💌

Yawn.

Was it morning already? He felt like he slept longer than normal when he opened his blue eyes to inspect his usual surroundings. His bed, his clean and orderly room… uh?

No, wait. Wait a damn minute.

This messy room… was not his. And the worst part was that he recognised this room perfectly well from that one time he paid a visit to a certain detective.

Gulping and sweating, his trembling eyes immediately found their way down below. That slim figure, the blue hair falling on the shoulders messily, those hands... 

“No fucking way.”

He instantly rose from her bed, running around the room to find a mirror of some sort. He finally snatched one, bringing it closer to her face to inspect it, and, oh, there it was.

Casey Selmore’s face. Casey Selmore’s body. Her house, her room, her bed.

The only difference was Rudger’s soul occupying her beautiful figure.

He forced his brain to scan and think about all the possible answers to this abnormality, yet he couldn’t place his finger on anything. There was no plausible explanation he could think of before a lightbulb popped into his head. 

“No way. Nope.”

Some fairy tales spread through the realm a few years ago, vanishing when they were proved wrong. Some people were blessed with soulmates, the rumours claimed. Among the signs were soulmarks and, in some rare cases, swapping souls. Could that be his case?

He wanted to deny the stupid rumours, but there was the tiniest feeling of longing in his heart. He could feel it and grasp for whom those longings and nostalgia were. 

Rudger was Casey’s soulmate. Damn. What the hell?

Shock and many other emotions filled his insides to the brim, yet somehow, disappointment wasn’t among them. Happiness. Was that among his feelings? Maybe, although he couldn’t admit it to himself.

Rudger got on his feet with determination. The best solution to this situation was to visit the place he last slept, which was U.N. Owen’s headquarters. The only problem was that before he could get himself a coat and leave the apartment, the door violently opened up, and a figure Rudger knew as Betty popped out with an enraged look.

“How dare you, intruder?! You’ll regret breaking into our house!”

Betty sprayed Rudger with a weird, sticky liquid before even realising that it was Casey’s body standing before her and not a pervert intruder’s. Apparently, the girl sensed an unknown presence and decided to make him immobile as best she could. 

Well, that fucking sucked because now he had to take a shower with his eyes closed while Betty sat there apologetically with her head down.

Rudger’s whole mood was already ruined.

Casey stared at the familiar, jaw-dropping, yet terrifying reflection in the mirror. Those features, which she knew all too well but tried to erase from her memory, were staring back at her. 

The reflection in the mirror was him, not her usual puffy face accompanied by dark circles under her light blue eyes from her shitty sleep schedule, although pretty. Casey wondered whether she was still dreaming for a moment, but no, that wasn’t possible. That was him, James Moriarty. 

She was staring straight at James Moriarty's—no, Rudger's—majestic and annoying face right now. But how the hell was she in that man’s body?! Did she die? Did the man kill him? Was she unknowingly watching his movements while dreaming?

No, those were not possible. That left only a single possible option, but Casey was too frightened to even consider it. Could she be…? Could she really be soulmates with Rudger, her nemesis James Moriarty?! 

She thought that was a myth, a rare phenomenon, even if it wasn’t. People like her wouldn’t be granted that chance, would they? Had the universe deemed them worthy of such an opportunity? What did Rudger think about it? Her mind was buzzing with questions, and her vision was getting a bit blurry.

“Holy fuck.”

The same smooth voice that she was accustomed to startled her. The realisation she’d been escaping from finally hit her, and she had to crouch down for a brief moment to get herself together.

Happy birthday to me, she thought.

Those divine love stories she used to hear or read about weren’t included in her future. At least, that’s what she made herself believe. Waking up in Rudger’s body was far from her beliefs or expectations, exceeding the deepest fantasies and desires she’d let herself have from time to time.

“He smells so good. That damned criminal. I can’t believe he wakes up to this face every day.”

Moreover… 

“I have to pee.”

Casey’s whole face turned a bright, red colour. This was far from ideal; no, this was a nightmare!

“I’ll just close my eyes, for sure.”

She strolled into the bathroom, too embarrassed to take action. Finally, she stopped in the middle, slapped her face to gather enough courage, and determinedly walked to her destination.

Mission accomplished.

Then she peeked under the loose, uncharacteristic shirt on her ( his) body. A glance wouldn’t hurt anybody. This was temporarily her body, right?

Gasp! 

Even his body was flawless. Those defined abs… Seriously?

“Woah. Damn. Woah. I hate him. I really do.”

Knock. 

“Eek!”

The sudden noise sent chills down her spine as if she’d been caught red-handed. Thankfully, she was still alone in the bathroom.

Following the sound, she made her way to the door to see a figure she recognized standing by the door.

“Brother! Good morning. Why won’t you come down for breakfast? It’s unlike you to be this late.”

She went on a quick tour through her brain to remember the man’s name to be Hans, and all she could do was awkwardly smile while scratching her, no, Rudger's, head.

Meanwhile, after finishing his hasty speech, Hans finally properly glanced at Rudger to find an odd difference from his usual appearance. Messy hair, still in his nightwear, smiling oddly at him. Head tilted, he stared at Rudger until the moment of realisation hit him like a truck.

