I grabbed my bag. Headed for the door. Paused with my hand on the handle.
The apartment felt different now. Less like a temporary assignment and more like. Something else. A base of operations maybe. The place where I returned after missions. Where I showered off gate blood and reviewed my stats and made plans for the next target.
Where Naomi had stayed overnight. Where Belle had come at midnight looking for what I'd promised her. Where Hikaru heard everything and never said a word.
I left. Locked the door behind me. Took the stairs because my Endurance was one segment from D-rank and every bit of movement mattered.
The campus was alive now. Students everywhere. Heading to late breakfast. Walking to libraries. Sitting on benches studying or stressing about results.
I passed a group of Sapphire girls. One of them looked at me. Did a double take. Whispered something to her friend.
They were talking about me.
