[Trimounts University Entrance, 7:30 A.M.]
Joshua stood near the grand archway of the university campus, nervously checking his reflection in his phone's camera. He was dressed in a stylish brown leather jacket layered over a crisp white shirt, fitted slightly loose to conceal the thick, black insulating under-suit he was forced to wear. Paired with dark jeans and clean grey sneakers, it was a solid, casual look.
Today was a monumental occasion: it was Joshua and Saria's very first official date in their three years of being together.
The entire event had been forcefully orchestrated by Latina. Upon discovering that the couple had never actually been on a proper date, Joshua's mother had thrown an absolute fit. When Saria tried to insist that she was already perfectly happy just spending time together in the lab, Latina refused to back down, declaring that "missing out on the romance of youth is a crime against nature!"
When Joshua tried to postpone it to the following weekend so he could plan properly, Latina had ruthlessly used her recovering health as a hostage to force his hand, demanding it happen tomorrow.
As a result, Joshua had been unceremoniously kicked out of his own home for the night so Latina, Kristen, and Muelsyses could take over Saria's preparations. Exiled to a company dormitory, Joshua had spent the entire night frantically drawing up an itinerary, using his memories of anime and romantic dramas from his past life as an educated guideline.
He had arrived at the meeting spot half an hour early, his anxiety getting the better of him.
"Knowing Mom, she probably forced Saria into something completely out of her comfort zone," Joshua muttered, running a comb through his hair one last time. He sighed, mourning his poor girlfriend's fate at the hands of the three women.
"S-Sorry that I'm late."
A soft, unusually shy voice interrupted his train of thought. Before he even turned around, the hesitant tone confirmed his suspicions: Latina had definitely put Saria in something distinctly girly.
But the moment Joshua actually turned around, his higher brain functions violently short-circuited.
Saria's outfit wasn't overly frilly, nor was it provocatively revealing. Instead, she wore an elegant, cream-colored, below-the-knee sundress that perfectly complemented her athletic frame. A light leather handbag was slung across her shoulder, and her usually messy hair was tied back into a neat, low braid. Paired with a light touch of makeup and a faint, embarrassed flush dusting her cheeks, the combination was an absolute heart-stealer.
Seeing the fiercely stoic Director of Defense embracing such a soft, rare, feminine side caused Joshua's mind to completely shut down. Error 404: Brain not found.
[Saria's POV]
"Do I look weird in this?" Saria asked, anxiously playing with the end of her braid while actively avoiding Joshua's wide-eyed gaze.
While Saria had become a bit more refined since meeting Joshua, her usual wardrobe consisted almost entirely of practical sportswear, lab coats, and unisex clothing. When Latina had dragged her into the bedroom last night, the older woman had asked her to pick the style Joshua would like the most. Latina had aggressively championed this cream-colored dress.
Saria had initially worried that the dress was too snug around her chest and shoulders, but Latina had only given her a thumbs-up, giggling, "No problem! In fact, that's even better. Make sure you give him a really good look at it!" After a final touch of makeup from Muelsyses, she had been sent on her way.
Back in the present, the extended silence was making her nervous. Saria cautiously looked up, only to find Joshua staring at her, completely and utterly spellbound. Her lingering anxiety instantly melted into profound amusement.
"What's the matter?" Saria teased, a confident smirk replacing her shyness. "Are you this flustered just because I dressed up for you?"
She took a purposeful step toward him. Joshua unconsciously took a step back. She took another, and he retreated again, back and forth until Joshua's back hit the brick wall of the university gate.
"P-Please, Saria... have mercy on my poor heart," he pleaded weakly.
She leaned forward, bracing a hand against the wall next to his head. She flashed him an alluring smile, the angle of the dress offering just a hint of her hidden cleavage. Saria was thoroughly enjoying this rare reversal of their dynamic.
"Consider this payback for all the heart-stopping stunts you've pulled on me," she whispered smoothly. Satisfied with his breathless demeanor, she finally stepped back and gently took his hand. "Don't think you're off the hook yet, though. If this date doesn't live up to expectations, I won't be forgiving. So don't disappoint me, my great inventor."
And with that, their first date officially began.
The itinerary Joshua had planned was simple, but every step was designed with care.
Their first stop was the Trimounts Grand Aquarium. Walking hand-in-hand through the glass tunnels, the cool blue light of the water illuminated Saria's fascinated expression as they watched massive, glowing aquatic Originium-slugs and exotic Sargonian rays swim overhead. It was peaceful, allowing them to just exist together away from the crushing pressures of Rhine Lab.
For lunch, Joshua took them to an authentic Yanese restaurant. Determined to get a little revenge for her teasing earlier, Joshua convinced Saria to try the highest spice level on the menu, secretly hoping to see her sweat and panic.
The result, however, was the exact opposite. Despite having never tried authentic Yan cuisine, Saria ate the bubbling, red chili-oil dish with complete stoicism. In fact, she was instantly hooked. While Joshua sat across from her, chugging ice water and sweating profusely from a much milder dish, Saria calmly requested that Joshua learn the recipe to add to their household menu.
Their final destination for the afternoon was the bustling central commerce district. After a bit of window shopping, they settled down at an outdoor dessert café with a pair of iced coffees.
As they relaxed, the massive digital Jumbotron mounted on the skyscraper across the street flashed with a BREAKING NEWS banner. The anchor's urgent tone caught Joshua's attention.
There were two major global headlines.
The first was bizarre astronomical activity. Grainy, amateur footage showed two strange, massive 'meteors' burning through the atmosphere. However, their trajectories were entirely unnatural—they seemed to intercept one another mid-air before violently breaking apart and crashing down onto Terra. One was reported to have impacted the frozen tundras of Ursus, while the other crashed near the Columbian-Sargonian border.
What made the hair on the back of Joshua's neck stand up was the silhouette of the falling objects. Even through the grainy footage, the geometric, metallic shapes eerily resembled the spaceships he remembered from the sci-fi media of his previous life.
The second headline was even more alarming. A sudden, apocalyptic firestorm had completely eradicated a prominent Victorian noble territory overnight. The aerial footage showed nothing but scorched earth and melted stone where a bustling county used to be. The local Victorian authorities had coined a terrifying code-name for the mysterious, catastrophic flame event: Fatalis.
Though logical deduction told Joshua these events were distant and unrelated to his current life, a heavy sense of foreboding settled in his stomach. The word Fatalis echoed in his mind like a dark omen.
"Oh! Hello, Joshua. Miss Saria."
A polite, deep voice suddenly called out, snapping Joshua out of his grim train of thought.
Turning away from the news broadcast, Joshua looked at the newcomer. His worry quickly faded into a delighted smile as he recognized the impeccably dressed, imposing young Feline standing near their table.
"Hello, Anthony," Joshua greeted warmly. "What a pleasant 'coincidence' to run into you here."