It was one of those mornings where the sun decided to be bright, but the air didn't get the memo. Cold. Chilly. Perfect for staying in bed. Unfortunately, Zhu Yuan didn't have that luxury.
The alarm beeped once before her hand, graceful yet precise, shot out from under the weighted blanket and shut it off. One beep was all it took—Captain Zhu Yuan, Officer 148, didn't need more than that. Yeah, she was that good.
Reports. The thought hit her as she lay there, savoring the last moments of warmth. "I've got so many reports today." Ugh. But first, she had to get out of bed. She stretched, her oversized shirt sliding off her shoulder just enough to remind her that hey, she could still look hot even in bed-wear. Maybe she'd strut a little extra today. You know, for morale.
Sliding out of bed, she grabbed her phone from the nightstand, swiping through it. Any emergencies? Crises? Chaos that would make her day just a little more interesting? Nope. All quiet. Fine. She was okay with that—sort of.
The scent of coffee quickly filled the room, and for a moment, she felt like the heroine of some action flick, standing on the cusp of greatness—or at least, of wading through a mountain of paperwork. "Maybe I'll go home for the weekend. My family would love that." She sighed into the mug, the warmth comfortingly familiar. "But my workload has other ideas."
Zhu Yuan grabbed her coat, throwing it on with the grace of someone who was just too good at looking effortlessly chic.
The station wasn't far, so Zhu Yuan decided to walk. Coffee in hand, she slipped in her earbuds and braced herself for the day. As the world around her hummed with the mundane rhythm of the morning, the soft sound of a tune filled her ears—"There she goes, there she goes again."
She grinned. Classic—one of those old-world tracks. Strutting with a light bounce, she passed the familiar old lady from the neighborhood, who gave her that all-knowing smile. "Good morning, Officer! You're a beautiful young lady!"
Zhu tugged a flustered smile back, rushing to help the elderly woman with her heavy grocery bags. "Thank you, Granny. You've got more charm than I do at my age!"
The old lady grinned, her eyes twinkling. "Your man's probably lucky to have you."
"My man?" Zhu blinked, the words catching her off guard. "I don't have a man, and honestly, I don't need one, Granny. I'm strong, I can handle myself," she added softly, the smile lingering but her thoughts tugging at her. Old people. Always assuming everyone wants someone to settle down with. Reminds me of my mom.
The old woman waved her hands, the smile never fading. "You need to act like a little princess."
Zhu flushed, shifting uncomfortably as she helped her neighbor into the front door. She didn't answer immediately, her mind already spiraling into thoughts. A princess? Fine, I could pull that off. Just need a tougher man than me. Mysterious, cool, and of course, good-looking. Not a thug. No, we're talking about a super mysterious officer that can topple Etheric and Moral corruption in New Eridu.
She snorted at herself internally. God, that's getting too fictional for my own good. Maybe I'm reading too many romance novels in my downtime.
But, hell, if anyone could handle her, it would have to be someone like that. After all, she was no princess. She was a queen with her own set of standards.
She reaches the NEPS Janus Quarters, bustling with people filing for clearance, paying fines and officers assisting a young couple reuniting with their lost kid inside the hollows yesterday.
With a smile, she walks straight to their office, Qingyi was already seated at her desk, sipping her hot water. Zhu had no idea how she did that every day. Coffee was practically an IV drip for her, but Qingyi? She just...existed on water. Maybe it was a secret superpower. There was probably a whole book on it somewhere.
"Good morning, Captain, just delivered your paper works." Qingyi greeted, looking far too calm for someone surrounded by towering piles of reports.
"Good morning," Zhu Yuan replied, though the words felt heavy with the sight of all that paperwork. "I hate doing quarterly paperwork."
Qingyi looked up. "But we're on patrol today?"
Zhu blinked. "What? Patrol?" Her eyes flicked to the whiteboard, and—of course—her own handwriting betrayed her. She had scheduled patrol for today. Past Zhu had really done Present Zhu dirty.
"I hate me," she groaned, slumping into her chair as if she could will herself invisible beneath the mountain of documents.
Resigned, she powered up her terminal. Her gaze lingered on the cold case file that had been haunting her: the Hollow Syndicate smuggling ring. A missing mercenary had been their key link, but that trail had gone cold too many years ago.
"I'll tackle you later," she muttered at the screen. For now, patrol awaited, and there was no escaping it.
