Chapter Text
He stands immaculate at the mini-bar, arms crossed in quiet command. His violet-grey eyes sweep the room like he’s calculating his next move.
Or maybe he just looks that attractive while thinking, I can’t tell.
His sleeves are rolled neatly to his elbows, and there’s a faint glint of silver at his wrist where his gloves meet.
Approaching station one, I take a quick peek at the tables occupied by guests. Oh good, he’s not that busy. Only two booths are occupied by walk-ins. Five ladies total. Two in the reservation VIP seats, giggling and whispering. One stirs her tea while sneaking glances at Ash. And the last two? Loud enough for me to catch the words: “villainess” and “reverse harem.”
Inhaling slowly, I try to calm my elevating heartrate. I’m Lina now, but I’m still Evelyn. It’s only day two of working at Maison. I’ve already committed to giving Lina a full personality makeover; mostly because I can’t flirt and seduce like her to save my life. But if I’m going to pull this off, Ash can’t know I’m not her. Even if I use amnesia as an excuse, I should probably try it on Wren first since he might be Lina’s only friend.
You got this, it’s not a boss battle. It’s just you practicing authority and looking out for your very hot, butler-perfect side character coworker.
Halting in my steps, I’m standing within his periphery. Still getting used to this otome game world. Do not be fazed by attractive people with flawless hair and skin.
Everyone here looks like they walked off the cover of a dating sim. It’s actually not fair. I’ve been trying to ignore it, but it’s getting harder to pretend this world doesn’t have an unfair genetic bias toward being hot.
Well, I suppose that’s what made Eira and Sanctum of Light different. Everyone in the game was physically attractive, so the romance aspect of the game was reliant on the emotional connection. I loved witnessing the character development of the male leads.
Victor goes from being the restrained faithful friend to a feral lover, Kade from quiet composure to open claiming and possessiveness, Finn’s tsundereness goes from chaotic energy to a safe place to land, and Theo-
“Need something?”
His voice startles me from my thoughts. Fuck, I zoned out. My eyes flick up and our gazes meet. “Uh… yeah! I mean, I don’t need something, I was just coming to ask you to go take five!”
Ash doesn’t immediately respond. He just stares at me, saying nothing. I blink back at him, just waiting.
Why the fuck does he always do this? Does his brain run on 30 BPM or something? Or does he like to watch me squirm because I don’t do well with awkward silences-
“I’m on duty.” He says flatly. He turns around, facing the mini bar, prepping tea.
Grinning, I place my hands on my hips with faux authority, “Luca said the hostess is technically in charge… sooo I figured I’d gently abuse my power and suggest a water break?” I tease him lightly. Then I offer, “I’ll cover your tables while you step away.”
Ash doesn’t turn towards me. “I have another reservation queued at 2:30.” He says dryly without looking up.
“You’ve had reservations back-to-back the last four hours and there haven’t been any cancellations for the rest of the day.” I whisper, leaning back against the mini bar, crossing my arms.
He’s quiet, then he speaks, voice low. “Your concern is misplaced. They requested me specifically.”
My stomach lurches, I hesitate. Maybe I should step away, mind my own business. But… something clicks. Tilting my head, I observe Ash’s side profile. He doesn’t look tired, not in the way most people do. No dark circles. No slouch. But there’s something too perfect in the stillness. Like he’s overcorrecting.
It’s true his patrons requested him, but he's not a product or an object. He’s a person: a living, human being. But jobs don’t care about that. They care about metrics, productivity, and results. That’s why we should look out for one another as coworkers!
Besides, isn’t he just making excuses as to why he shouldn’t take a break? It sounds all too familiar. I’ve had my fair share of moments where I thought I had to keep going. He didn’t say he wanted to keep working, he implied that he needed to.
My eyes flick to the clock near the espresso machine. 2:22 PM. Eight minutes isn’t much, but it’s something. No time to spare, I better act now!
Clearing my throat, my voice just loud enough for the ladies in his section to hear. “Okay, but honestly? Hydration is hot. Like, super hot.”
