chapter 7: Terms & Conditions apply

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An Unexpected Visit

Kyara took slow, cautious steps down the dimly lit staircase, gripping the railing as she descended into the underground workspace. She had no idea what to expect.

The air carried a faint hum of electronics, and the deeper she went, the more the glow from computer screens flickered through the cracks of the heavy door below.

She knocked hesitantly.

The door swung open almost instantly, revealing Rohan's grinning face.

"Oh, hi! You must be Kyara," he said, stepping aside. "Come in, come in."

Kyara stepped inside, glancing around. "This is where you both work?" She frowned. "Why is it underground? It's dark and—"

She stopped mid-complaint as she reached the main area.

Monitors cast a soft glow, illuminating the desks cluttered with cables, notebooks, and coffee cups. A couch sat in the corner, looking like it had been claimed by exhaustion rather than comfort.

She crossed her arms. "Well… at least it's functional."

Niki sat at one of the desks, headphones on, fingers flying over the keyboard. At the sound of Kyara's voice, he pulled them off and turned toward her.

There was a brief pause before he stood and walked over.

"Hi," he said, awkwardly clearing his throat. The memory of their last restaurant encounter still lingered between them.

Kyara nodded. "Hi."

Rohan scoffed. "Okay, done with your 'hi, hi'? Can we move on?" He gestured toward the table. "Let's sit. We have business."

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The Contract – A Blast from the Past

They gathered around as Rohan placed a stack of papers in front of Kyara.

"Alright," he began. "This is the contract. It lays out the terms of this whole… arrangement. Review it before signing. Standard stuff—duration, rules, and whatever else you two cooked up."

Kyara flipped through the pages, skimming through the contents.

Then, as she turned the next page, her eyes suddenly widened.

A familiar set of conditions stared back at her in bold.

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(Flashback – Their First Date)

Kyara leaned forward, smirking as she listed her so-called deal-breakers.

"I don't want kids."

Niki, barely reacting, simply nodded. "Your body, your choice."

Undeterred, she continued, "I have a lot of male friends, and I'm not changing that after marriage."

Again, Niki shrugged. "Do whatever you want."

Kyara narrowed her eyes, determined to throw him off. "And just so we're clear, don't expect me to have any physical relationship with you just because we're married."

That finally got a reaction.

Niki had choked on his water, wiped his mouth, and looked at her with mild exasperation.

"I'm not a caveman," he had muttered. "Obviously, your choice."

Kyara had scoffed, thinking he wasn't taking her seriously.

But now…

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Present – A War Begins

Her head shot up, eyes darting between the two men.

Rohan instantly raised his hands in surrender. "Not me!"

Niki, however, rolled his tongue inside his cheek, barely hiding his smirk.

"Well," he said with a lazy shrug, "I agreed to these in front of my family. Had to make it official."

Kyara didn't wait for him to finish.

She grabbed a nearby rubber decoration ball and hurled it at him.

BAM!

It hit him square on the shoulder.

"OW! What the—"

Niki scoffed dramatically, clutching his arm. "That hurt!"

"Oh, did it?" Kyara grabbed another ball, eyes glinting.

Niki grabbed a few balls himself. "You don't want to start this, Kyara."

"Watch me."

In an instant, rubber balls flew across the room as Kyara and Niki launched into an all-out war.

Rohan barely dodged one that zipped past his face.

"Alright, I'm out of this," he muttered, reaching for his car keys. But before he could escape, a stray ball smacked him in the chest.

"OUCH! WHAT DID I DO?" he groaned.

Kyara and Niki paused, exchanged glances—then burst into laughter.

Shaking his head, Rohan grabbed his keys and headed for the door. "I swear, I don't get paid enough for this."

He walked out, leaving the two behind, still caught in their ridiculous battle.

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Sealing the Deal

Eventually, the war came to a ceasefire.

Kyara dusted herself off, throwing one last playful glare at Niki.

"Let's sign first," she said.

"We should," Niki agreed, picking up the pen.

They exchanged a glance before putting their signatures on the contract.

Done.

No turning back now.

As soon as the last stroke of ink dried, Kyara clapped her hands together. "Okay, now, studio tour!"

Niki groaned but followed as she wandered around, inspecting everything with newfound curiosity.

She moved from desk to desk, eyes scanning the screens filled with game concepts.

Niki trailed behind her like a lost puppy, hands in his pockets.

She paused at one of the monitors, pointing at a character mid-action. "This is so cool! Is this your main character?"

Niki chuckled softly. For the first time, he found her… cute.

"Yeah," he said, stepping beside her. "Let me show you how he moves in-game."

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A Close Encounter

He led her to his cabin, booting up his computer.

Kyara leaned in, pretending to be focused, but as Niki bent over her shoulder, engrossed in explaining the game mechanics, her attention wasn't on the screen anymore.

His voice was calm, steady, and way too close.

"Yeah, yeah," she muttered, nodding absentmindedly.

Niki, oblivious, continued demonstrating. He didn't notice how Kyara occasionally glanced at him instead of the game.

After a while, he leaned back. "Alright, let's go. I'll walk you out."

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An Unspoken Understanding

They stepped outside, waiting for her taxi. The evening air was cool, the streets quiet.

"So, this is the investment you were hiding?" Kyara asked, tilting her head.

Niki rolled his tongue inside his cheek before nodding. "Yeah, it is."

Kyara crossed her arms. "And let me guess… this is why you agreed to the contract marriage?"

Niki exhaled, looking away for a second. "Indirectly, yeah. There are more factors, though."

He hesitated before continuing, "I don't want to do my master's in medicine. If I stay, my father will send me abroad for it. After that, he'll make me a board member at the hospital."

He scoffed. "Then there'll be no escape for me."

Kyara frowned. "Have you tried something else? Like asking for a break?"

Niki let out a humorless laugh. "For my father, breaks are laziness. Unless something big happens. Like… marriage."

Kyara shook her head. "That's ridiculous."

"Tell me about it."

Before she could say more, her taxi pulled up.

She opened the door, hesitating before turning back. "Bye."

Niki nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Bye."

And just like that, the contract marriage had begun.

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