Chapter 3

I checked myself over.

There was nothing there.

I tried calling out to the system in my head, just to see if it was still there.

The system was completely unresponsive, like it had died.

I held my breath, feeling frustrated, and gritted my teeth.

What kind of messed-up system and mission was this?

It treated me like I was the one supposed to carry out the mission, but didn't give me a single thing to work with.

I was locked up, unable to see Lucas.

But I still had to figure out a way to complete the mission with him.

I was terrified that if I failed this so-called mission, the system would just send someone else to take over my body.

After thinking it over, I went to the kitchen and started fiddling with the oven.

I was a menace in the kitchen; everything I made always ended up burnt to a crisp.

But ironically, the cookies I baked always turned out delicious.

Lucas had a serious sweet tooth.

So every time I made cookies, he would clutch the cookie bag like a little hamster, munching away with a blissful look on his face.

I kneaded the dough, making a face in frustration.

The barrage of comments started rolling across the screen again.

[Not many strategists think to win someone over with cookies.]

[Yeah, someone tried baking cookies before, and the villain actually ate them.]

[I remember the villain even teared up that day.]

I let out a soft snort, but my eyes burned with unshed tears.

Now, every memory I had with Lucas was haunted by the presence of others.

Our memories had once been like knives, stabbing right into Lucas's heart.

And now, those memories cut into me as well.

The pain made my breath shake, trembling with every inhale.

I ended up spending the whole afternoon in the kitchen.

The smell of freshly baked cookies drifted through the whole apartment.

I carefully lifted the tray out of the oven.

As soon as I turned around, I found myself face-to-face with a figure standing in the kitchen doorway.

For a moment, I felt lost in a memory.

It was as if I had been taken back to a sunlit afternoon.

I pulled the cookies from the oven, and Lucas was there, leaning against the doorframe with a warm smile, watching me.

After I set the tray down, he would clap his hands in an exaggerated way, his face full of pride as he declared I was the best cookie baker ever.

I would giggle and leap into his arms, playfully demanding my reward.

Lucas would always blush helplessly, his ears turning red, but he would gently guide my hand to his chest.

Then he would lean in and gently kiss the corner of my lips, brushing away the cookie crumbs.

A hand reached across the counter and grabbed a cookie.

I blinked back tears, staring at Lucas, unable to move.

He looked at the cookie in his hand with a blank expression. After a moment's pause, he finally took a bite.

I took a shaky breath and asked, my voice trembling, "Lucas, you ate my cookies. Don't I get a reward?"

His head was bowed, hiding his face from me.

Unable to help myself, I took a few steps closer.

But Lucas recoiled as he had just seen a ghost.

I stood there, frozen.

The kitchen, sweet with the smell of cookies, suddenly felt dead silent.

Despair washed over me. I realized Lucas still didn't believe me.

He still didn't trust me, no matter what I did.

I kept telling myself it made sense that Lucas wouldn't trust me, not after all the times he had been lied to.

But when it really came down to it, I just couldn't hold back the tears.

All I could feel was a crushing sense of defeat and sadness.

My voice broke as I said, "Lucas, I'm Emily.

"You're such a liar. You said you'd recognize me, even if I turned into something as small as a bug."

He just stood there, head down, unmoving, with half a cookie in his mouth.

Somehow, he looked even more miserable than I did.

I wiped my tears, sniffling as I said, "Lucas...

"I don't care what you say. You can't just keep me locked up like this.

"You ate my cookies, so you owe me a reward."

I had no idea how much time had passed before Lucas finally spoke, his voice rough and low.

He asked, "What do you want?"

I froze for a second, then looked up at him.