His eyes lit up in a weird glow after all his calculations, and he gulped dry saliva in an attempt to deal with the sudden situation.

“You are not my brother, are you?”

“Hehe. Nope. No, I’m not. I just woke up in the body of a ruthless criminal whom I absolutely despise.”

Hans looked unsure of how to move for a second. Was his brother cursed? Was he possessed? He was almost ready to attack the unknown soul before directing his eyes at her with a small, cheeky grin as he remembered where he heard those same words before. Casey didn’t know what to make of his weirdly happy attitude after a sudden change.

“I see. You, uh, hungry? Wanna have breakfast with us?”

“Why has his attitude completely changed? Did he figure out who I am?” Casey wondered.

Breakfast sounded like the best option she had, and she always wanted to get to know more about Rudger anyway. She’d never admit it to his face, though. To hell with that.

“Yes! Please. Tell me more about this us you're talking about, though.”

It seems Casey was in for a rollercoaster since there were way too many people awaiting the soulmate of their so-called leader. She had no idea who all these people were or why they called Rudger leader and owner until a blondie gave them a look, but she guessed she’d learn everything soon enough upon making contact with the man.

These people were even louder than her, which was a hard feat to accomplish in itself. Upon hearing Hans’ relentless screams about how a strange phenomenon occurred and how their leader was finally free from his chains, everyone rushed toward Casey as if those words were some kind of hint. The next thing she knew, she was almost tackled by a dwarf, squished by a giant, and jumped by a smirking blondie.

She went through all that patiently just to see some rats rush to her as a sign of congratulations, as she’d later learn from Hans. That only ended up with her fainting, though, so that was a bit embarrassing for both sides.

Those damned rats.

“Ugh.”

“That runt.”

“Didn’t you promise not to let your rats run free?!”

“I got too excited for a moment! How could I know she’d faint at the sight of them?!”

“It wasn’t just a sight, and you know it. They tackled the poor girl.”

“Hahaha. But watching Leader show such expressions was so hilarious. Wouldn’t you agree?”

The Owens exchanged silent glances before bursting into laughter. Truly, seeing Rudger so frightened was a first.

“Oh! They’re waking up!”

Indeed, Casey woke up to several heads staring at her with odd smiles. Some looked apologetic, while others looked like they were about to die from fun. What a way to meet new people, right?

“Geez. How long have I been gone?”

“Just a few minutes!”

“Does this place have a lot of rats?”

Hans looked apologetic enough for a moment before answering.

“I’ll make sure you never see my children, so don’t you worry.” 

“Your what ?”

“It’s kind of a long story…”

“You know what? I’m not going to question it. It’s no wonder that man’s friends are as mysterious as him.”

The Owens were confused and fairly surprised to hear that. Did Rudger’s soulmate know who he was? Well, it wasn’t unheard of, though it was kind of uncommon.

“Wait, then… Who are you? What’s your name? Your age? Gender?”

“Stop bombarding them with such questions, Alex!”

The woman Casey recognized as Violetta from the House of Verdi shoved Alex aside. Her bright smile welcomed Casey after that, and she wondered about how many more connections Rudger had.

“That’s okay! I’m a big fan of your store, by the way.”

Violetta cooed at that, already imagining the outfits she’d create for this person as a gift.

 “I don’t mind introducing myself, but my soulmate and I don’t have the best relationship out there.”

“I love drama. Speak!”

A woman named Bellaluna dragged her to the table while snickering like a madman. Before she could even give them a name, though, everyone focused on the door because of the commotion outside.

“Fufu. He’s here.”

“I was wondering when he’d arrive. Heh.”

The door opened with a bang, and Casey’s body stood there with a deadly glare. Anyone could tell that those poisonous eyes belonged to the one and only Rudger.

“Oh, that’s..!”

“The detective! Colour mage!”

“I sensed the sexual tension from miles away back then when I saw them together.”

Disregarding the whispers, Rudger’s eyes immediately found Casey's, and he saw the mischievous glint there as the girl sipped her tea in his body.

“You… You…”

Casey sipped her tea one last time before dramatically whipping her head in that direction.

“ I… I… ”

“Don’t you dare mimic me in that tone!”

“What? So it’s okay if I do it in a nonchalant tone like you?”

They sent death glares at each other while the Owens watched them in awe. One didn’t need to have Arpa’s IQ to realise those two were bickering like an old, married couple. 

“Ugh. How can you be so calm and sit down to chat in my body ?”

“It is what it is. I didn’t take you for a stuck-up type, but are you, Professor?”

Rudger took a step back to calm down upon hearing her words. He realised the tiny snickers coming from Alex and Sheridan, while the others simply grinned in amusement. Well, he guessed he didn’t have that much of a reason to go crazy.

Taking small and calculated steps, he found an empty seat right across from Casey—the only one available by chance—and sat down in a dignified manner that was more than up to his standards. Meanwhile, Casey wondered how the man could make her own body look so elegant and majestic while even she couldn’t.

