Division of Rewards and Humans Alike

“So it’ll be you two?” Derrick asked.

Bob and Asa approached the two groups who were waiting at the Abyss Cube’s exit.

“Just for today,” Bob said. “We’ll be rotating among ourselves, so it’ll be a different person tagging along everyday.”

Asa looked at Voidborn and Jimin and gave a small greeting, before covering her head with her trench coat’s hood. She walked right in the centre of the Wordwraiths, standing there awkwardly with a “please don't talk to me unless I talk to you” expression.

“So, what are your plans for the rest of the day?” Bob asked.

“We’ll head to Spellbound’s headquarters first for a reward collection,” Joy said. “Then I guess that's where we'll split off to our own things.”

“You know the way?” Jimin asked.

Joy nodded.

“Yeah, somewhat,” Joy said. “I've been here a few times before.”

“Is it far?” Derrick asked. “Otherwise, I’d prefer to get a ride or something.”

“It's just a twenty minute walk from here,” Bob said. “We can take a bus. I'm tired from the investigation anyway.”

“Sure.”

The group exited the Abyss Cube, walking towards the elevator in lobby.

Voidborn looked around.

The walls were black. The floor tiles were black. There weren't any fancy decoration hanging off the ceiling, nor were there any potted plants or vases lining the corridor.

Apart from a soft glowing monocle embedded in the centre of the elevator buttons, it was as if the entire lobby was engulfed in pitch black darkness.

“Disorienting, isn't it?” Bob said.

“A little,” Chaewon muttered, gagging a little. “It makes me feel sick.”

Robert’s eyes lit up instantly, stuffing his hand into his back pocket. He took out a handkerchief, offering it to Chaewon.

She looked at the neatly folded white fabric, staring at the little cat faces repeated all over it with a disgusted frown.

“I don't like cats.”

She pushed it away.

Still, Robert kept smiling, holding it in his hands, keeping it on standby.

“It's purposeful,” Bob explained, walking forward to push the elevator button. “Absolute darkness works well with Asa's abilities. Most people also don't react well to endless black space. It messes with their sense of direction. It's called aperiophobia.”

“Ah-pee-rho what!?” Jimin gave a confused look.

“Apeirophobia,” Rei repeated. “It's basically the fear of infinity and endlessness.”

“Correct,” Bob continued, watching the number on the elevator’s display slowly ticking up. “This building has been specially designed to maximise the effectiveness of all our abilities, putting any intruders at a disadvantage.”

“Heurk!”

Chaewon gagged again as she looked down at the ground.

Robert rushed forward and pressed the handkerchief right below her chin, stopping her saliva from dripping onto her clothes.

“T-Thanks,” she said, leaning onto his shoulder for support as her legs wobbled slightly.

“Gosh, I’m starting to feel a little dizzy too,” Jimin muttered, fluttering her eyelids as she stumbled towards Elian. “I think I'm going to fall~”

Elian reached forward and grabbed her shoulders, holding her upright.

“You okay?” he asked.

“I think my legs are getting weak..." Jimin swayed dramatically, batting her eyelids. “This apeiro-whatever-phobia is really serious.”

Elian nodded and bent downwards, scooping Jimin up into his embrace. He carried her bridal style, looking deep into her eyes and spoke.

“Hook your arms around my neck so you don't fall down."

Jimin nodded shyly, wrapping her arms gently around his neck. Her face was mere inches from his cheek, and she could smell the fragrant citrusy smell of soap from his body.

“I’m going to fucking vomit.”

Chaewon looked at the scene and gagged even harder, disgusted by the shameless public display of affection.

Robert panicked and mimicked Voidborn’s actions, grabbing on to Chaewon’s shoulders.

“You okay? I can carry you like Voidborn and Jimin there!”

He bent and tried to scoop Chaewon up, but she wrestled him into the ground, locking him into a leg triangle choke. Her thighs were clamped around his neck, his face stuffed into her belly.

“Can you both please not?” Joy said, rolling her eyes at the sight. “The elevator’s here.”

The rest walked into the elevator, their judgemental eyes watching the two slowly untangle themselves in embarrassment. Robert helped Chaewon up, his face still red from the choking. She tried to stand on he own, but her legs were still wobbly.

When the doors slid open on the first floor, Robert walked out of the elevator first, carrying Chaewon in his arms bridal style. The rest followed behind, walking into the building’s reception area which was brightly lit, a stark difference from the absolute darkness earlier. A single woman stood behind a counter, hands placed on her belly as she gave Bob and Asa a deep bow before turning back to face the building’s exit. Although, her eyes snaked to the side, watching the two ladies sitting comfortably in the two men’s embrace with envy.

Elian set Jimin down gently, before kneeling down to straighten her slightly crumpled dress.

“Ahem—” Chaewon coughed, her face red like a tomato, arms wrapped tight around Robert's neck. “You can set me down now, idiot.”

Robert smiled and let her two feet touch the ground, copying Voidborn’s actions and kneeled down. He brushed off the dust and dirt from the scuffle earlier off her pants with his palms.

"Can we please collect our reward before somebody proposes?" Senia rolled her eyes in impatience.