Minutes later, Zhu found herself crammed into the PUBSEC mobile, sandwiched between Qingyi's calm silence and Seth's boundless rookie energy.
"Captain," Seth chirped from the back seat, "how about donuts at the café plaza before patrol?"Zhu glanced at him through the rearview mirror. Donuts? Of all the frivolous things. Still, the idea of sugar and carbs was oddly tempting. Maybe a donut could momentarily patch up her soul or at least help her pretend life wasn't so complicated.
"Sure, why not," she muttered, nodding.
Seth grinned like a kid at Christmas. "Oh, and Captain—Jane just got back from her undercover mission! Should we call her to join us?"
The name alone made Zhu's grip on the gear shift tighten. She shot him a glance in the mirror, her expression flat. "Yeah, Jane. Great idea. Except I still haven't forgiven her for rerouting my patrol to the Outer Ring last week."
Seth immediately retreated, leaning back in his seat. The tension was palpable, and he had no intention of poking Captain's inner tiger further.
Qingyi, however, was less cautious. "Still mad at her?" she asked, sipping hot water from her ever-present tumbler.
"Not mad," Zhu replied, her tone deadpan. "Just waiting for karma to handle it. Besides, Jane doesn't need donuts. She's probably got a snack pouch strapped to her belt right now."
Qingyi smirked, the steam from her tumbler curling against her lips. "Sure. Not mad. Because that tone really screams forgiveness."
"Let's just get this patrol over with," Zhu grumbled, adjusting her grip on the wheel.
As the car weaved through the city streets, her mind wandered back to the case. The Hollow Syndicate was too quiet lately, and the missing mercenary felt like the piece of a puzzle she couldn't find. For all Jane's pranks, Zhu had to admit she had a knack for digging up answers. Maybe it was time to begrudgingly use that resource, well, if she's desperate.
Or maybe, she thought, glancing at Qingyi and Seth, donuts really could solve everything—for now.
After a quick sugar-laden stop at the café, they hit the streets—not just to stroll, but to ensure the city stayed safe. Everything had to be in order, no room for failure, as usual. Today, though, was pure chaos.
Zhu Yuan mentally tallied up all the tickets she'd issued: parking violations, jaywalking, littering, and a whole mess of other infractions. Seriously, the list was endless. And on top of that, I still have a report and cold case to tackle.
The day was exhausting, but she kept reminding herself of her goal. I'm going to be the best, even if this city drives me insane.
By late afternoon, Zhu Yuan was more than just tired—she was hangry. You know, that perfect storm of hunger and rage that makes every little annoyance feel personal. After a long morning of patrol and skipping meals, she was ready to devour anything within arm's reach. Lunch with Qingyi at Lumina Square's cafeteria? It was supposed to be her saving grace.
As they stood in line, she could practically hear her stomach screaming at her, louder than the chatter of fellow officers around her. She didn't care about the conversations anymore—her thoughts were focused on one thing: food. The relief of finally reaching the counter was like stepping into paradise. Tray in hand, the aroma of warm, delicious food hit her senses like a blessing from above. She could already imagine that first bite, savoring—
Crash!
Her tray tumbled out of her hands, food scattering across the floor like a cruel joke from the universe. Someone had collided with her, shattering her tranquility in an instant.
For a moment, everything went silent. Zhu Yuan stared at the floor, at the mess that was once her salvation, feeling the edges of her temper fray beyond repair. Her empty stomach growled in pure outrage, a primal sound that seemed to fuel the fire in her chest.
And then, she snapped.
Reaching for her taser, she whirled around to face the culprit, voice sharp as a knife. "PUBSEC officer! Hands where I can see them, and stop resisting!"
The poor man who'd run into her froze, his hands flying up in a panic. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to—" he stammered, eyes wide. He was glancing around as if he had bigger things to worry about than an angry officer with a ruined lunch.
But Zhu Yuan? She had exactly one thing on her mind, and it wasn't whatever this guy was chasing. "Do you know what you just did?" she growled, still holding the taser. "You killed my lunch." It was like You-took-everything-from-me-vibes
Qingyi, ever the calm one, looked like she was trying not to laugh. Her usual laid-back demeanor barely cracked as she surveyed the mess. "Captain," she said, placing a gentle hand on Zhu Yuan's arm. "It was an accident."
"An accident that ruined my food!" Zhu Yuan shot back, eyes still burning. It was the principle of the thing.