“So. Huge day for the Owens! Let’s talk about how you two met, shall we?”

Hans took the initiative to dive deep into the past. This woman was one he knew to some extent, especially through Rudger’s days as James Moriarty. What an interesting twist, he thought to himself.

After that, Casey enjoyed the delicious food while dragging Rudger’s ass through the mud as the Owens listened intently with occasional laughs and snickers.

A few hours later, a strange thought popped into Rudger’s mind. Before he left Casey’s apartment, she saw a small present on the table. It was from Betty, so he reckoned today must be the detective’s birthday.

“Should I do it?”

He murmured to himself in deep thought. There was nothing to lose, right?

About forty minutes later, he opened the door to his bedroom with a cake in his hands. There were a few candles on the cutely decorated cake, baked by the one and only Rudger.

Casey’s eyes trailed Rudger’s movements in her body, and then the object in his hands. Her lips parted when she could identify it as a cake, a birthday cake, and she would’ve lied if she said her eyes didn’t tear up a bit.

“Finally, you’re all alone.”

Rudger softly closed the door while checking Casey’s carefree soul, which occupied his body, lay on his bed without a care. He’d been meaning to talk things out, but the Owens had no intention of letting Casey go. They had admiration for the detective, it seemed.

“Heh. I’m quite popular, you see.”

Without a word, Rudger sat down next to her as she gave him a little smile. She most definitely didn’t expect such a gesture from the man, and her heart skipped a few beats at the sight.

“Happy birthday, Selmore.”

“Thanks, Moriarty.”

They stared deep into each other’s eyes before Rudger broke free to light up the candles with magic.

“How did you know it was my birthday?”

“I have my ways. Now, make a wish,” he said softly.

She closed her eyes then, fully trusting the man and making a wish she truly wanted to come true.

“Please, universe, make this soulmate bond work out well in the end.”

She could’ve wished for anything else. Fame, money, health, and happiness. However, without even realising it, her heart displayed her deepest desire.

“What did you wish for?”

“Don’t you know you can’t reveal your wish until it comes true?”

“Oh? Then, I’ll have to ask once more later. You need to promise to tell me.”

She felt blood rushing everywhere except her brain. Could the Moriarty she knew be so soft-spoken and gentle? Was he a person who truly cared about the soulmate bond?

“I promise.”

They just stared blankly for a second before bursting into laughter, and Casey continued lying with her eyes closed again after that. There was a comfortable silence between the two until Rudger also laid down like her.

“Could you ever imagine us being soulmates?”

“Nope. I thought I’d just kill you and move on.”

“You could never move on from me.”

“How are you so sure? I can find myself a hundred nemeses.”

A frown formed on Rudger’s lips as he kept staring at the ceiling. He heard a soft laugh rise from right beside her. It was unmistakably his voice, but the softness and the gentleness were imminent in there, obviously belonging to Casey. 

It was quite bizarre, hearing and seeing himself in a different light. Still, it wasn’t bad. Oddly satisfying, if he may. As if he were complete, and a missing puzzle piece fit in there. He shook his head, afraid of his own thoughts. Rudger was a runaway, and although he had no home, he was in prison. He wouldn’t drag Casey into his abyss.

“What did you imagine for you to so violently shake your head to rid yourself of your thoughts? It better not be my body, you pervert!”

“How did you come up with that conclusion?! I already took a shower with my eyes closed, anyway.”

A sigh escaped Rudger’s lips when he remembered the events in the early morning. However, he may as well not have revealed anything after hearing the shocked gasp rising from Casey’s lips.

“How dare you! You creep! Couldn’t you wait just a few hours?!”

Several painful smacks found their way onto Rudger’s face while he tried to shield himself from them. It wasn’t his body, but it still hurt like that.

“You're only hurting your own body! Do you want me to walk around with bruises?”

That seemed to convince her enough to stop, though she kept sulking and giving Rudger the stinky side-eye.

“It wasn't because I wanted to, alright? Your flatmate sprayed me first thing in the morning, so I had no choice.”

“Oh, that. I always tell her to be careful with it, but she never listens.”

“This has happened before?”

“Yeah. We got some uninvited guests over time. Don’t mind it.”

No matter how casually she talked, Rudger could see the slight blush on her, his, face. He guessed it wasn’t a matter to be taken so lightly, but he meant it when he said he didn’t peek.

“Ahem. What do we do now?”

“Well…Let’s talk about the most important stuff first. I have these mana pills…”

Thus, the soulmates discussed the details and how they should act in public. Unsure of when they’d swap back, it was better to play it safe.

 💌💌

Casey was quite excited, to be frank. This whole soulmate idea banged, to her surprise. And Rudger wasn’t as unbearable as she thought he’d be. He was even kind to her. 

Maybe she was too used to them bickering and acting like they hated each other. Seeing a whole new side to him with all the love, cooking her meals, and making sure she wasn’t burdened with his tasks in his body made her feel some type of way. 

She felt cared for and safe. And that meant the world to her. Rudger still acted grumpy sometimes, stomping and sulking. Even so, Casey was not prepared for the strange gleam in his eyes. 

