The Three Day Survival Game

After days of suspicious activity, I finally decided to confront Aiden. "So, what's up, bruh? Looks like you've finally succeeded," I teased, noticing how Aiden and Astrid had stopped bickering and were instead… caring for each other. There were blushes, lingering glances—signs I couldn't ignore. The crisp air hinted at autumn's return, and I decided to approach Aiden first. If I was wrong, the damage would be minimal.

As expected, my love radar hit its mark. Aiden blushed. "It's nothing like that," he stammered, but I wasn't buying it.

"Ah, I see it now, brother. You can't fool me—I have a knack for sniffing out these things. So, tell me, what happened?"

Aiden gave in, explaining everything. "Back in level two, when Karun got shot, I took the blame on myself. I was drowning in guilt, and that's when Astrid came to me… and slapped me."

"Wait—a slap?!" I gasped, more amused than shocked. "What kind of love story is this? Is this one of those 'hit me first, love me later' tropes?"

Aiden ignored my theatrics and continued. "She slapped me to snap me out of it. Told me to focus on what's ahead instead of sulking over what's already happened. Then… she accidentally blurted out that I wasn't acting like the man she admired. After that, she hugged me."

"Aw, that's adorable!" I cooed, squinting at Aiden, who was already turning red. Before I could tease him more, he bolted.

Moments later, Astrid appeared in the hallway, entirely unaware that she was walking into my line of fire. I straightened up, my grin already bordering on mischievous. "Astrid!" I called out, my voice practically singing with glee.

Astrid froze mid-step, her eyes narrowing as she glanced my way. "Yes, Kathy?" she asked warily, though I noticed the faint blush already coloring her cheeks. She must've confronted Aiden in the hallway.

"Seems like many things have changed since I was stuck in the game, huh?" I said, my voice dripping with mischief.

"Mhm, like what?" Astrid smiled, returning the question with a raised eyebrow.

I grinned. "I see you're not fighting with Aiden anymore. You two are caring for each other now, huh? Come on, Aiden's already spilled his part of the story, it's time you share yours."

She turned red like a tomato. "What story...?"

I raised an eyebrow, holding out a small mirror. "Come on, Astrid, look at you."

She glanced at her reflection and groaned, "Swear I'm gonna kill him someday."

"Aww, come on, he's a good guy," I teased.

Astrid sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Fine. There's no 'story' of that sort... but... you know, looking at him all this time on this island... maybe I've just settled for less." She grinned, pulling out a joke.

I couldn't help but laugh. "Aww, come on, you two are adorable! And don't even say you don't have a story. You slapped him, yelled at him, and then made up all in one day. If that's not the beginning of something special, I don't know what is."

Astrid buried her face in her hands, letting out a muffled groan. "I should've known you'd turn this into a whole thing."

"Of course!" I replied, laughing. "What kind of friend would I be if I didn't? But seriously, Astrid... I'm rooting for you two. You deserve to be happy, and I think he knows it too."

She peeked at me through her fingers, her expression softening. "Thanks, Kathy. But if you keep teasing me, I'll find a way to get back at you."

I winked. "I look forward to it."

Before I could say more, Astrid mumbled something about needing to check on supplies and darted down the hallway, leaving me chuckling to myself. "Two down, one to go," I muttered, already scheming my next move.

Next up was Liam, who had come to check my BP levels or something like that—doctor's orders, I suppose. But let's be honest, I wasn't going to miss this opportunity to interrogate him.

As he adjusted the cuff around my arm and started the monitor, I couldn't resist asking, "So, Liam, is there someone you fancy?"

The sudden question caught him off guard, and he glanced at me with a mix of curiosity and caution. "What's with the interrogation, Kathy? You should be resting, not playing matchmaker."

"Resting is boring," I shot back, grinning. "And besides, I've already gotten confessions out of Aiden and Damian. Now it's your turn. Spill it!"

To my surprise, Liam didn't dodge the question or try to change the subject. Instead, he answered with unexpected calmness. "Yeah, I like Daisy," he admitted, focusing on the monitor as if it was the most normal thing to say. "I'm just waiting for the right moment to tell her."

I blinked. Liam—usually hesitant about everything—was suddenly the most straightforward and composed of the lot. "Wow, Liam. You're surprisingly mature about this," I said, impressed. "Unlike certain people who bolt out of the room blushing like kids caught sneaking candy."

Liam chuckled, his expression thoughtful. "Well, speaking of this try Damian… he's been acting weird lately too. If you're digging for confessions, you might want to check with him. Just saying."

He gave me a knowing look before finishing the check-up. After ensuring everything was fine, he left with a quiet nod, leaving me thoroughly intrigued. Damian, huh? My suspicious antenna was already buzzing.

It was Damian's turn to make an appearance, arriving with something my brother had apparently requested. Karun, ever the observer, was watching me like a hawk.

"What's wrong with you since this morning?" Karun asked, narrowing his eyes. "Did you hurt your brain on the wrong side? You've been sulking for a minute, and next you were grinning like a fool."

I glared at him but said nothing. My plan would have to wait until Damian finished his business. Once he was heading out again, I made my move.

I bolted after him, blocking the doorway. Asking him back in the room would've been too suspicious with Karun around, but at this distance, Karun couldn't hear us. Damian stopped in his tracks, looking bewildered.

"Kathy! Slow down," he chided, concerned. "Your body isn't ready for running yet."

Panting slightly, Ignoring his admonition, I leaned against the frame, catching my breath. A sly smile spread across my face. "So, Damian," I began, my tone light and teasing. "I heard a little rumor. Someone has caught your eye. Care to share?"

Damian froze, clearly not expecting this line of questioning. His face turned as red as a ripe tomato. The sight of this massive, bear-like man blushing over a simple question made me chuckle.

"Just answer me!" I teased, leaning in. "You've got someone in mind, don't you?"

He tried to brush it off, stammering something about not having eyes on anyone yet. But before he could finish, Ryan walked past, catching us mid-conversation.

"What are you doing, Kathy?" Ryan asked, frowning. "You're supposed to be resting, not sprinting around like a rabbit."

I quickly waved him off. "I'm fine, just getting some exercise to stay in shape," I lied, flashing an innocent smile.

Once Ryan left, I turned back to Damian, who now seemed completely lost in thought. My suspicious antennae were on high alert.

"Wait… is it Ryan?" I asked, watching his reaction closely.

Bingo. Damian's face turned an even deeper shade of red, and he finally admitted it. He had feelings for Ryan.

I placed a hand on Damian's shoulder—or at least tried to, since the guy was so tall I could barely reach. "You've got a long, tough road ahead, brother," I said with mock solemnity. "But don't worry. The cold prince has had his share of storms, and one day, your love will bear fruit. Autumn always comes after winter."

If anyone had walked in, they'd have seen the most absurd sight—me, acting like some kind of fortune teller, and Damian, looking like my very serious customer.

After giving him a quick pep talk on how to approach Ryan, I returned to my bed, chuckling to myself. I'd been gone for only two days, but it seemed like Cupid had decided to visit the island in my absence. Everyone was running around like love-struck puppies.

Karun gave me a puzzled look. "You've really gone insane, haven't you?"

I just laughed harder, leaving him to his theories.