"I'll pay for your lunch! My apologies..."
His voice carried a strange calmness, almost disarming in the middle of Zhu Yuan's minor chaos. Her brow furrowed as she studied him. The badge clipped on his jacket wasn't PUBSEC, nor any division she recognized. Who was this guy, running around near NEPS?
"First Granny's matchmaking wisdom, and now this random dude? Whatever cosmic prank the universe—or some writer—has going, they need to stop sending me rom-com signals. I'm not buying it," she mused, crossing her arms and flicking her head in an attempt to shake off her spiraling thoughts.
He hurried to the counter, returning a moment later with a fresh tray. His movements were careful, deliberate, as if he was trying to undo his earlier blunder without adding more chaos. To her mild surprise, there was a lava cupcake perched on the tray alongside her lunch.
Zhu Yuan raised an eyebrow. Was this guy trying to bribe her? With sugar? Clever, she'd give him that much. Cupcakes were basically edible olive branches.
"A lava cake..." she muttered, glancing between him and the dessert. Her lips twitched despite herself. "You're lucky this cupcake's adorable." Without waiting for a reply, she snatched the tray from his hands and turned back to Qingyi. "Let's eat before something else decides to ruin my day."
Qingyi, ever the observer, gave her a knowing look. "You should've used your hangry voice on him sooner. Might've saved us some drama."
"Don't start," Zhu Yuan grumbled, though a reluctant smirk betrayed her irritation. At least she had dessert now, and maybe—just maybe—a shred of dignity left.
The man, visibly relieved, backed away into the crowd. Zhu Yuan's gaze lingered on his retreating figure, her mind committing the faint details to memory. There was something about him. Not in the romantic destiny way Granny would hope, but in the I'll run into him again someday way. Probably.
She turned back to her food, muttering to herself, "Weird run-ins like that always remind me of rom-coms."
Qingyi's voice cut through her thoughts. "Something bothering you, Captain?"
"No. Nothing," Zhu Yuan replied, shaking her head. But as she took a bite of her lunch, her mind wandered back to that calm voice and deliberate movements. Whoever that guy was, she had a feeling he wasn't as random as he seemed.
A few days later, Zhu Yuan arrived at the station, ready for a mountain of paperwork. But something caught her eye. A small box of dessert sat atop her files, a note attached:Apology cake for what happened. — J.D.
She frowned, the name "J.D." unfamiliar. Had the man at the cafeteria given his name? She couldn't recall. With a shrug, she set the box aside, her focus on work.
As the day wore on, hunger gnawed at her. Qingyi strolled in, glancing at the untouched box."Secret admirer?"she teased.
Zhu Yuan gave her a dry look, but curiosity won. She opened the box, revealing the same lava cupcake. Her stomach growled. "I suppose a snack wouldn't hurt," she admitted, taking a bite.
"Try not to get crumbs on the paperwork," Qingyi quipped, grinning.
Zhu Yuan shook her head, amused. "I'll manage. I've seen worse."
With a mouthful of cupcake, Zhu Yuan shifted gears. "Any progress on the Hollow Syndicate case?"
Qingyi's expression turned serious. "Nothing yet. It's the longest cold case I've worked on."
Zhu Yuan leaned back, thinking. "We need to hit the smaller players. They might have leads."
Qingyi nodded. "We'll have to be careful. The Syndicate doesn't tolerate snitches."
Determination flared in Zhu Yuan's eyes. "We'll figure it out. Let's start brainstorming after this."
Hours later, with the station quiet and darkness creeping in, Zhu Yuan dozed off at her desk. A slight movement stirred her from sleep. Her eyes snapped open, and she saw a shadowy figure standing near her desk.
"Qingyi?" she muttered, still groggy. But as the figure stepped into the light, her pulse quickened. Another dessert box, another note:J.D.
Her heart raced as she glanced at the clock. It was 5 AM. She blinked, disoriented. Who kept leaving these, and why?
Suddenly wide awake, Zhu Yuan shouted into the silence, "Who the hell are you, J.D.?!"
The shout echoed across the room, drawing the curious stares of her colleagues.
Feeling the weight of exhaustion, Zhu Yuan sighed. "I'm taking the day off," she muttered, more to herself than anyone else. Packing her things, her eyes lingered on the box. The initials haunted her thoughts, but for now, she pushed them aside.
She needed rest—answers could wait.
~edited 01/10/2025 -A