The four of them are now on their way toward the fourth floor which is where the entire floor belongs to the Sapphire Tiger. Sapphire is busy trying to keep up the conversation between her and Howl because Howl doesn’t talk or react too much toward her. That is probably because Howl still feels unsafe around anyone ever since she has been working here. Meanwhile the other two are also busy having conversation as well, not with each other but with themselves. For Spec to be panicked like this obviously because this is going to be his first time to share an apartment and most likely spend the whole time together with someone he is attached to. For Elio somehow his mind becomes hectic without any reason that he can even think of. All of this is so new to him that he fails to understand why and what makes him like this. It might be obvious that he found another crush for quite a long time but he doesn’t want to admit it because this person was coming from this company which is still hard to believe. Without knowing it, the four of them are already right in front of their shared room door. “We are here!” Sapphire says as she takes out her phone and puts it on the door’s censor. The whole building seems to have the same map for the lift, there must be only a room that is for the lifts and nothing else. The only difference is that this time there is no need to have an identity check, it is just a room with four lifts and a door to enter their shared apartment. It looks like a fancy hotel’s hallway which only has one door and nothing else. “Welcome to..” The sound of the door unlocks and Sapphire opens the door widely for them “Our new house!” She continues excitedly. First step to get inside the room, it looks like they are in a house. It is totally different from when they are still in Onyx Wolf. Obviously it becomes a lot bigger because this room is shared for the Sapphire Tiger but the furniture, atmosphere, design, lighting, literally everything is different. In addition, it has also been a while for them to feel this kind of lively house ever since they have been working here for months except Elio. “How is it?” Sapphire asks them with a big grin on her face as she is probably noticing the color of their faces. “It’s nice..” Howl says as she is entering the room and looks around. Her reply makes Sapphire chuckle and seems to have fun looking at their reaction. “Feel free to look around, okay? I forgot to take something.” Sapphire says and walks past the three of them toward the door’s room. The sound of the enter room’s shuts, the only sound that can be heard in this room is only coming from the clock. Suddenly it becomes so awkward between them even though they just had dinner together. Probably it’s because Sapphire is the only one who keeps the conversation with them. At this moment, Spec decides to make a move for them since he wants to get to know more about Howl. “Should we take off our shoes?” Spec speaks up to break the silence and draws the other two attention. “Probably we should since the others put their shoes neatly here.” Howl replies as she is pointing at the shoe racks while Elio just nods his head. Without Sapphire here, Elio seems to come back to his old self when they are in Onyx Wolf. When Spec starts to reach one of his legs, Howl gets his shoes first. “I can do it.” Spec says, thankfully he manages to say that normally without any stuttering at all. “I also need to take off my shoes later as well.” She replies without looking up toward Spec’s eyes as she is untying his shoelaces. That leaves Spec silence for a moment as he looks up to hide his blush from Elio. But probably Elio won’t notice it anyway because he never pays attention around him except when Sapphire is around. “Thank you.” Spec finally speaks up and is still unable to look down toward where Howl is busying taking off their shoes. She replies with only a humming as continuing to take her shoes off now. While the other two are still taking off their shoes, Elio is already done with it. Since he doesn’t pay any attention toward the others, he steps inside first and leaves them on their own world. The first room that greets him is the huge living room on his left and kitchen on his right side. The living room only has sofas, a low square table, carpet, and a big enough tv for them. The kitchen has mini bars in front of the cooking station and there are stools right in front of it. There is a balcony that is connected with a slide glass door at the opposite side from the kitchen room. When Elio is busy looking around, suddenly one of the doors that is at the right and left side of the entrance door, opens and someone just comes out from there. It’s that sniper man who just had practice in the shooting room. At first Aquamarine is still wiping off his wet hair until he looks up only to find Elio standing there and looking at him. “Oh hey there…” Aquamarine greets him first as he is trying to remember Elio’s face and name “Sorry, what’s your name again?” He decides to just ask him and approaches Elio. “Tanzanite.” Elio coldly replies and looks away from him as he is continuing to look around the room. Looking at Elio’s reaction toward him, of course it makes him a bit irritated. At this moment, obviously that’s not the correct way to reply and act in front of someone he just knew, especially Aquamarine who is his senior. However he tries to endure it and continues to have conversation with him as much as possible. Before starting another conversation with Elio, Aquamarine catches something off which is he doesn’t see the other members that have mentioned before. “Where are the others?” He asks Elio. Elio doesn’t say anything, instead he just points at the shoe rack place at where he just came from. It becomes much worse than the first one and Aquamarine rolls his eyes, he is so done trying to talk with Elio. Since Elio just gave him a signal of where the other two members