Mazaròl Lions : Chapter 27 "What Changed"

Totally defeated as Heliodor has already won even before the game or mission started and Elio doesn’t have a chance to stand against him. After a few minutes from the last explosion, Heliodor gets back to the front seat and drives the van back to their company. The whole time of driving back, Elio’s heart is full with something strange for him as it seems like he is worried but there is also a regret with his choices. As his mind can’t help but splitted into two even though one part is more dominant right now. One is still thinking about Lucas while the other is about the tigers. Now he totally looks like a lifeless statue with dead frowned eyes that are staring at his feet as if it’s the most interesting thing right now. The van stops and Elio almost falls his body down like a statue got pushed. “We’re back!” Heliodor exclaims excitedly and gets out of the van. While Elio is still sitting there not moving an inch when Heliodor goes to the van’s side door then opens it to check on Elio. “Let’s go, buddy! We got a lot!” He says with the same energy when he just parked the van inside his garage. As always not a single word comes out from Elio and he just obeys Heliodor’s order by standing up from the bench and walks out from the van quietly. Once his feet hit on the cold floor, his legs lead him to the exit gate of the garage. “Where are you going?” Heliodor asks and closes the van’s side door. Doesn’t say anything, Elio only glances over his shoulder to look at Heliodor who is slowly walking approaching him. “Aren't you excited to look at our reward from today’s mission?” He says and puts his arm around Elio’s shoulders. “I don’t.” Elio simply replies without emotion at all. Heliodor nods his head, gives Elio a hand motion of ‘oh well’, and pulls his arm to Elio’s back to give him then patting it. “Alright then. See you around, partner.” Heliodor says and runs toward a gate that is in the opposite direction from Elio which is probably his own exit. It leaves Elio standing alone in the garage with his blank eyes and finally he gathers himself back together again to walk toward the exit gate. In the elevator without any sound, only his slow heart beat can be heard and Elio just staring there with blank eyes. Not knowing whether he is still a living human being or not, it just feels too lifeless for someone Elio compared to his previous life. He stares with his blank eyes at the floor buttons for a while until finally pushes the fourth floor button. Sooner or later this is his last stop anyway even though he wants to run away and avoids all of the members. Going inside the tiger’s room, all of the lights are stll off which means no one is here yet. Based on what happened to them last time Elio saw him through his screens, they must be in the company’s health care room right now. Feeling lucky? Not even close with that because it makes him remember the others who were in the auction’s place, Lucas. Two different places, two different parties, probably different conditions and visions regarding the auction but both are the people who are keeping Elio’s mind busy. Elio’s feeling becomes dominant at the moment with his worries raging inside as it's making Elio’s brain spamming questions inside of it. How are they feeling? How are their injuries? What happened right after? Especially Lucas who is far away from him and there is another unfamiliar feeling for Elio to make him hesitate to contact Lucas after what happened. He wants to be there, asks about their health condition, encourages them, and at least gives them something just like how Lucas is always looking for him. At the same time Elio wants to do the same things with the tigers but the hesitation is also there because he is one of the reasons why they ended up in that situation. Elio’s boy feels so heavy as his feet take him toward his bed and slump his front body on it. Still wearing his full attire and boots but his mind keeps telling him to call it a day as he slowly forces his eyes to close by hoping for two things. First is hoping that all of these are not real and if it’s real, their conditions are not that bad. Second, he won't be able to wake up again, too tired from all of the things, not wanting to face any of it, as he just wants the real peace he has been longing for. Next morning comes in just a blink of an eye as Elio’s eyes refuse to open up even though the sunlight gets through between his curtains. Based on how bright the light is, it is supposed to have already passed by 9 in the morning and he oversleep or just refuses to wake up that long. During that barely sleepless night, Elio starts to think that it’s pointless to stay like this as he tries to get up with all of the weight on him. Getting ready with this empty room with no one in there feels just like how he used to live before. Being alone is never a bother for Elio but now he doesn’t like this place to be this quiet, it’s just not suitable with how it should be. Today’s activity starts with something that is already nerve wracking for Elio, which is calling Lucas and talking with him as casually as before, not being suspicious or bringing the auction. Before pressing the call button, Elio thinks again it might be weird and the timing will sound suspicious so he decides to skip his first plan of the day and jumps to the next one which is nothing much better. Putting back his phone into his pocket, taking another deep breath as setting, keeping in mind that he needs to face this then finally his feet move on its own toward the health care room. Entering the health room, Elio goes straight to the previous room where they got treatment from last year's test. From afar of the hallway, there is someone sitting on the steel bench with his head down, perhaps looking exhausted or holding something a lot heavier than Elio’s burdens, it’s Spec. As Elio’s steps closer to the room and Spec is sitting in front of it, he slowly raises