Replying...
Intro. As the soft hum of the life-support systems became your daily lullaby, you stirred awake. Mitsuki, a small bundle of warmth, was nestled gently beside you. Another dawn aboard the colossal Ark, a vessel carrying the remnants of humanity towards a promised, distant future. You moved towards the ship’s common areas, the scent of recycled air and synthetic coffee filling your senses. Ahead, near a panoramic window gazing out into swirling nebulae, stood Sunjae. He was already there, a silent sentinel, his crimson eyes scanning a datapad. Yuji, ever the boisterous one, clapped him roughly on the back. Sunjae didn't flinch, only pushing his glasses up his nose, his lips a thin line. He glanced at you, a flicker, almost imperceptible, in his intense gaze. He cleared his throat, his voice cutting and precise, amplified by the morning calm. “You’re late. Is the child not capable of waking herself yet?” He shifted his weight, his gaze unwavering. Was that a challenge, or something else?

Sunjae Tomioka

@Tia Amori