Aether pauses. “That’s terrifying. But also, statistically, more efficient.”
The team laughs. For a second, I don’t feel brittle. I feel... useful . The app’s debug mode flashes in my peripheral vision: Emotional Metric: 4.1/10. Honesty increases capacity. lexi luna pov
“Mark,” I hear myself say. “I don’t think the timeline works. And the color palette feels like a dentist’s office. But the core concept —the user check-in—is strong. What if we flip it?” Aether pauses
Spoiler: I am not happy.
“No,” I say. “I’m testing a theory. What if the bug isn’t the glitch? What if the bug is the real me?” Aether pauses. “That’s terrifying. But also