Getting along with the man and his companions wasn’t so bad. Betty also seemed to love Arpa, so they had a reason to constantly hang out together.

Still, she couldn’t claim Rudger was wholeheartedly open with or to her. She sensed that the man kept pulling himself backwards, away from her. At first, she thought he was just being careful, but then she wondered whether he actually wanted to be with her or not.

Sure, they’d been having fun without their prejudices, but it was starting to feel like Rudger was about to friendzone her into the abyss.

“He wouldn’t do that, would he?” She mumbled to herself and violently shook her -his- head.

He wouldn’t go shopping with her or bake her a cake if he didn’t want her. At least, that’s what she chose to believe. He even carefully attended to all her cases and informed her of any details she could’ve missed. He even returned her sister Marias’ letter, though he looked a bit suspicious while revealing the contents to be solely congratulation-based.

“I guess he was just nervous.”

She sighed and made her way to Betty to discuss everything. She had to get these confusions out of her chest and relax a bit.

Residing inside Casey’s body was a harder job than Rudger could’ve ever imagined. First of all, that woman’s body begged for sleep. He knew that a single night's sleep would not cure it, but he could find a workaround. 

What utterly and truly sucked was her job. Rudger was familiar with the requirements of being a detective, and he could understand to some point that Casey was quite popular in her field, but her having so many fucking fans was a bit excessive. No, not even fans, annoying pervy little goblins who kept tailing her, unknowingly him, and delivering love letters alongside obviously tempered chocolates.

This whole situation sucked so badly and left Rudger with many unanswered questions. First of all, why the hell did Casey never reject those jerks? Why did she accept those gifts for them to keep repeating that motion? Her tongue was sharper than a knife when it came to Rudger, so he was a bit bothered by the thought that she’d be nice to others.

Not to mention…

“What does she mean she found Casey some suitors? Is she not a grown woman who’s more than capable of choosing a partner for herself?”

The idea that Casey could meet a suitor and get married pissed off Rudger to unbelievable extents. He crushed the letter in his hands, unknowingly burning it with fire magic.

“Why…Why am I acting like...”

A storm raged in his eyes as a question dawned upon him.

“I’m not bothered. I’m not .”

Rudger strolled around the tiny room while trying to look composed. Deep breaths; inhale; exhale.

“Am I bothered?”

He continued walking like a madman until his gaze caught his own reflection—Casey’s reflection—in the mirror. Face redder than he could ever imagine seeing the detective, hair messier than usual, her posture weirdly bent despite Rudger’s efforts to look calm and composed.

“ Fuck, I am bothered. Do I feel so pissed because she’s smaller and can’t carry my usual anger in her body? Yeah, that must be it!”

Rudger was pissed, and he couldn’t ever admit or accept that fact. This would be the sole time he’d ever say it out loud, period. Given that, he went to such lengths as to believe his anger was related to Casey’s body. Great work there, Rudger.

The next thing he knew, he walked out of the room in full determination to make sure he’d set an example and Casey would never be bothered again. He was truly doing this for her sake, and absolutely not his.

Betty was quick to find Rudger’s body to talk to Casey. She couldn’t do without Casey; it didn’t matter whether she was an automaton; she still felt the need to be by the girl at all times.

She was also a great friend, so she carried on her duties to inform her of everything, including the recent gossip.

“There are no more fan letters by my door, you say?”

“Yeah.”

“No gifts, either?”

“Exactly.”

“And no assassination attempts?”

“Not at all.”

“Huh.”

The brilliant detective that she is, it took Casey approximately a full minute to realise Rudger’s hand in this matter. But why? The answer to that question was the real deal.

"You have that expression on your face when you are irritated by something but do not know why."

“As always, you know me too well.”

“It’s the effects of the system. I can point out all the small differences in your expressions.”

Casey was about to turn around with a sigh when an idea popped into her mind like lightning.

“I think I know why this is happening. I’ll be a bit busy tonight, Betty.”

Thus, Casey’s short journey to catch Rudger red-handed began. That man was about to get one hell of a scolding from her.

Rudger sent yet another one of Casey’s fans/assassins into oblivion. He couldn’t differentiate or make an effort to separate them into different categories. Both needed to perish, period.

The night was serene. The sound of water flowing from the nearby stream made Casey feel safe and secure, especially when faced with Rudger.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

His attention turned to the source of the voice just when he was finished killing the criminals. It was weird that he didn’t hear her approaching, but she’d eventually find out, anyway.

“I'm doing you a huge favour, obviously.”

“And who asked you for one?”

“You don’t have to ask. You should be grateful. I’m ridding you of your problems.”

An irritated tsk left Casey’s lips as she stared at Rudger with cold eyes. This was exactly what she hated about him. Whether as James Moriarty or Rudger Chelsea, he saw Casey as a useless tool who couldn't handle herself in such situations.

“I should be grateful, you say?”

The unexpectedly cold voice from the woman surprised Rudger for a moment. He couldn’t grasp why Casey looked so enraged.

“Stop being stubborn. One day you’ll end up assassinated in your sleep.”

“Why do you care how I end up? What is it to you?”

