Azael's POV
I should not be here. And yet—I am. The screen in front of me flickers softly, surveillance footage playing in silent loops. Multiple angles. Multiple floors. Multiple cameras. All of them focused on one person. Her. Mira. The name had been easy to find. Too easy. A simple file. A background check. A life so ordinary it was almost insulting. No hidden records. No suspicious gaps. No secrets worth noting. Just… Mira. I lean back slightly in my chair, eyes fixed on the screen. She is late. Again.
Mira rushes through the entrance, nearly colliding with the glass door before stopping herself at the last second. "…okay, okay, calm down…" She whispers to herself, patting her hair as if that will fix anything. It doesn't. A strand falls right back into place. She doesn't notice.
I exhale slowly. Why am I watching this? There is nothing remarkable about her. Nothing extraordinary. Nothing that should hold my attention for more than a second. And yet—I cannot look away.
She hurries toward the elevator, almost tripping over her own steps. Clumsy. Unbalanced. Careless. Human. My fingers tap once against the desk. Annoyed. At her. At myself. At this… fixation.
She enters the elevator. The camera inside captures her clearly. She is alone. Good. She exhales dramatically, shoulders dropping. "I made it…" Then pauses. "…wait—did I?" Her eyes widen. "I don't even know which floor I'm supposed to go to…"
I stare at the screen. Unmoving. Is she… serious?
Mira presses random buttons. One. Three. Seven. Then presses them again. "…okay, one of these has to be right…"
I close my eyes briefly. This is inefficient. Illogical. Completely unnecessary. And yet—she hasn't lied once. Not even to herself.
The elevator stops. She steps out confidently—and walks in the wrong direction.
Mira's POV
This place is too big. Way too big. Mira clutches her file tighter as she walks, trying to look like she knows where she's going. She doesn't. "…okay, just act normal…" "Normal people don't panic… normal people don't get lost…" She pauses. "…do they?"
A passing employee glances at her. Mira straightens instantly. Smiles. Then realizes the person already walked away. "…okay, that was weird…"
She continues walking. Stops. Turns. Walks again. "…I think I've seen this hallway three times already…" A sigh escapes her lips.
Her thoughts drift. To yesterday. To him. Her steps slow. "…why is he so scary…" It wasn't just his voice. It wasn't just his eyes. It was something else. Something she couldn't explain. Like standing too close to something dangerous. And yet—he helped her. "…that was nice…" A small smile appears. "…no, no—he's scary." She nods to herself. "Definitely scary."
Azael's POV
She is smiling. I pause the footage. Zoom in slightly. There it is. Small. Uncalculated. Real. My chest tightens. Annoying. I resume the footage.
She walks again. Carefully this time. Trying to improve. Why? No one is watching her. No one expects anything. And yet—she tries. That is irrational. And yet—I keep watching. Not her movements. Her existence. The way she interacts with the world. The way the world fails to change her. My jaw tightens. This is getting out of control. I should stop.
My hand moves toward the system. Stops. "…just a little longer."
Mira's POV
"Excuse me… HR department?" This time, someone answers. "Second floor. Left." Her face lights up instantly. "Thank you!" She bows slightly—even though they've already left. "…okay, second floor…" She walks toward the elevator. Determined now. "…you can do this…" The elevator doors close. "…today will be better…" She says it like she believes it.
Azael's POV
Second floor. I already know. I watched her press it. I watched her hesitate. I watched her think. I watch everything. My gaze remains fixed. This is no longer curiosity. It is something else. Something deeper. Something that refuses to loosen its grip. A thought forms. Dark. Quiet. Possessive. What would she look like—if she stopped smiling? My eyes narrow. "…Mira." I say her name for the first time. It feels… different. I repeat it silently. Again. And again.
Mira's POV
The elevator door opens. Mira steps out carefully this time. "…okay… good start…" She nods. Then walks the wrong way again. "…oh no."
Azael's POV
I close my eyes. "…unbelievable." And yet—there is the faintest shift at my lips. Not quite a smile. But something close. I open my eyes again. Still watching. Still drawn. Still unable to look away. Obsession does not arrive like a storm. It begins quietly. And before you realize it—it is already too late.