Crystal's Day (1)
Crystal's mornings as a Silver Unit executive came early.
"...4:59."
Her alarm was set for 5 a.m., but she woke before it could ring, rising immediately to neatly fold her blankets. Not getting distracted by her smartphone, leaving her bed without delay. Even at that point, Chris's diligent nature shone through.
"Hoo."
Like clockwork, she was up at dawn, finished washing her face, prepared breakfast while packing a lunchbox for the midday meal. It was a balanced spread, thoughtfully made with her still-elementary-school-aged little brother's growth in mind.
She used the remaining time to do the dishes, clean, laundry, and take out the trash.
This was the daily routine she'd ingrained in herself after losing her parents young.
"Nil! Time to get up and eat!"
"Mmm..."
She set plates of food on the table while rousing her brother, who showed no signs of stirring.
At least on a holiday like today, Silver Unit duties were lighter, leaving more time to look after her brother. Normally he'd dawdle a bit, but with the day's schedule in mind, she couldn't afford to take it too easy.
"Sis! We're meeting that big bro later, right?"
"...Yeah. That's right."
She gave a slightly timid reply to her brother, whose eyes sparkled with excitement.
Today was an important day she'd deliberately cleared for Jade, the man who'd saved Nil's life a few days ago—a chance to repay him properly. Things had been hectic with cafe operations and the Brilliant lady's kidnapping fiasco, pushing the meeting to her day off, but now D-Day had arrived.
...What face should I even make when I see him?
Chris traced the rim of her bowl with her chopsticks, lost in thought.
He was a lowly grunt in her own Silver Unit—no less, one Amber held especially dear.
Showing such a vulnerable side to a man like that was a major blunder on her part. She led the Silver Unit's combat division as a harsh drill instructor, exuding charisma and authority. She took immense pride in that persona.
Even amid grueling tasks or endless paperwork hell, immersing herself in work let her hide her fragile self.
Of course I'm grateful to him, but that's exactly why I can't let him see this sloppy side of me.
The sheltered, naive young lady who grew up loved and pampered—that was the world's view of Chris.
As an executive who had to show reliable strength at all times, she couldn't reveal such weakness, she believed.
Luckily, he still doesn't know who I am. If I keep it hidden, he won't find out.
He was the benefactor who'd saved her precious little brother. She couldn't treat him carelessly. If her own carelessness led to any rudeness, she'd never live it down.
No choice but to keep playing the pure, innocent girl. For both his sake and hers.
Finishing breakfast, Chris dove into her disguise to hide her identity.
Fixing her hair on purpose, slipping into frilly underwear no one would see...
"Ugh."
Maintaining the look was mortifying. She had to don a fluttering dress and even apply pointless makeup.
If any Silver Unit member saw her like this, what would they think? She'd lose sleep for a week, no doubt.
But if she was doing it, she'd do it thoroughly. That stubborn diligence was how she'd risen to executive.
About five hours later.
The siblings arrived at a nearby park via subway and settled on a bench to wait for Jade.
"We still have 30 minutes—why'd we come so early, Sis?!"
"Just bear with it. Showing up late and making him wait would be rude."
Appointment was at 11. With half an hour to spare, Chris relaxed, watching her brother start running around while taking in the park's scenery.
Summer vibes in full swing: lush green lawns flaunting themselves, a crystal-clear lake. Just looking purified the soul.
Has it been ages since I came to a park?
They dotted the world everywhere, but you didn't visit unless you made the effort.
Glancing around, she saw people enjoying their own routines: a man walking his dog, a family picnicking, a couple sharing ice cream on a bench, a woman jogging hard...
It stirred memories of childhood, running hand-in-hand with her parents across wide fields. Carefree, innocent days.
But as a full-fledged adult now, she couldn't afford to yearn for such things. No looking back—she had to press forward.
With that resolve, a familiar silhouette appeared in the distance.
"Oh, big bro's here!"
The siblings welcomed Jade without hesitation upon his arrival.
"Sorry, he insisted on coming..."
"Nah, I was bored anyway. It's fine."
He didn't seem to be bluffing or polite-lying—his face showed no sign of minding.
Doesn't peg him as the kid-hating type?
He got along fine with Amber, who was a good four years younger, so he seemed used to dealing with juniors.
"Um, what should I call you, Sis?"
"Ah... Call me Quartz, please."
She smiled, giving him the alias she'd prepared as he asked her name.
"Quartz. Looking forward to it today."
His polite, mature demeanor made sense of why Amber stuck to him like glue.
But now wasn't the time to judge him. First things first.
"Jade, thank you so much for the other day. Thanks to you, my little brother came out unscathed."
"Thanks~!"
As the two bowed in gratitude, Jade gently lifted Chris's head.
Saving her brother from that massive truck was worth a thousand bows, yet he brushed it off.
"Well... it was definitely dangerous. If I'd focused a bit more, I could've done it safer."
"Yeah. I gave him a good scolding for it."
Chris had already chewed out her brother for dashing after the soccer ball that rolled into the street.
Though with the light green and the truck driver suddenly seizing up, it wasn't entirely Nil's fault.
"Anyway, let's play soccer! I brought the ball on purpose!"
"Such a laid-back kid... Whatever, I'm game."
Ting—! Ting—!
Phantom dribble, Marseille turn, rainbow flick...
"Whoa! Big bro's amazing!"
"Here, you try it."
Chris gave a small clap as Jade dazzled with soccer tricks and taught her brother.
To Chris, who knew zilch about sports, it just registered as "he's good at soccer."
After a good while kicking the ball around, the massive clock in the park's center struck noon.
"Sis, I'm hungry~!"
"Got it. Then the lunchbox—"
Chris froze mid-reach into her bag, hand trembling.
...When I should be treating my benefactor to a fancy restaurant, why did I pack a lunchbox again today?
It was unconscious habit. Obsessed with hiding her identity, she'd mindlessly made one for lunch.
No way could she show Jade this pathetic lunchbox.
She'd prepared a separate gift for him, but here she'd have to splurge on a nice restaurant instead—
"Big bro, wanna eat Sis's lunchbox too?"
"Oh. You sure?"
"......"
For the first time, Chris resented her own brother.
In the end, she had no choice but to serve him the crude lunchbox she'd slapped together that morning.
"Ah, this rolled omelet's delicious. Got century eggs inside."
"...You can tell?"
Amazed that he not only knew century eggs—a rare ingredient—but nailed the flavor, Chris blinked in surprise.
"Learned a bit of cooking back in the day. Not a chef or anything."
Come to think of it, he was a dessert-making wizard. No wonder he knew his stuff.
But that only tightened the knot in her chest.
"Sorry. I really wanted to treat you to something tastier..."
Would such a plain lunchbox satisfy him? Negative thoughts kept bubbling up.
Yet Jade waved it off with exaggerated flair, praising her food.
"It's plenty tasty. Hard to find home-cooked care like this these days."
Not just the omelet—every dish brimmed with her effort and love.
Jade seemed to recognize the fruits of her near-decade of daily devotion to her one and only sibling.
"Looks basic, but back when I was a kid, we always had easy stuff like this. Only child, parents both working—no one to cook. Eating this every day would make anyone happy."
"......"
Chris flushed, overcome by an indescribable emotion welling inside.
Staring at the man before her who affirmed not the charismatic Silver Unit executive, but the desperate girl who'd lost her parents too soon and flailed to survive.