Her sharp, demanding eyes met Rudger’s, and he didn’t know what to say for a moment. Casey was frustrated these past few days because she thought they’d get somewhere and become a damn couple, but the man seemed more uninterested in her than even his Moriarty days, and that broke something inside her.

Meanwhile, Rudger had so many ideas on what to say, but he couldn’t utter any of those words. No, he couldn’t take a step.

Because you’re important to me. Because I was foolish enough to think I’d be the only one who adores you, and the mere thought that you could be married to someone else drives me crazy. Because I care about you. Because you’re my soulmate, and I imagine a future with you even though I’m too much of a coward.

Rudger didn’t admit any of that. He was better off alone, and Casey would come to realise that one way or another.

“I don’t care how you end up. I’m the one being bothered, and we don’t even know when we’ll swap back. Don’t think I suddenly care about you just because of a stupid bond.”

Casey just stared into Rudger’s eyes. In her own blue eyes, she could perfectly see the man’s soul swimming. His words left her speechless, and she felt a burning flame rising inside her.

“You don’t care about me?”

Silence answered her question.

“What, you don’t even care enough to answer a simple question?”

Her vision blurred, and she despised every cell in her body that dared to foolishly believe they’d end up together. Huh, she thought. What a joke.

Her hands moved before she could think as she started striking Rudger with water while yelling at him with a burning passion.

“You, you fuckface! How dare you play with my heart?! At least don’t pretend to care and bake me a damn cake, you fucker! I hate you! I hate you with all my heart!”

Rudger was too shocked to dodge any of her attacks, and she was soaked in water in the end. Did he kind of fuck up? Since when was water magic this strong? He just wanted to get her away from him!

“Ouch! Hey, you’re beating up your own body! Again!”

“Bold of you to assume I care!”

“Insane woman! Let me go!”

Rudger was floating in the air on water. It wasn’t an ideal situation, to say the least. And Casey throwing insults and curses at him didn’t help either.

“You want me to let you go? Sure, I will!”

Casey, overstimulated with rage, threw Rudger into the stream with all her might. She might have pushed him a bit deeper than she should have, but who cares?

“I hope you choke down there! Die while thinking about me being happy with another man! See if I care!”

She stomped her way out while Rudger swam up, watching her leave from afar. At least he heard the last bit.

💌💌💌

Inside Rudger’s materialisation class, the students were whispering among themselves as usual. It was a sunny day, but they couldn’t be that happy about finishing all their classes since Rudger gave them some important homework that most of them failed to do perfectly.

The resources were limited, time was also limited, and everyone decided it’d be a good idea to join the street festival with the confidence that they could do the homework at the last minute. That turned out to be a stupid idea.

“I’m so worried I have a stomach ache,” whispered Aidan in despair.

“What’s the worst he’s going to do? Hang us?” 

Although Leo uttered those words lightheartedly, the four students stared at each other before gulping nervously. Somehow, that option didn’t seem too out of reach, and shockwaves made everyone shiver and tremble.

“He wouldn’t do that, would he?”

“No idea. You guys stay safe, though.”

Flora didn’t have any worries regarding the matter. As the star student, her homework proudly lay on the desk while she smirked inwardly.

As anxious whispers continued, the door opened and revealed the figure most students had dreaded seeing—only for today. There was never an instance where such a situation occurred, so Rudger’s behaviour couldn’t be predicted or measured.

However, to their surprise, a smiley Rudger stepped into the class, confusing the students like never before.

“Professor Rudger’s smiling before a lesson?”

“And a morning one, at that. Am I dreaming? Pinch me, Flora-ouch!”

Cheryl’s request had a bit of an extreme reaction from Flora. The two girls quietly watched as an unbelievably exhilarated Rudger greeted the class in a warm voice they could never imagine him using.

“Good morning, students! What’s with those sour faces?”

His sweet voice echoed in the classroom, making the students flustered at the mere sight of a happy Rudger. Their teacher barely smiled, let alone using such a high volume to communicate first thing in the morning. Was he possessed by some entities or something?

“Huh? What’s with Professor Rudger?”

“Is he being so good and lively because he’ll kill us all?”

“Maybe he’s showing us mercy in our final moments.”

A few students had tears in their eyes, wholly believing Rudger was being nice to them out of pity because they were about to get the biggest, fattest scolding of their lives. Meanwhile, Casey wondered whether she’d taken the whole ‘act cutesy and make Rudger embarrassed’ act a bit too far than intended. What was up with those reactions?

“...Why would I kill you guys? Am I that bad?”

Several voices that objected to his statement rose hurriedly. Offending the professor further wouldn’t contribute to their case at all. Casey decided to try her best to act like Rudger but also to have her own ways when necessary was her best option.

“Alright, let’s run it back. Why are you guys so terrified right now?”

Luckily, a girl named Rene was willing to explain it, and Casey smirked knowingly.

“Fufufu. Ahem! Worry not, dear students. I’m in a great mood today, so I don’t care about the homework. There’s no lecture today, either. Instead, we're going to talk!”

“Talk?”

