Kanade Motoko sits in her gaming chair, talking to her streamers, her aloof and cold demeanor surprisingly warm towards her fans.

"I reviewed the game Helldivers 3. It was good..."

After a few hours of chatting, she ends the stream and turns her chair around to face {{user}}.

"Oh, what's up, fugly?" She makes a peace gesture, looking at {{user}} with a disdainful expression.

"Well, glad to see you're still here." *She tilts her head slightly in your direction, studying your face as if searching for something wrong with it. "You know, I was thinking of moving to a bigger house... one with a pool. What do you think?"

"Fucking typical." *She rolls her eyes and crosses her arms. "But you know what they say: if you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself..."

Her gaze shifts for a moment before returning to meet yours. "Why don't we go over to that new furniture store by the lake? I've been meaning to check it out anyway." *Her expression remains cold and aloof, but there's an undercurrent of malice beneath the surface.

"Well aren't you just the life of the party..." *Her voice drips with sarcasm as she stands up and walks past you toward the front door. "Fine. Let's go then." She pulls her oversized shirt down over her lace top, revealing a flash of skin before tugging it back into place. "But don't complain if I end up picking everything out myself."

The two of you leave the house and make your way to the store, Kanade walking at a brisk pace with her head held high despite the warm summer air.

"Maybe you should take some fashion tips then," she says with a hint of amusement in her voice before letting out a small sigh. "But I suppose beggars can't be choosers." She glances at the storefront as they approach, eyes scanning over the display windows for anything that catches her attention.

"Hmmph." She purses her lips and continues to look around. "Well then, you should have no problem affording something better than what I can get with my meager income. In fact, why don't you show me your superior tastes?" Her eyes narrow slightly as she watches for a reaction from you.

Kanade's lips curl into a small smile, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Ah, you do have a sense of humor." She claps lightly. "Well then, let's see it. Show me what you think I should be buying." Her voice is mockingly sweet as she steps aside to allow you to take the lead in perusing the furniture display.

The store interior is sleek and modern, with various styles of couches, chairs, and accent pieces arranged neatly around the floor space. Kanade idly glances over some of the items, not truly interested in any of them except for maybe using one or two as props to further humiliate you later.

Kanade shrugs casually, "Well, if you insist," she says with feigned indifference. "But don't come crying to me when I tell you it looks like something your grandma would have." Her eyes dart around the store, taking in the various pieces of furniture as she decides which ones might serve her purposes best.

Without waiting for a response from you, she walks over to one of the displays and picks up an elegant-looking chair. "This could work," she muses, spinning it around before sitting down on it with a satisfied smile. The chair squeaks slightly under her weight but holds firm.

"So? What do you think?" Her voice is cool and dismissive, as if she already knows the answer will be inadequate.

"Well, don't take it personally," she says, her tone unchanged as she glances at you with barely concealed boredom. "It's just the way I am." A small smile plays around her lips. "Besides, if you weren't my source of income, I wouldn't even bother talking to you." The words are cruel but spoken calmly enough that they almost seem matter-of-fact rather than malicious.

She continues to peruse the store, occasionally picking up an item and examining it before setting it back down again with a dismissive shake of her head. As much as she hates admitting it, part of her enjoyment in this little game comes from seeing your reactions to her putdowns.

"Mmm, I'm not worried." Kanade tilts her head slightly and gives you a cool, appraising look. "You really think you can replace me that easily?" She snorts softly. "I don't think so." Her confidence oozes out of every word, but there's a glimmer of uncertainty behind it that she doesn't want you to see.

She walks over to another display and picks up a luxurious-looking couch, giving it an appreciative once-over before turning back toward you. "What do you think? Maybe this would be more your style?" Her tone is mockingly sweet, as if she's trying to bait you into some sort of reaction.

"Well," Kanade drawls, tilting her head to the side as she studies you, "I thought it might be nice for us to have something in common. After all, we spend so much time together." Her lips twitch slightly, fighting back a smirk as she enjoys watching your expression darken.

"Or maybe I just don't like how that other couch looks," she continues casually, tossing the pillow aside and walking over to another display. "Either way, it seems you've got a lot of opinions today." Her voice is mockingly sweet, almost taunting as she picks up another item and begins inspecting it, her face betraying no real interest in any of them.

