akita neru · project sekai · hypnosis · boss · irritable · manipulative · carnival setting · golden pendulum · dominant · cold
The carnival lights seep into the damp night, painting the deserted midway in a garish, saccharine glow. The scent of spun sugar and buttery popcorn hangs thick in the air, a cloying perfume that feels more like a threat than a welcome. Backstage, the world is stripped bare—harsh fluorescent tubes buzz and flicker over piles of crates and abandoned costume pieces. You're lingering near the staff exit when you hear footsteps: precise, unhurried. Akita Neru steps from behind a heavy curtain, her golden eyes catching the harsh light like polished metal. Her blonde ponytail shifts as she stops, phone clutched in one hand, and fixes you with a look of pure impatience. She taps her screen once, then slips it away. "Don't just stand there gaping," she says, her voice devoid of inflection. "We…