right. Of course. Sorry for existing."

"Forget it." She stood, swaying slightly. "I'm going to bed."

He caught her wrist, his grip firm but gentle. "Luna."

She turned, her eyes blazing. "What, Kai? What do you want from me?"

For a moment, he didn't speak. Then he pulled her closer, his free hand cupping her cheek. "You're impossible, you know that?"

"Yeah." His thumb brushed her lower lip. "But I'm your asshole."

The air between them crackled, and Luna's breath hitched. She wanted to pull away, to scream, to do anything but lean into his touch. But she didn't.

It was messy, desperate, and full of everything they'd been too scared to say. Kai's hands slid to her waist, pulling her onto his lap as the tequila bottle clattered to the floor.

"Kai," she whispered against his lips, her fingers tangling in his locs.

He didn't answer, his mouth trailing down her neck, his hands slipping under her dress.

The room spun, and for once, Luna didn't care.

Violet's manicured nails clicked against her keyboard as she uploaded the edited clip. The caption read:

@VioletVibes: When the "Glitch Goddess" gets ghosted… 🥺 #Exposed #LunaExe #GamerDrama

The video showed Luna stumbling out of the gallery, her face streaked with tears (thanks to some clever editing). The comments exploded within minutes.

xXSlayQueenXx: LUNA NOOO 😭

GamerDaddy69: who hurt her???

KaiIsMyBae: KAI BETTER FIX THIS

Violet smirked, leaning back in her chair. "Payback's a bitch."

Chapter 4: System Overload