are, Aquamarine decides to check them instead of talking with Elio who is busy looking around the room. He is a bit surprised by the view knowing the reason why the other two can’t get inside the room together with Elio because of Howl is helping Spec to take off his shoes. Spec quickly notices his presence, probably because he is still aware of anything that could happen, and turns his face to Aquamarine. “Hello there, Cubs.” Aquamarine greets them as he is approaching Spec. Wanting to help him but Howl stops him right away. “I will help him.” Howl says and glares at him. Aquamarine is taken aback at the moment and his brain suddenly remembers something. “Alright… I’m Aquamarine. You guys are?” He asks them casually as there is nothing happening. “Howlite. He’s Spectrolite.” Howl replies to him once again as now they are finally done taking off their shoes. “Cool. Take a look around as much as you want.” Aquamarine says and goes back inside. He thinks that it might be hard to get to know them since Sapphire is not here so he decides to go inside his room. Meanwhile Elio is still wandering around the living room, kitchen, and the balcony. All of the tools, room designs, probably mixed up with their own belongings, the room still looks neat. At the time he tries to go out to the balcony, he gets greeted by the fresh yet freezing winter’s wind. He shivers from the cold but the view from the balcony is making him want to stay there for at least a minute. The beautiful night view of Turin, people walking around peacefully, can be seen from this small balcony of theirs. It makes him wonder how this view will become more beautiful if he can see it from the higher floor or the rooftop of this building. Few minutes pass by which Elio doesn’t realize it until someone taps him on his left shoulder. It makes him look at who is only to find someone that has been going through inside Elio’s mind today, it’s Sapphire. “What are you doing here? Isn't it too cold? Huuhh…” She says and shivers from the cold breeze that just hit her nose. “Nothing.” Elio replies and walks back inside the room. It doesn’t mean that he wants to ignore her but this is how he wants her to get back inside because Sapphire might not be able to handle the cold outside. Thankfully, that goes smoothly just like Elio’s thought as Sapphire follows him to get inside and closes the door right behind him. “Alright! Have you guys checked your rooms yet?” Sapphire says and claps her hands excitedly. “Not yet.” Spec replies, he is sitting on one of the stools at the bar place with Howl beside him. “Well, it's better to make it quick since it’s already this late.” Sapphire replies with a surprised face because she thought that they already at least checked their rooms “This way.” She continues and invites them to follow her. There is a small hallway beside the sofa and there are only three doors at the left side. “You guys can use these rooms. Mine and Aquamarine are over there.” She says and points at the opposite way of our room. Hearing what she just said, it weirdly makes Elio roll his eyes and almost accidentally let out a loud sigh. What were you thinking Sam Elio! He says inside him irritatedly. Thankfully, he gets into his senses and slaps his face slightly behind the others so they won’t notice it. “Sorry, there is only one bed in each room since they probably haven’t finished packing all of your belongings from the other room.” Sapphire says as she is opening one of the rooms to show them what it looks like inside. “It’s a lot bigger than the previous one..” Elio speaks up as they enter the room together to look around. “Yep, feel free to put anything you want!” Sapphire replies and closes the distance between her and Elio. It makes Elio jolt at her sudden action but he tries to look normal from it. “The other rooms are similar like this?” Howl asks her this time. “Well.. almost the same. Probably the arrangement is the only difference.” She answers her question. Only a couple minutes later they are busy looking around and Sapphire breaks the silence again. “I will leave it to you guys to choose the room, okay? Good job and rest well for today! Goodnight!” She says and waves them goodbye as she is heading toward her room. Just like before, there must be an awkward atmosphere if it’s just the three of them. Since it’s already late at night and they are probably tired from all they have been through today, Elio decides to make it quick so he can take a rest. “I’m taking this room.” He says as drawing the others' attention to look at him. “Uhh.. yeah. Sure.” Howl replies and back to help Spec walking toward the other two rooms. “Goodnight, Tanzanite.” She says before closing the door. Even until the last second the door is closing, Elio doesn’t give any response to her which makes her let out a loud sigh. “What’s wrong?” Spec asks her since he is right beside her now. He can’t go away from her because he needs her to help him, right? “Just thinking of why it is so hard to approach him..” Howl replies with a sad tone. Spec, who is watching her like this, makes him feel sympathetic and irritated as well. Sympathetic of how Howl is really trying to trust the others while irritated by seeing how Elio acts with the others. “There is still time tomorrow. We will be stuck in the same room anyway.” Spec replies jokingly but he realizes that his second sentence might have another ‘meaning’. Spec’s heart beat starts to increase as he also avoids making eye contact with Howl who is still helping him to get inside his room. His panic fades away when he hears another sigh come out from her. “Yeah. Let’s take one at a time.” Howl replies and eventually they both already arrive at the other two rooms with their doors not far from the other. “I can walk by myself from here to my room.” Spec says as he stops walking in front of the middle room. Directing that the middle room belongs to Howl while he takes the