Seoul — Eom Residence, Early Morning
Romeo's room was dark in that "too expensive to feel warm" way.
Curtains half closed.
City light bleeding in like leftover noise from a world that never slept properly.
A pillow shifted.
Then—
"Romeo."
No response.
A pause.
Then again—
"Romeo."
Something small bounced onto the bed.
Hard.
Not soft.
Definitely intentional.
Romeo groaned slightly, turning away.
"…Five more minutes."
A beat.
Then—
"…Food."
That word landed like a weapon.
Romeo sat up instantly.
"That's not a valid alarm."
A floating shape hovered above his bed.
Jaimie.
His wài yǒu.
Except calling it "cute spirit companion" would be a lie.
Jaimie looked like a compact distortion of energy—floating, slightly jagged at the edges, like gravity didn't fully agree with its existence. Its "face" shifted depending on mood, currently shaped into something between impatient and starving.
Romeo stared at it.
"…Don't start."
"Food."
"You literally ate yesterday."
"That was yesterday."
"It was 10 hours ago."
"Exactly."
Romeo rubbed his face.
"…You're unbelievable."
Jaimie drifted closer to his ear.
"Hungry."
Romeo pointed toward the door.
"Kitchen exists."
"No effort."
"That's life."
Jaimie hovered dramatically upside down.
"I am a black hole."
"You are not a black hole."
"I consume....."
"No you are a problem."
"I am your problem."
Romeo sighed and swung his legs off the bed.
"Fine. But we're leaving for school after."
Jaimie immediately perked up.
"School also has food."
"That's not the point."
"It is always the point."
Romeo grabbed a hoodie.
Outside his room, the house was already awake in fragments—staff moving quietly, distant voices, the faint tension of a household that never fully relaxed.
Jaimie followed him like a floating shadow that had learned emotional dependency.
"So," Romeo muttered, heading down the hallway, "you wake me up at ungodly hours just to eat."
"Yes.... And go to school."
"And annoy me."
"Yes."
"…You have no purpose beyond chaos."
Jaimie paused.
Then very proudly—
"I have hunger-based motivation."
Romeo exhaled a short laugh despite himself.
"That explains a lot."
They reached the kitchen.
Warm light.
Quiet staff stepping aside respectfully.
Breakfast already partially prepared.
Romeo poured himself water.
Jaimie immediately hovered over the food like it was a sacred altar.
"…Don't touch anything yet," Romeo warned.
"I am observing."
"You are definitely plotting."
"I am appreciating the food's aesthetics."
"You are eating with your eyes."
"That is inefficient."
Romeo glanced at the clock.
"School in an hour."
Jaimie froze mid-hover.
"…School."
"Yes."
"People will be there."
"Yes."
"Noise."
"Yes."
"Humans."
Romeo smirked slightly.
"You're scared of teenagers?"
Jaimie turned slowly.
"I am not scared."
"Sure."
"I am selectively avoidant."
"That's just fear with vocabulary."
Jaimie drifted closer.
"Romeo."
"Yeah?"
"Will there be food at school?"
Romeo paused.
How did this get back to food again??!
"…Yes."
Jaimie immediately brightened.
"Then I will survive."
"That's your life philosophy?"
"It is perfect."
Romeo shook his head, grabbing his bag.
As they walked out together, Jaimie floated just above his shoulder like a greedy satellite.
Still hungry.
Still chaotic.
Still attached.
Romeo glanced at it.
"…You're going to get us in trouble one day."
Jaimie responded instantly:
"Worth it if food is involved."
Romeo sighed again.
And somehow—
despite everything—
he didn't tell it to shut up.