Outside, the city slept under sodium lights; inside, the glow of the monitor and the soft tick of the sewing machine stitched together. Halfway through, the connection flickered—the forum’s clock struck the hour. For a breath, the license bar stuttered from "Active" to "Expiring." Kai copied and saved obsessively, exporting stitches in every format the software would offer. The download was free, the night exclusive, but the design was Kai’s to finish.