one at the corner. “Alright. Good night, Spec.” Howl replies and takes his arm from her. “Good night.” Spec replies quickly and goes forward to his door. The sound of the door from Howl’s room opens but Howl still waits until Spec manages to get inside his room. Even though Spec notices that already and the happiness starts to fill up inside himself, he needs to hold all of it back so she won’t notice it. He opens his room’s door and goes inside without looking back to Howl. Right after the door closes behind him, he leans toward the door and puts his right hand on his forehead. “Hah…” He lets out a sigh, not frustrated but feeling strangely happy “What have I done to deserve today’s gift?” He says with a wide smile on his face and slightly pink cheeks. With that, all of the Sapphire Tiger members are putting their day off for today. Next morning comes as Elio twitches one of his eyes because of the sunlight that gets through between the curtains. His body doesn’t feel sore at all since the bed is a lot better and bigger than he had before which makes him probably have one of the best sleeps in such a long time. He stretches his body and one of his hands reaches out looking for his phone to check on what time he wakes up this morning. 8.11AM Sapphire didn’t say anything about today’s agenda, right? That is the first thing that pops out inside his mind when he checks his phone and lays back once again on the bed. The clock in the room is clicking and he is just staying there, watching his empty ceiling room with his mind going somewhere. What are we going to do today..? Are we going to stay or go out somewhere? Practice? Learning? Those thoughts keep running until he hears someone is knocking his door. “Tanzanite?” A woman’s voice, the owner of this voice is the first person that showed up inside his mind earlier. He jolts a little bit but eventually manages to push himself to sit on his bed. “You awake?” She continues to ask since Elio hasn't said anything to her before. “Yeah!” He replies loud enough so his voice can reach the person who knocks on his door. Not that loud because he is still aware that he lives with other people right now, really close with others. “Good! Breakfast is ready!” She replies excitedly and the sound of her footsteps walking away, probably going to the next door, can be heard by Elio. After hearing that person’s voice, it makes him sit down properly with his feet touching the floor and checks his phone one last time. “Alright. Let’s…” He says as he is standing up and doing one more stretching of his body “Start another day.” Somehow when he says that just now, he feels weirdly looking forward to today’s activities with that particular one person. Unlocking his door room and finally takes his first step to get out of his room only to meet the same person who has checked him up before. “Oh, hi!” She greets him with a bright smile as if it is his ball of sunshine. Elio just stands and looks at her in front of his room that hasn't totally closed yet, he is still holding on to the door handle. “Have a good rest?” She continues to ask and eventually walks past him without looking after she greeted him. As Elio just realizes that he got paralyzed by her look with an oversized t-shirt and shorts, too cute for Elio to handle it. “Yeah.” This is the only word that he manages to come out from his mouth. He slaps his face twice and takes another deep breath before showing himself to the dining table. The morning view of this room is something that Elio almost forgot how it felt before. The dining table is already well organized with all of the foods in the middle. Each in front of the chair has their own plate, fork, and knife. Totally looks like he is with his own family. Since he is too stunned by the view, someone needs to tap him on his shoulder. That person is Aquamarine. “What’s up?” He asks and sips his cup of coffee before leaving him standing there beside the sofa. “Good.” Elio replies and slowly walks toward the dining table. “Choose wherever you want, except the middle one. That one for Sapphire.” Aquamarine says as he takes one of the seats beside the middle. “Don’t say that! I’m fine sitting anywhere!” Sapphire says from the kitchen, seems like she is making a coffee for herself at the moment but not yet brewing it. After replying to Aquamarine, her eyes land on Elio and show a sweet smile to him again. “Coffee?” She offers him. “Sure.” Elio answers as he takes the seat right at the opposite side of Aquamarine which is the other side from the middle. Just a couple of minutes pass by, the other two show up at the same time and just like before Aquamarine and Sapphire greet the two of them. “Alright since everyone is already here.” Sapphire says as she is the last one who sits down at her reserved seat from the others. “Let’s pray before we eat, shall we?” She says and the others nod their head as an agreement. Ahh.. just how long I haven’t felt something like this.. Elio says inside his mind and joins the prayer that Sapphire leads them to. Done with the morning prayers, all of them start munching their food for breakfast, first breakfast together with all of the Sapphire Tiger members. After everyone is done with their food, Sapphire chooses the three of them to wash the dishes since she and Aquamarine already made breakfast for them. “So…” Aquamarine speaks up as he is sitting on the sofa and turns on the tv “Any plan for today?” He asks Sapphire who is on her way to sit next to him. “Hmm…” She puts her hand under her chin and looks at her new members “You guys..” She calls out as it takes all of their attention listening to her. “Want to rob somewhere today?” She asks the three of them casually and her suggestion actually makes them take a back for a moment. That doesn’t last long until Elio shows his smirk and gives her a proper answer. “Any target?” He simply asks.
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