Leilla stretched, rolling her shoulders. "So... what are we having for breakfast."
Malak leaned against the wall. "Feels illegal."
Rose sat on the edge of the bed, holding her soda can from last night. "We're... E-tier now, right?"
Ari smirked. "Yeah. Officially not useless."
Leilla threw a pillow at him. "Speak for yourself."
A knock.
Cookie stepped in. "He's waiting."
They didn't need to ask who.
Mikey stood in the hallway, arms crossed.
He looked the same.
But not really.
Less relaxed. Less... friendly.
More like someone who had seen too much and stopped reacting to it.
He looked at them one by one.
"You passed, huh."
No smile.
No congratulations.
Just that.
Leilla tilted her head. "That's it? No speech? No 'I'm proud of you'?"
Mikey ignored her.
"You're E-tier now. That means you're allowed outside. That also means if you mess up out there, no one resets you."
Rose's fingers tightened slightly around her sleeve.
Mikey turned. "Come on."
Malak scanned the streets out of habit.
Rose stayed close.
Ari walked ahead a bit, hands in pockets.
For once—no pressure.
Just walking.
"Coffee," Leilla said suddenly.
Mikey didn't stop. "Not part of the plan."
"There is no plan," she shot back. "We just finished training. We're celebrating."
Mikey kept walking.
Pause.
Then—
"...Ten minutes."
Leilla grinned. "That's my coach."
The café was small.
Warm lights. Soft noise. People talking like nothing in the world was wrong.
They sat together.
Five cups on the table.
For a moment—
It felt normal.
Rose took a sip. "This is... really good."
Ari leaned back. "Better than protein shakes, right?"
She nodded quickly.
Malak smirked. "Low bar."
Leilla laughed. "Let her enjoy it."
Then she leaned back, looking at them.
"You know... we actually going to make it."
Ari looked at her. "Yeah."
Malak crossed her arms. "We're not dead yet. That's a start."
Rose smiled.
A real one.
Not small. Not forced.
Just... there.
Leilla noticed.
She didn't say anything.
Just smiled back.
Outside—
Someone walked past the window.
Leilla's eyes followed him.
He slowed.
Just slightly.
Then—
He looked at them, scanning and measuring them. Then he noticed Leilla looking at him, immediately looked away, stepped aside, and kept walking.
Leilla didn't move.
Her body stayed frozen.
She felt something weird.
Something wasn't right.
Her eyes locked on his back as he disappeared into the crowd.
"Ay."
Ari nudged her shoulder.
"You good?"
She blinked.
"Yeah... yeah."
Too fast.
She forced a smile.
"Nothing."
But her fingers tightened around her cup.
"Hey."
Mikey stood up.
Phone in hand.
"Come with me."
Ari frowned.
"Me?"
"Yeah."
Leilla raised a brow.
"Where are you taking him?"
"Work."
Short.
Clean.
Mikey turned.
Ari stood.
"Don't finish all the food," he said.
Leilla waved him off.
"Get out of here."
Rose smiled.
"Come back fast."
Malak nodded once.
Ari followed Mikey out.
The door closed.
Silence settled for a second.
Then...
Leilla exhaled.
"...That guy was weird."
Malak glanced outside.
"Which one?"
"Someone kept looking at us weird."
Rose looked up.
"Huh, why?"
Leilla shook her head.
"I don't know. Just... felt off."
Malak didn't answer.
Her eyes were already scanning the street again.
Something wasn't right.
They ignored it and kept drinking their coffee for a bit, enjoying their time.
Later, the bell above the café door rang.
Someone entered.
Then another.
Then...
A third.
They walked past them.
It felt like they were heading toward the table next to theirs.
Then they stopped.
Rose looked up.
Three guns.
Pointed at them.
She saw fingers tighten around the triggers.
Bang...