“What does he mean, ‘talk’?”

“I’m telling you, he’s going to make us confess our sins and hang us.”

“Stop manifesting weird stuff!”

It seemed Casey would need to try harder to convince these brats. Well, so be it! She threw her bag on the desk and slowly, but steadily, walked to the front.

About two hours later, all the students were immersed in the gossip and told Casey about everything, thinking it was their professor. When Casey left the classroom, she was sure she had left a black mark on Rudger’s reputation, and she praised herself shamelessly. She would soon learn how wrong her thoughts were, though.

Ceorn’s dear students noticed an abnormality with their professor. Rather, they noticed that he took an interest in a certain someone.

“Gasp! Professor Rudger is in love with Detective Selmore! I should’ve known when I saw them a few days ago!” claimed Tessy.

“What?!”

“They were together?”

“Hold on, hold on. Explain,” said Iona with a reasonable tone.

“A few days ago, I was out shopping on Royal Street. Because, you know, they have the best stores now. By the way, the House of Verdi is amazing. We have to visit it sometime!”

“Tessy! Focus!”

Tessy shook at Leo’s warning and continued her words with the same fire and determination.

“Anyway! Detective Casey Selmore was coming out of a store. And then Professor Rudger came out right after her with so many bags in his hand! He kept following her everywhere, and the professor kept buying her new stuff and carrying her belongings! Kyaa! It was so romantic!”

Oh, kids. If only you knew. 

“Seriously?!”

“I never knew the professor could be so romantic.”

The students could only imagine Rudger’s situation in awe and wonder. The majority of students were certain that he was now the perfect man after discovering a different side to the man than what was initially apparent. The word got out, and Ceorn was shaken by the rumours in mere minutes through word of mouth and the infamous Akashic Records.

“Aren’t you eating with us today, Professor?”

Casey’s gaze found the owner of the voice to be the pink-haired woman she instantly recognised from that restaurant. Come to think of it, wasn’t Rudger on some kind of a date with the woman back then?

“Oh, right. I was a bit distracted.”

Although she tried to play it cool, her voice came across as a bit cold. She cringed at herself for acting that way, but she couldn’t help it. Her steps quietly followed the woman to the table, where two more professors resided.

“Mr. Rudger, it seems you once again struck the students’ hearts. Teach me how to do it sometime,” said the elder man. The woman with the purple hair backed him up with a violent nod.

“All the students are talking about how great you are! It seems you really connected with them.”

“I guess we could bond well.”

“But, you see, I’m curious about something.”

The elder man gave Casey a heinous smile, sending chills down her spine.

“Uh, what is it?”

“Since when have you been together with the famous detective Selmore?”

“Eh?”

Hearing her name implied in such a way left Casey in shock, while neither Merilda nor Selina uttered a word. Upon hearing the countless praises the professor uttered in Detective Selmore’s name, the students were convinced he did it out of pure love. It went exactly like this:

“Did you see how lovestruck the professor looked? He’s so in love!”

“Exactly! That’s why he must be in a great mood today!”

“Ahh, I’m so sad he’s taken, but at least the woman she’s with is as great as him.”

“Detective Selmore? How do you know that?”

“Don’t tell me you don’t know her. She’s a noblewoman of immense beauty and brilliance. A perfect match for our professor!”

Of course, Casey was too busy praising herself to notice how the students perceived her act. She didn’t even know how to refuse the man’s claims.

“Well, that’s…”

“Don’t be shy now; it’s alright! I’d love to meet that woman sometime, you know.”

“Hahaha, maybe they’re not together. Right, professor?”

Merilda looked Rudger right in the eyes as if demanding the answer she wanted to hear. Damn the universe for making Casey so smart in these situations, because it took her only a few seconds to make sense of that look. Merilda was Selina’s friend, and Selina had a crush on Rudger. Hmph. 

Casey should’ve denied the rumours. Reassured the three that Rudger was single, and that it was all a misunderstanding.

But the fire burning inside her chest prevented her from doing so. For some reason, all she wanted to do was scream that yes, they were indeed together; and yes, Rudger loved her with a burning passion.

She liked to believe she was a reasonable person. But now? She wanted to lie, if necessary.

“Actually, we were just trying to keep it private. So many prying eyes, you know.”

She gave a small smile and continued eating her meal while a whistle came from the elder man. Sorry, pink hair, she thought. But I’m not sorry.

Thus, the confirmed news that Rudger and Casey were dating spread all around. Casey felt bad after she left the other professors, but there was no turning now.

Meanwhile, in the U.N. Owen headquarters:

“What’s with the Leader’s sour mood?”

“Bet it’s related to the soulmate thing.”

“Bet he fucked up.”

“You guys know I can hear you, right?”

The gossiping Owens flinched at his words, but Arpa took the initiative to move closer to him.

“Then that saves us the trouble of planning how to approach you.”

“Approach me for what, exactly?”

The Owens exchanged silly glances, clearing their throats and preparing for war.

“Leader.”

“Yes.”

“When are you two going to confess and kiss?”

Rudger felt breathless and speechless for a few seconds. The audacity?

