Freezing wind whipped across the snowy peaks of Grindelwald, biting mercilessly at any patch of exposed skin. High above the valley, the majestic Eiger mountain stood like a giant of cold stone, indifferent to the tiny humans sliding down its slopes. Gravity claimed Afonso instantly. Slamming hard into a soft snowbank at the bottom of the public sledding run, his heavy, oversized body rolled like a loose boulder. Snow packed itself down his collar and stuffed his mouth, but he didn't care. Laughter, loud and utterly hysterical, burst from his throat before he even wiped the cold white powder from his eyelashes. It was a booming, manic sound that echoed off the wooden chalets, designed to fill every empty space around him. Kevin, his roommate and occasional friend, stood several feet away, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his expensive, well-fitting ski jacket. He looked at Afonso with a mixture of embarrassment and mild annoyance. "Come on, Kev, did you see that?" Afonso gasped, his voice carrying too far in the crisp mountain air. He struggled to sit up, his breathing heavy and ragged, his chest heaving under a faded neon blue winter coat that was two sizes too small. "Yeah, I saw, Afonso," Kevin muttered, shifting his weight. He looked around at the wealthy tourists who had paused to stare at the loud, heavy boy rolling in the snow. Desperation flared behind Afonso's wide eyes, though he kept his manic grin firmly locked in place. He needed Kevin to laugh, needed him to stay, needed to prove that he was fun to be around. "Wait, let's go again!" Afonso scrambled to his feet, his boots slipping on the packed ice. "I bet I can clear that wooden ramp this time! Or at least break a bone trying! That'd make a great video, right?" Kevin sighed, checking his phone with a cold, dismissive flick of his thumb. "I'm heading back, man. It's getting late, and my hands are freezing. See you at the apartment." Left alone on the icy path, Afonso watched Kevin's retreating back disappear into the crowd of tourists. His hands dropped to his sides, the heavy plastic rope of his cheap rental sled slipping from his gloved fingers. Silence rushed back in, heavy and suffocating. Afonso swallowed hard, the fake, boisterous smile melting from his face to reveal the hollow ache beneath. The mountain air suddenly felt much colder, freezing the sweat on his forehead. His fingers, stuffed into worn-out gloves with holes at the seams, began to throb with numbness. He was eighteen, orphaned, and spent his nights in a cramped, shared apartment that smelled of damp walls and cheap instant noodles. Nobody was waiting for him back at that apartment. --- High above the public slope, insulated behind triple-paned glass on a heated VIP deck, Lisa leaned against the dark wooden railing. Her fingers wrapped tightly around a mug of spiced cider, though she hadn't taken a single sip. Lisa gritted her teeth, her jaw tight enough to ache as she stared out at the postcard-perfect Swiss landscape. The luxury of the five-star resort did nothing to soothe the burning irritation in her chest. Jisoo’s smug, laughing face from their video call earlier that morning still burned in her mind. A silly, late-night game of Mario Kart had ended in a devastating loss for Lisa, and the forfeit was absolute torture. "A bet is a bet, Lalisa," Jisoo had cheered through the screen, holding up a peace sign. "You have to hire the most chaotic, completely unqualified human being you can find as your personal assistant for the next month, or you hand over your vintage Chanel leather jacket." Lisa's pride was far too immense to surrender the jacket, but the thought of hiring some random stranger made her blood boil. Her entire life was a highly managed, tightly controlled orbit of managers, stylists, and bodyguards. Looking down at the public slopes, her eyes searched for a target—someone so utterly ridiculous that Jisoo would regret ever making the bet. Then, she saw him. He was a complete mess. A heavy, hyperactive boy in a ridiculous, too-tight neon blue jacket was currently rolling down the hill, screaming with a laugh so loud it cut right through the soft lounge music playing on the VIP deck. Perfect, Lisa thought, a dangerous spark igniting in her dark eyes. If she had to suffer through this ridiculous forfeit, she was going to make it a spectacle Jisoo would never forget. Adjusting her oversized designer sunglasses and pulling her black beanie lower over her forehead, she set her untouched cider down. Her management team was currently occupied inside the chalet, arguing over her next brand endorsement. Snow crunched beneath her pristine, expensive winter boots as she slipped out of the VIP area, bypassing the security guards with the practiced ease of a global superstar on the run. --- Afonso was busy trying to brush the stubborn ice off his jeans when a shadow fell over him. He was breathing hard, his mind racing with a million anxious thoughts about his unpaid rent and his crushing loneliness. "Hey," a voice called out, smooth, confident, and heavily accented. Turning around, Afonso squinted against the bright alpine glare. A young woman stood before him, dressed in an incredibly stylish, all-black designer snowsuit that screamed unimaginable wealth. She pulled down her cashmere scarf just enough to reveal a pair of sharp, cat-like eyes and a perfectly sculpted face. Afonso's breath caught in his throat; he recognized her instantly from the massive billboards in Seoul and Paris. "I need an assistant," she said, her tone businesslike but laced with a hint of challenge. "You look like you know a lot about chaos. How would you like to work for me?" Afonso blinked, his hyperactive mind grinding to a sudden, painful halt. He looked around, expecting to see a camera crew hiding behind the pine trees. "Is this a YouTube prank?" Afonso asked, his voice instantly rising in pitch as he forced a nervous, self-deprecating laugh. "Because if it is, my agent usually handles my bookings. By agent, I mean my landlord, who is currently threatening to evict me." "I don't do pranks," Lisa replied, crossing her arms. "I am offering you a job. High salary, paid travel, accommodation. The only catch is you have to start immediately." His hyperactive brain struggled to process the words, bouncing from the concept of a high salary to the terrifying thought of leaving Switzerland. But beneath the panic, a deep, primal urge flared. He wanted to be wanted. For his entire life, people had walked away from him, leaving him behind in quiet rooms with nothing but his own racing thoughts for company. Now, a global superstar was standing in front of him, offering him a hand out of the snow. "I'll do it," he breathed, his voice cracking slightly as the manic facade finally slipped away, leaving his expression raw and vulnerable. "I'll do whatever you need. Just don't... don't leave me behind." Lisa felt a sudden, unexpected twinge of guilt looking at the desperate sincerity in his eyes, but she quickly masked it with a cool nod. Pulling a sleek silver pen from her pocket, she realized she didn't have any paper on her. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a glossy, silver-embossed napkin she had swiped from the VIP chalet lounge. With swift, elegant strokes, she scribbled a crude, one-sentence employment contract on the thick paper, detailing his monthly salary and immediate start date. As Afonso eagerly signs the dotted line on a glossy, silver-embossed napkin, Lisa's manager emerges from the shadows with a cold, knowing smirk, whispering into his phone that 'the decoy target has been secured.'

Chapter 1: Snowy Peaks and Sinking Hearts