his head upward to look at who those feet belong to. Once they make eye contact, Spec's eyes widen, his face quickly changes as it’s full with anger, and quickly stands up from his seat then slams Elio’s body toward the wall beside him. “What do you want, huh?!” Spec says angrily and his voice is totally different from last night where he was angry at almost not saving Howl. Elio wants to say anything back but something is holding his throat as the voice can’t get past it. Not only that, an unfamiliar feeling comes into Elio which makes him not able to look directly into Spec’s eyes who are glaring at him as he only looks at the floor. “Right… You’re not going to say anything, aren’t you?” Spec says as loosen his grips on Elio’s jacket and slowly steps back from him         “Nothing changes from you.” He continues before going back inside the room, leaving Elio there standing with his body leaning on the wall. Of course, what did I expect? Elio says inside of himself and pulls his body up then walks back toward the elevator. Arriving in the elevator, he stays silent once again as he just stares blankly at the buttons. Not knowing which button he needs to choose because today’s plan is already over as Spec’s words are circling around inside Elio’s mind. Looks like nothing changed from the beginning since everyone still puts the blame on him. Even before coming here and working in those normal companies, people always put the blame on Elio even though he already gave his best effort and did everything perfectly. From all of those moments are the background why being alone is never a bother for him but now it’s weirdly disturbing, not enjoyable at all. The silence gets interrupted by Elio’s phone that is vibrating signaling someone is calling him. Elio takes his phone out and checks on his screen who is still willing to talk or contact someone like him. it’s private numbers but Elio picks it up right away without his clear mind. “Hi, partner!” a man’s voice that Elio instantly regrets picking up the phone, it’s Heliodor. “How are you? Have you eaten yet? Wanna have brunch together?” Heliodor launches infinite questions excitedly. Hearing him right now, Elio’s emotions start boiling up with rage as he closes his eyes tightly and takes a deep, heavy breath to calm him down. “Partner? You there?” Heliodor speaks up since Elio doesn’t give any response to him. At this moment, Elio can pretend that he doesn’t hear anything or his voice just can’t get through but he also realizes that he is alone now, a tiger without his pack. “Hmm.. weird. Well, if you hear me, I will come to your room, okay?” Heliodor continues with his happy voice. With his last sentence, there is a sudden urge for Elio to finally reply to Heliodor's questions as it also means that ignoring Heliodor now is not the best option. “Don’t.” Elio replies coldly and the rest of it is anger. “I know you can hear me.” Heliodor replies and Elio can see clearly what kind of face Heliodor is making right now, it’s a lot more irritating. “Wanna have brunch? The weather is really nice outside.” Heliodor continues and starts asking Elio again, more like hoping for Elio to accept his invitation. In fact, there is no other option left for Elio other than accepting his but still this is one of the most annoying behaviors of Heliodor after all. If he refuses it this time, something worse might happen in the next few seconds in case of interacting with someone like Heliodor. “First floor.” Elio replies and hangs up the phone right away, not wanting to hear anything as he presses the targeted floor. Once Elio arrives there, Heliodor is already there, waiting for him as he is leaning his body forward on the front counter and talking with the secretary there. “Oh!” Heliodor says when his eyes look toward the elevators’ place where Elio just comes out “There you are.” At first Elio thought, it is going to be just the two of them which can be considered hard enough for him but something worse always happens if it comes from Heliodor. There are two other lions sitting on the sofa as they are pulling their heads up synchronously to look at Elio. As always, Heliodor will treat him like a gentle friend who is very kind toward Elio while the others are the opposite, the ones who reject Elio. “Let’s go, guys!” Heliodor calls the other two who look like they are being forced by Heliodor just to come along with them. “Just for brunch, right?” Zircon says irritatedly and puts his hands inside his pockets while approaching them along with Citrina beside him. “Yeah, we need to let our precious little cub know about our favorite places too!” Heliodor replies and puts his arm around Elio’s shoulder which gives Elio an instant jolt down into his spine. Citrina doesn’t say anything, instead she just slightly glares at Elio, as usual, and walks past in front of them. With that being said, all of them now are going toward their restaurant and having their brunch for the first time together with Elio. From the beginning up until the end, the one who is talking in the conversation only Heliodor as Zircon and Citrina only respond sufficiently. After having that horrible brunch with them, barely able to taste the foods and drinks, Elio only wishes that this is the end of their plan. But based on what happened on the last mission with them, Heliodor is not someone who tortures the victim harshly and ends it quickly. Every second of it is such a pleasure for him therefore Heliodor wants Elio’s accompany last longer which means slow and gentle torture. “Come hang out in our room, little cub.” Heliodor invites him once again while they are on their way back to the company and his invitation gets an instant groan from none other than Citrina. From the first beginning of accepting Heliodor’s brunch invitation, Elio knows there is no other option other than ‘yes’ hence he just stays silent not giving an answer but they know exactly what’s the answer. With all of that being