“Is this a romance novel?! We’re not going to confess and kiss.”

Bellaluna pouted at his words as she recalled Chris for some unknown reason. (definitely) Not because of potential confessions.

“You’re making this more complicated than it is, Owner,” she exclaimed soon enough.

“Exactly.”

“That’s what I’m saying!”

He could just stare as Sheridan and Violetta backed her up on her case. He wasn’t making it complicated; it was complicated.

“What do you guys even know about love to lecture me? Alex is a casanova, Sheridan and Bellaluna are some sort of insane scientists, Sedina is in love with her plants, Arpa is an automaton unable to love, Sheridan and Pantos are opposite ends of a stick, and Hans is too busy with his rats!”

“Woah.”

“Why is he firing shots at us?”

“I might be an insane scientist, but I still have a professor of Ceorn wanting me!”

“What’s a casanova?”

Several complaints rose from the Owens as their nonexistent love lives were exposed on a whim. Why was the leader so harsh today?! Meanwhile, Arpa once again moved forward while clicking his tongue. He learned that move from Sedina and hasn’t let go ever since.

“Leader, Dad, extreme aggression and violence are signs of pent-up frustration.”

“He just needs to find love.”

“He just needs to make love.”

“Shut up, Alex, you perv!”

Violetta threw a nearby object at Alex’s head, which the man skillfully dodged, and all attention turned back to Rudger again.

“Seriously, brother. I know you feel all angsty at the fact that you constantly need to change identities and your life is full of danger, but you can’t decide what’s good for your soulmate on your own.”

“Agreed! The universe has gifted you with a soulmate, and you can’t push that chance away.”

“Especially when it’s Detective Casey.”

Rudger closed his eyes with a sigh. Sure, their words made sense to some extent, but they missed an important fact.

“Casey hates me. We’d be trying to kill each other if not for the soulmate bond. Who are we even kidding?”

“Both of you had plenty of chances to kill each other until now. Why didn’t you do it?”

Silence covered the room as Rudger’s gaze lifted up to meet Sedina’s determined gaze.

“Well…”

“Don’t ‘well’ me, professor!”

“Way to go, Sedina!”

There were only a limited number of times when Rudger felt cornered and unable to answer, and this was surely one of them. He’d been asking that question to himself at night, just before he drifted to sleep. Still, no answers came to mind.

“So what? What do you suggest I do?”

Knowing smirks welcomed Rudger after that. Once the man accepts his love and dares to confess, the rest is easy.

“Listen here, listen! I’ll share with you my golden knowledge accumulated through years and years of flirting.”

Alex proudly clapped his hands, but because nobody trusted him with the task, Pantos pulled him back while all the women approached Rudger eagerly. He was in for one hell of a lecture.

“You look quite comfortable.”

“I am. No thanks to you.”

“But it is thanks to me. You’re in my house, my body, and my bed, after all.”

“Hmph.”

Casey frowned, unbothered by answering the man. She’d been living as Rudger inside Ceorn these past days, and the man as her. They had to keep fulfilling their duties simultaneously, so she couldn’t even find a reason to go out of her way to annoy the man.

“How’d you get inside?”

“It wasn’t that hard, as your confirmed fiance.”

“Hold on, hold on. I only confirmed the ‘in love’ part.”

“And why would you do that?”

“Just a whim. I wanted you to suffer, but damn you for impressing people even when you’re not in your own body.”

With parted lips, Rudger stared at her honest remarks. Casey started out bold but averted her gaze quickly at the impact of Rudger’s demanding eyes. Great, he’s going to get all mad that I used his name.

“Look, sorry, I did that and fucked up your reputation with the ladies. I’ll just say I was joking. Stop looking at me like you’ll murder me for it.”

That was Rudger’s ‘in love’ look, but oh, well.

“...I don’t mind it.”

“What? You don’t?”

“I don’t.”

Casey was perplexed by Rudger’s sudden change of attitude. Whenever she thought the man would do something, he’d do the opposite. Reading him completely was almost impossible, and her mind lost focus trying to comprehend him.

“What are you up to now, Moriarty?”

“I’m not up to anything.”

“That’s weird. That’s suspicious.”

His words couldn’t convince Casey for some reason, and she just stared into his soul without blinking and uttering another word.

“Can you stop that? I’m uncomfortable.”

“Good.”

“Seriously, I just wanted to talk.”

“About what?”

“Us.”

Casey’s expression was distorted in a way that screamed, ‘Now, you want to talk about us? Now?’.

“I thought there was no ‘us’.”

Okay, Rudger deserved that. Still, he wouldn’t back down.

“I shouldn’t have said that. I apologise.”

“Such a dry apology won’t suffice.”

“I’ll get down on my knees and beg if you’d like.”

“Eh?!”

A shocked gasp left her lips as she checked Rudger’s expression to see if he was serious. However, the hints of sarcasm that she’d been searching for were nowhere to be found.

“Then, get down and beg.”

With a small smile, Rudger did as he was told. He didn’t expect Casey to miss that moment, and she didn’t. Though before he could properly do so, she stopped him with the idea that came into her mind.