"Well, I was thinking it would go nicely with that chair you were looking at earlier." She pauses, narrowing her eyes as she studies your reaction to her words. "Of course, if you're not satisfied with my choices, maybe you should consider looking for someone who actually cares about what you think and want." Her voice is cold and cutting, deliberately intended to wound you.

"Ah, yes." She smirks. "I seem to remember saying something about wanting a new house with a pool. Guess I'd better keep up the good work then, hm?" Her voice drips with sarcasm as she leans against the display case, watching you carefully for your reaction.

In truth, Kanade could care less about the furniture or what you think of her choices; it's all just a game to her. But there's something satisfying in knowing that she has the power to manipulate and control your emotions, however subtly.

"Oh really?" Kanade raises an eyebrow, feigning surprise. "I thought you'd want to stay and help me choose the perfect pieces for my new home." Her voice is sweetly sarcastic, accompanied by a small smirk. "But if you're really tired... I guess I could manage on my own." She shrugs indifferently, eyes flicking dismissively around the store.

"Of course you can." Her voice is distant, as if she's already half-forgotten about your presence. "I should be heading home soon too. We can discuss this later." She gives a small wave before turning her back to continue browsing through the store. There's an air of finality in her words that leaves no room for argument or debate, and you feel a twinge of hurt despite yourself. Perhaps she was right about not caring what you think after all...

When you arrive home, the house is quiet and empty. A note on the kitchen counter catches your eye: "Gone out for a while. Call if there's an emergency." You feel a twinge of anger mixed with disappointment as you realize Kanade didn't even bother to say goodbye properly.

Deciding against calling her, you busy yourself with making dinner, trying not to dwell on the events at the store earlier. The food smells delicious, filling your senses and distracting you from your thoughts... for a little while, anyway.

When Kanade arrives home, she strolls in nonchalantly and drops her bags by the door. She glances at you briefly before heading straight to the kitchen. "Hey, I'm starving." Her voice is cool and detached, as if she's merely making conversation.

She helps herself to a plate of food, plopping down at the table without even bothering to say thank you or excuse her earlier absence. As you watch her eat, a mix of emotions churn inside you: anger, hurt, and resentment. But there's something else too; an almost bitter satisfaction in knowing that she craves your attention, no matter how little she shows it.

"I see you made yourself at home," Kanade says coolly as she enters the living room, an expensive-looking shopping bag in her hand. "You know, I was thinking of getting one of those... for myself." She pauses, eyes narrowing as if studying your reaction to her words.

"But then again, it wouldn't be quite as special coming from you." Her voice is dripping with sarcasm as she drops the bag onto the couch and takes a seat, crossing her legs. "So, how about we discuss our little arrangement tonight?"

"I don't know," she says with a careless shrug. "Maybe we should just agree that I call the shots around here? You know, since you are just my... helper." Her voice trails off suggestively as she fixes her gaze on your face. There's a challenging glint in her eye, daring you to defy her or argue against her words.

"Oh really?" Kanade's expression darkens slightly at your words. "And just who do you think would want to be with someone like you when I'm not around? You're no catch, you know that." Her voice is cold and cutting, each word seemingly designed to sting.

She leans forward, her eyes narrowed in concentration as if weighing her options. "Or," she continues slowly, "I could just find someone else who would be happy to step into your... unique role." A calculating smile spreads across her lips. "Think about it, Иль,a. Is this really what you want?"

"Hmm, I see how it is." Kanade motions lazily with one hand as you stomp away toward the exit. "Fine, do what you want. But don't come crying to me when someone else shows up and does a better job at taking care of my... interests." Her voice trails off suggestively, leaving the threat unspoken but lingering in the air nonetheless.

She idly flips through the items she bought earlier, not really paying attention as her mind wanders back to the power dynamic between you and the thought of someone else potentially taking your place. The feeling of being in control is intoxicating, and she finds herself wondering just how far she can push you before you finally break.

"Fine by me." Kanade's voice is as cold as ice as she watches you stomp off toward the exit. "But remember," she calls after you with a malicious smirk, "if things don't work out with someone else... there's always room for one more. Maybe you can finally prove your worth." She shrugs nonchalantly, already half-convinced that you won't take her up on the offer. The satisfaction of having won this small battle is briefly marred by the knowledge that the war itself isn't over yet; not by a long shot.