The plate in my hands had long since been cleaned, rinsed, and scrubbed to the point where any remaining molecules of food had likely been erased from existence. Yet, there I stood, mind elsewhere, staring into the swirl of soap bubbles sliding down the ceramic surface like they held the answers to my problems.
The gentle tap on my back jolted me from my spiraling thoughts, my muscles tensing instinctively before I realized it was just Sienna. She stood behind me, her head tilted slightly, an amused yet concerned look on her face.
"You've been washing that plate for a while now," she said softly, her voice light but laced with curiosity.
I blinked down at the dish, noticing how the water had cooled and my fingertips were pruned. Forcing a chuckle, I shrugged it off. "Ah, yeah... just being thorough. You know—germaphobe tendencies."
Sienna didn't buy it, not entirely. She gave a small pout, crossing her arms over her chest. "Uh-huh. Sure. Thorough." Her eyes lingered on me a moment longer, sharp enough to see through the deflection, but she didn't push. "Well, Mr. Thorough, we've got boxes to unpack unless you're planning to sterilize the entire apartment."
I was grateful she let it go. For now.
We spent the early morning surrounded by the remnants of my old life—boxes filled with sparse belongings, faded papers, and the few things she'd insisted I buy during our mall trip. Important documents were sorted into neat stacks while random items were tucked into drawers or shelves. It was strange, seeing my life condensed into so little, now scattered across an apartment that felt too big for it. Too clean. Too... new.
But Sienna's presence made it feel less hollow.
As it approached work time, we departed together, strolling alongside one another as if it were the most normal thing ever. The construction site welcomed us with the familiar noise of equipment and shouted commands, dust drifting gently through the fresh morning air. No sign of Evelyn. No sign of any evaluator, for that matter.
Good. I needed more time.
I wasn't going to waste it.
While assisting with the coordination of materials, I thought about Liam Parker—the District 1 coordinator for the Hudson Bridge Project. He was efficient, sharp with his directions, and had an uncanny ability to get workers moving like a well-oiled machine. Perfect.
I copied his skill: Workforce Command (Lv. 1)—a skill that enhanced efficiency when directing labor forces. By the end of the day, after subtly applying it where I could, it leveled up to Lv. 2. Another skill tucked safely into my portfolio, hidden beneath my Construction Worker job.
It wasn't as flashy as Evelyn's abilities or as versatile as the skills of Nathan's lawyer that I'd encountered before, but it was something. Something that kept me moving forward.
When our shift ended early again, Sienna and I headed back to the apartment, the walk filled with casual banter and the occasional sarcastic quip. Once inside, she flopped onto the couch with exaggerated exhaustion, then suddenly perked up.
"We've got all this extra time," she said, her eyes lighting up mischievously. "Wanna watch a movie?"
I agreed, not thinking much of it, and she scrolled through her streaming options before settling on... a documentary.
The same basic, surface-level information everyone learned in elementary school. Skills, ranks, job structures—stuff that even kids could recite in their sleep.
I tried to stay polite, but as the minutes dragged on, boredom crept in like a slow, suffocating fog. That's when I noticed something else.
Sienna was getting closer.
At first, it was subtle. A casual lean here, a slight shift there. Then a shared blanket mysteriously appeared, draped over us like it had always been part of the plan. Before I knew it, she was practically nestled into my side, her warmth seeping through the thin fabric of my shirt.
I could've pulled away. Said something. Made a joke.
Instead, I leaned into it—literally. My heart raced, a mixture of flattery and nervousness threading through me like electricity. We were both pretending to focus on the screen, but neither of us cared about the documentary anymore.
Eventually, Sienna tilted her head up, her gaze meeting mine.
Her eyes were like amber, flecks of gold catching the dim light of the room, and in that fragile, suspended moment, I felt something shift inside me. An invisible thread pulling us closer.
Our lips met, hesitant at first, then melting into something deeper—longer, more passionate. Her hand found its way to the back of my neck, fingers threading through my hair, sending shivers down my spine.
When we finally broke apart, she was smiling—soft, content, with a warmth that settled right into my chest. She shifted even closer, resting her head on my shoulder like it was the most natural thing in the world.
I stared ahead, the forgotten documentary still droning on in the background, but I wasn't thinking about skills or systems anymore.
I was thinking about her.
And what I had to tell her.
My heart thudded painfully, the words clawing at the back of my throat.
"Sienna," I said quietly, my voice low but steady.
She hummed in response, not moving from her spot.
"I... I have something important to tell you."
The words hung in the air between us, heavier than they'd ever been.
And I knew there was no turning back now.
Job Title: Jobmaster (Rank SSS)
Active Portfolio:Construction Worker Portfolio (A-Rank)
Endurance Boost (Lv. 9)
Heavy Lifting (Lv. 8)
Material Efficiency (Lv. 5)
Team Coordination (Lv. 6)
Structural Reinforcement (Lv. 7)
Precision Engineering (Lv. 6)
Fast Assembly (Lv. 2)
On-Sight Adaptability (Lv. 2)
Workforce Command (Lv. 2)
Strategist (Lv. 4) – Improves planning and problem-solving abilities
Fire Suppression (Lv. 3) – Enhances effectiveness in controlling and extinguishing fires
Rescue Operations (Lv. 3) – Improves efficiency in locating and saving individuals in emergencies
Heat Resistance (Lv. 3) – Significantly reduces the impact of extreme temperatures on performance
Construction Worker (A-Rank) — Active in Portfolio
Scan, Absorb, Destroy