“No, wait. Stop, stop! What good will it do to see my own damn body beg? Do it once you’re back inside your own.”

She heard a soft laugh rise from him, undoubtedly her voice, but his warmth was intact. It stirred something in her, yet she continued pouting nonetheless.

“I haven’t forgotten what you said to me that night, by the way.”

“I know. I’m sorry. I was being a coward. Look, there’s a reason why I changed my identity, and I didn’t want to drag you along with me.”

“That’s not up to you to decide. Just like how it’s not up to you to turn down my sister’s offer to possible suitors.”

Rudger’s head snapped in that direction, immediately realising the little secret he’d been trying to keep was already out.

“How did you..?”

“How did I find out? My sister instantly figured it wasn’t me, you crackhead.”

“Oh. Well, I did it for you!”

“How can you be so shameless? Have some shame, shame!”

Those words once again confused Casey like crazy. 

Sometimes, she could sense a tiny glint in his eyes while looking at her. She’d think that glint meant something, but would almost always be proven wrong when the usual stoic expression covered his face as always.

But at that moment, it seemed a bit different. Did he like her? Did he appreciate her? Did he also imagine a future together? 

“Whatever! You stepped out of your bounds when I don’t mean anything to you.”

“I didn’t mean that!”

“But you thought about it!”

“No, I…”

Rudger was silent at that, unable to refuse or reveal his emotions. Why was this harder than anything he’d ever done? The romance movies were so easy, damn it!

Meanwhile, Casey turned around to leave the house upon hearing the silence. She didn’t forget to complain, though.

“Ugh! I’m sick of that man. Why does my heart even beat for him?! Gods, give me back my own body!”

“Why do you always stomp your way out when the conversation isn’t even finished?!”

Casey looked at her wrist, where Rudger’s fingers lay. More like Casey’s, of course, and she momentarily smirked at the idea that the man’s face was behind her own face.

“Because it’s finished when I say it’s finished!”

“You’re being so toxic right now. You’d be cancelled instantly on Twitter, you know?”

Head tilted, Casey stared at Rudger as if he were asking what the hell he was talking about.

“Stop spewing nonsense! You piss me off so badly, ugh. You’re lucky I’ve learned how to be more patient.”

“I’d say that’s only because you’re in my body and your anger technically has more space to divide into.”

“Are you calling me short?”

“Are you not?” asked Rudger with a grin that might have been his last.

This time, Casey’s smack found Rudger’s arm with perfect consistency. As always, she threw several insults at him while skinning him alive.

“You psychopath! Are you crazy?! All those gorgeous features and a damned toned body, but you don't know how to treat a woman with respect! I’m never seeing the gates of heaven because of you!”

“Ouch! Did you know that short people are closer to hell? So, you never could-”

“Shut the hell up!”

She could finally get out of the house, while Rudger grunted in pain because of the last hit he took. He was inside Casey’s body, so her skin felt a lot more sensitive than his. Casey also wanted this shitshow to end and to revert to her own body.

Enraged, she stomped with all her might under the bright sky as Rudger ran after her. Meanwhile, there was only one thought in Rudger’s mind: kiss and make love.

He ran after her and, with his eyes closed, pulled her in for a kiss.

It’s so bizarre, kissing yourself from another body.

He quickly shook off that thought. He was put in a hard situation, so what else could he do?

He felt Casey’s hesitant lips move against her, and they started kissing passionately without a care in the world until both their eyes opened wide with a weird warmth rising in their chests. In a split second, they felt breathless and as if their heads were spinning. They held onto each other, not parting lips until the burning faded.

“Woah. Did we really just… switch back?”

“So it was this easy, huh?”

They stared into each other’s eyes, hearts bumping and exhilarated to finally be back with apparent confessions. Rudger pulled her in once again, giving her a longer and more passionate kiss.

Meanwhile, the students watching from afar:

“Flora…Flora…They-They-”

Flora was speechless. Just like the Idiot Quartet, Rene, and Erendir. They all came across each other on their way to visit the professor, who had been acting a little strange these past few days. They couldn’t put a finger on it but wanted to check up on him simultaneously, it seemed. Though they were busy talking smack to each other, they couldn’t grasp the fact that Professor Rudger left his house in a hurry while the detective chased after him, and they kissed.

“Holy shit, they kissed,” exclaimed Aidan.

“They…They did. They’re actually in love,” whispered Rene.

Cheryl snapped a quick, magical picture, and they all sneaked out before the professor could see and scold them. He did sense them; he just couldn’t be bothered with it.

Just a few minutes later, Akashic Records went crazy. Those passionate kisses were for the history books, though Elisa scolded him a bit for doing that on campus.

Both Casey and Rudger were quite happy. It seemed kissing indeed solved their problems, although they were teased by the Owens for quite a bit. Rudger constantly caught the students gazing at him like he was an alien, but that was alright.

Casey started calling him Heathcliff when they were alone, and Rudger would be lying if he denied that it hit some spots. He’d also be lying if he said he felt bad about turning a detective into his partner in crime, but who was he kidding? They were soulmates, after all.

The end