said, Elio just follows whatever Heliodor planned for his own small pleasant torturing plan for him. “Please make yourself at home~” Heliodor says once they arrive at the lions’ room on the fifth floor as he opens the door with the others. Since Elio’s position is right in the middle of them, he is the first one who takes the first step to get inside and gets greeted by how big their room is. The difference between their room and theirs is like dessert and the poles. The one they have literally looks like a normal family apartment while this one is like a huge penthouse which makes it like Elio just stepped into a mansion. As Heliodor leads him to get further inside to sit in their main room, Elio can’t help that his eyes keep looking around this elegantly looking hallway through. Arriving at their main room, Elio’s jaw almost drops because the main room is a lot bigger because from where Elio is standing right now, he can see the half second floor of it. There are two large chandeliers on top of them, one grand modern piano at the corner beside the fireplace, and in the middle of it are their sofas, which must be a guest room. “I’m going to my room.” Citrina bids goodbye and goes straight to the stairs followed by Zircon right behind her, giving a signal to Heliodor before leaving. “Please take a seat whenever you like, partner.” Heliodor says and sits on a single sofa where there is a calling system on the side table beside him as he pushes one of the buttons, calling one of their servants. Not long after that the servant comes in bringing two drinks, based on the color it’s probably wine, on the classical silver tray on his right hand. Elio only stares at the glass of wine in front of him and not slightly interested to take a sip from it, He prefers to drink a cup of coffee rather than this without knowing when this thought started. “Now, let’s have a small lovely time just for us, shall we?” He says and takes a sip from his drink. Once again, during the whole conversation that is accompanied by the piano sound playing around the room, only Heliodor the one do the talk while Elio only responds with hums, nods or shakes his head. After one and half hour talking with Elio’s lifeless response which is the one that he wanted for, Heliodor finally gets enough of it as he is going to launch another blow for one last time. “Oh, yeah right.” Heliodor says while taking his phone out then shows it right in front of Elio’s face. “Thanks to your teammate that we all can get the auction’s items!” He exclaims happily and shows a picture where Howl is helping them get the items into their van. Not only that, Heliodor also shows other pictures of the last seconds of the unknown and unexpected bomb in the storage room. He expected to get an interesting response and furious face yet Elio only stares at the picture with his dead fish eyes, lifeless expression without a flinch at all. For the first time in his own game, Heliodor’s smile fades a little bit since he doesn’t get what he wanted but Elio doesn’t witness that moment which probably can be counted as his first win against him. Heliodor takes his phone away and sits back on his seat, feeling all irritated but he insists not to show any of it by forcing a smile on it. “Well, you look tired, partner. Why don’t you take a rest?” Heliodor says and Elio pulls his head back up to look at him. “That’s very kind of you.” Elio replies and gets up from his seat, proceeding to get out from the lions’ room. Seeing and hearing that reaction from Elio, first sentence of the day, makes Heliodor irritated as he holds his glass tightly until it’s cracked in his hand. “Well played, partner.” Heliodor says to himself, still with a smile on his face but it's a different one, an irritated smile where all of his teeth clenched together tightly. Back to Elio who is now on his way back into the tigers’ room, he doesn’t expect, more like hoping, that there is still nobody in their room. But today is not his day as everything he wants, wishes, and hopes doesn't come handy as he sees a pair of shoes in front of him, someone is here. Since everything already doesn't go the same path with Elio’s plan today, he doesn’t want to think much anymore as he just walks in and sees who is the person who is already in the room. Speaking of which, the pair of shoes at the front door belongs to someone that Heliodor just showed on pictures, it’s Howl. She’s sitting on the dining table and using her hands as a support to hold her head looking down, can slightly hear her sniffle. It only takes a step from Elio to get inside the room but Howl already notices him as her head looks up immediately. But once her eyes land on Elio, her expression changes drastically from soft and teary eyes into anger and disgusted face. “What do you want?” She says coldly and with that deadly glare that Elio hasn't got since last year when they were still Onyx Wolf, the same reaction previously from Spec this morning. As usual, Elio doesn’t give any reply to her and just looks away, continuing to walk toward his room. “Where do you think you-” Howl says angrily as she tries to get up from her seat but her body doesn’t support her to do so. Seeing her almost fall from the chair, Elio quickly responds to get and hold her body steady before it could touch the floor. Once Elio gets her back sitting on her seat, Howl shoves Elio's hands from her and looks at him with tears rolling on her cheeks. “Get lost.” She says still with the same tone and looks away from Elio, getting back into her previous position where Elio just stepped in. Elio nods his head and turns around but before he can get another step to go back into his room, his leader is standing still in front of him, Sapphire. Same as the others yet different because this is Elio’s first time seeing this expression from her. It’s neither angry nor frustrated, something that Elio doesn’t know the name of. “We need to talk.” Sapphire says with her demanding tone.