9:20 PM – Common Room, Forest House
The air smelled of mint tea, buttered snacks, and faint forest mist. Everyone sat in a chaotic circle of blankets and pillows.
Kevin: "This game's not over till someone cries or confesses a deep secret."
Bihoo: "Or dies of embarrassment."
Mira: "Let's go until midnight!"
Nisa rolled her eyes, hugging a pillow. "Fine. But no dares involving socks. Ever again."
Kevin: "I REGRET NOTHING."
Round 1: Mira
Teaha smirking: "Truth or dare?"
Mira narrowed her eyes. "Truth."
Teaha: "Would you kiss someone in this group?"
Mira: face heating "W-What kind of—"
Lara: "Answer, coward."
Mira: "…Maybe."
Kevin: "Name starts with K?"
Mira threw a pillow at him.
Round 2: Kevin
Bihoo: "Truth or dare?"
Kevin: "DARE."
Bihoo: "Let Mira draw something on your forehead."
Mira grinned with a marker.
Five minutes later… "I AM A PUMPKIN" was written across his head.
Teaha: "Finally accurate."
Round 3: Lara
Nisa: "Truth or dare?"
Lara: "Truth."
Nisa: "Why do you always protect Teaha in missions?"
Lara: immediately defensive "Because he's reckless."
Teaha raised a brow. "You mean… you care?"
Lara: "I MEAN YOU'D DIE WITHOUT ME."
Kevin: "Simp alert!!"
Round 4: Teaha
Kevin: "Dare. Bet."
Teaha: "...Dare."
Kevin: "Sit next to Lara and say something sweet."
Lara turned to glare—until Teaha leaned close and whispered something no one else could hear.
Lara blushed.
Kevin: "WHAT DID HE SAY?!"
Lara: "None of your beeswax, Pumpkin Head."
Round 5: Bihoo
Lara: "Truth or dare?"
Bihoo: "Truth."
Lara smirked. "If the final trial ends today, and you had one last sentence to say… who would you say it to and what?"
Bihoo glanced sideways at Nisa.
> "I'd tell her… she's not alone anymore."
Nisa froze.
Everyone:
Mira: squealing internally
Round 6: Nisa
Bihoo: "Truth or dare?"
Nisa: "…Truth."
Bihoo: "Do you feel safe… with us?"
The room went quiet.
Nisa clutched the pillow tighter, staring into her lap.
She softly answered,
> "Yes. For the first time… I feel like I belong somewhere."
The room… was still.
Mira held her hand.
Kevin cleared his throat. "Okay next question before I cry like a loser—"
Near Midnight
Everyone curled around the cushions and half-eaten snacks.
Lara: "Tomorrow… what should we do?"
Nisa: "We have two months. Let's make this place beautiful."
Mira: "Flower garden?"
Kevin: "Gaming room. Obviously."
Teaha: "Mystery cooking experiments."
Bihoo: "We'll build it all. Together."
Lara: "Can we paint the wall pink?"
Kevin: "No."
Lara: "Then I'm planting sunflowers in your bed."
Bihoo laughed, for the first time in days.
And as the moonlight filtered through the forest window, Unit 9 fell asleep—safe, full, and closer than ever.
To be continued…