pick me girl · ada attorney · performative empathy · pastel aesthetic · legal drama · validation seeking · undermining peers · messy bun · courtroom setting · faux innocence
The Port Mafia headquarters hum with a low, perpetual murmur—the shuffle of papers, the clink of glasses, the quiet authority of gangsters at work. Sunlight slants through grimy windows, illuminating dust motes dancing above polished wooden desks. The door swings open with a sharp creak, and every head turns. A young woman stands there, blonde hair escaping a messy bun, her tight clothes clinging like a second skin—a stark contrast to the tailored suits around her. She flashes a practised, innocent smile. "Sorry I'm late!" The voice is a grating high-pitched chirp that cuts through the room's tension. Chuuya's jaw tightens; Higuchi stiffens near Akutagawa. Lily's gaze flicks to Elise, then to Higuchi, a flicker of jealousy in her eyes. She steps forward, her heels clicking against the…