His hands still. He doesn’t respond. But I swear, his exhale is just a little sharper than usual. A flicker of confusion. Or amusement? I can’t tell, he’s already turned away. My eyes flick to his guests and it appears that I have their attention now.
Oh god, I’m so cringe and if this doesn’t work I’m going to go bury myself in a hole six-feet under.
“Ladies, on a scale of one to ten, how hot would hydration look on him?” I smile cheerfully as I gesture to Ash.
Okay, maybe I’m being a little forward. But seriously, has this guy even blinked in the past hour?
There’s a beat of silence.
Shit, was that too much? I was hoping it’d lighten the mood and if even the guests support it then-
One of the girls gasps and raises her hand like she’s answering a question in class. “Eleven!”
Another chimes in, “Only eleven? Give the man a fifteen if he drinks water with eye contact!”
If this man ever films a PSA about water consumption, national thirst levels would hit record highs. Hydration stocks would skyrocket. The planet would heal.
Focus, Evelyn! The girls are still giggling. Ash still hasn’t moved. But his hand twitches at the edge of the tray. That’s a good enough sign for me.
Leaning in, I whisper, “See? Nothing bad will happen if you step away for a minute. Get some water, try not to make a girl faint on your way out of here. You can even glare at me like I’m the one making you take a break.”
If he really refuses, I’ll drop it. But it feels wrong not to try. Besides, I’ll need to check up on Natalie, Jenna, and Miriam soon as well. They’ve also almost hit the four hour mark of working.
Ash gives me a long look, the kind that reads like an internal risk assessment. Then he says dryly, “You seem very invested in my hydration.”
Biting my lip, I give him my best awkward grin, “I’m just saying. It’s good for the skin.” Giving him two thumbs up.
Silence.
His gaze lingers a beat too long before flicking away, “Duly noted. I’ll hydrate. Under duress.”
My eyes widen as I grin. He doesn’t see; he’s already walking away.
Did I just win a boss fight?
“Hydration is hot.”
He walks. Measured, even strides, as if the rhythm alone can restore internal order. The path from station one to the breakroom is short; fifty-three feet, by his last count. The world doesn’t shift, but something in him does. One degree tilted off-center. Slight. Irritating.
His gloves flex at his sides. What kind of person says that? Who weaponizes water?
He exhales slowly. The breakroom door eases shut behind him. The fluorescent light hums above.
Inside, the room is clean. Neat. A few tables, chairs to match, lockers lined against the wall. A pitcher of lemon-infused water sits on the counter next to stacked plastic cups. He reaches for one. Deliberately. Mechanically.
She conscripted guests. Turned a scheduled shift into a public hydration referendum. “How hot would hydration look on him?” The responses were… unprecedented. Eleven. Fifteen with eye contact. I wasn’t even dehydrated.
He pours the water. The stream is quiet, precise. Am I dehydrated?
The water is cold, the cup thin. It almost slips from his grip. He drinks. One long, cool sip. He does not sigh. He does not exhale. But the liquid sits heavy in his throat, like it’s carrying weight.
Her concern was not fabricated. That’s the part that’s hardest to classify. She meant it. Not flirtation for gain. Not performance. Genuine care, disguised as public absurdity. And… I went.
I went.
Ash wipes the corner of his mouth with a napkin. Folds it. Sets it down exactly parallel to the cup. I need to re-run the behavioral model.
Lina Seraphine: Shift Disruptor
Input: Coworker fatigue + managerial neglect
Strategy: Disarm via social chaos, elicit group consensus
Outcome: Compliance (voluntary), lowered resistance
Add modifier: Flirtation-as-civic-duty
He doesn’t move for a long moment. Just stands there, hand resting near the pitcher. She gave me two thumbs up. Like that was normal.
“Duly noted. I’ll hydrate. Under duress.”
I should’ve said nothing. I should’ve walked away sooner. I should’ve-
…She’s going to do something like this again, isn’t she?
Hands on my hips, I grin triumphantly as he walks away. I half expect him to turn around and give me a deadpan stare. He does not. Victory!
My victory is short-lived. He’s probably only going to be gone for like, 5 minutes. He seems to avoid taking a break at all costs. I wonder why? Well, no matter. I should check-in with the guests, make sure they’re attended to since I did derail service with a public polling of hydration hotness scale.
Passing by the VIP reservation table, my hearing perks up from the two girls whispering amongst themselves. From their body language, it appears their needs are met. As I accidentally eavesdrop, I overhear something I feel like I shouldn’t have.
“Did you hear about the Thorne boy? He had his pet on his lap at the fundraiser.”
Huh, I guess even rich people bring their dogs to events. Like an emotional support animal-
“Apparently, she was wearing a collar! Mother said it looked like it was embedded with rubies.”
Well, I suppose even by their standards, a collar with rubies seems a bit much for a chihuahua…
“Then he ordered her to beg. And she called him master!”
UH-
…Do animals talk in this world?
Blinking, I decide not to interrupt, lest I fuck around and find out. I’m not ready to discover that SoL is not what I think it is. Maybe the rich are fucked up in this world, but that's none of my business. If it is what I think it is, maybe it's just a kink display? Better a kink than some sort of contract.
I simply refill their waters as they continue to chat amongst themselves, moving onto the next table.
The girl who’s sitting alone sips her teacup as I approach her table. Our eyes meet and neither of us look away.
Standing in front of her, I curtsy, “Is there anything I can get you, my lady?”
She sets down her cup and gives me a shy smile. “Actually, yes!” She fidgets a little, her fingers coming together in a repetitive motion. “I was wondering… what is Ash like? As a coworker?”
I blink, once, twice. Damn, his patrons are down bad for him. Explains why they approved of my hydration joke. Not that I mind, I totally get it. The entire fanbase was feral for him after all.
Smiling warmly, I tap on one side of my cheek, “Hm… he’s a bit intense. But he takes his role seriously.”
She gasps like she just got the juiciest gossip. “Oh my gosh! Of course he is!” Sighing dreamily, she rests her cheeks between the palm of her hands. “He’s just so perfect, isn’t he?”
Now that she mentions it, Ash always appears to be flawless. But maybe that’s just the otome game design. I don’t recall a single SoL scene where he acted out of character or was vulnerable in any way. I suppose Surface Studios didn’t intend to build him an impenetrable fortress. Maybe they didn’t expect such positive feedback for a side character that was meant to be a minor antagonist.
Simply agreeing with her, I nod along like I would for a friend gushing over their favorite K-Pop idol. “Yeah, he’s like, really great!”
Cue the spiral that I didn’t mean to trigger.
The girl’s eyes widen and she begins to fully rant about the coworker that I technically met yesterday but have been following the variations of his entire character architecture the past five years. I nod along, providing encouraging words, as I try to escape the fangirling.
“Do you think if I confessed to him, I might have a chance?”
Oh my god, we went from fangirling to full on obsession real quick.
Isn’t this equivalent to a fan thinking they have a chance with an idol? Not that there’s anything wrong with being hopeful, but even I feel a bit awkward hearing her compliment his looks, the way his hands move, and his vibes or whatever.
There’s nothing wrong with crushing on someone you don’t know but at the same time, doesn’t that usually mean you end up projecting your expectations onto them even without meaning to? I just think sometimes, the version of someone we fall for might be more fantasy than fact.
“Mm… wouldn’t we be causing trouble for him this way?” I suggest gently, trying my best to be thoughtful towards her feelings. “Even if he says yes, you wouldn’t want it to be out of obligation.”
And if he says no, you end up putting the burden of rejection on him.
Quickly, I add on, “I mean… I totally get it. I used to have a massive crush on him, too. I just never realized how intense it could feel from the other side of the table, y’know?”
Thank god he was only a 2D character, pretty sure the entire fanbase would confess their undying love for him given the opportunity.
“Honestly, I’m probably the last person to give advice. I just… worry about what happens if he says no, or worse, yes just to be polite.”
Oh no, I’m rambling at this point, trying to juggle between my good-will and not sounding like a white knight!
My heart scrambles as I speak, trying to be as gentle as possible. “Maybe… get to know him a little first? You might be surprised by what you find.”
Because maybe, just maybe…
No one here is who we think they are.