5

do you recommend i watch EATM2 in cinemas or wait for it to be able to watch from home.................................................................................................................."...It's getting late. I should get going now," Alicia said, glancing at her wristwatch. It read 7PM.

Ali looked over from where he was lazily sprawled on the couch. "I'll walk you back."

She raised an eyebrow. "You sure? I know the way home, you know."

He stood up anyway, already reaching for his hoodie. "Still. Not letting you go alone when I can walk with you."

Alicia gave a small smile, slipping on her shoes. "...Thanks."

They stepped outside together, the air cooler now that the sun had dipped below the horizon. The sky had turned that soft shade between dusk and night, and their footsteps fell into a quiet, easy rhythm.

She walked beside him, not too close, not too far—just enough.

They walked in silence for a while, the quiet between them not uncomfortable, just... familiar.

A sudden breeze swept past, and Alicia let out a soft sneeze, barely catching it in time with the back of her hand.

Ali glanced at her immediately. "Are you cold?"

She sniffled lightly, shaking her head. "Not really. It's just the wind."

But before she could protest any further, he was already pulling off his hoodie and holding it out to her.

"Just wear it," he said simply.

She stared at it for a second, then up at him. "But—"

"No buts," he cut in, not even looking at her as he gently draped it over her shoulders himself. "You'll get sick if you keep pretending you're fine."

Her heart gave a quiet thump. The sleeves were too long, and the hoodie smelled a little like detergent and something unmistakably him.

"...Thanks," she murmured, half-hiding her face in the collar.

He didn't say anything back, but the way his hand brushed lightly against her arm before pulling away lingered longer than it should've.

They kept walking.

But now, their shoulders almost touched.

[2-3 week time skip]

It was a typical day at M.A.T.A. Training drills. Alicia was sharp as usual—but maybe a little quieter than normal. Not enough for anyone to point it out, but enough to be noticeable... to someone like Ali.

After training, the two of them were walking back through one of the quiet corridors, their steps echoing faintly.

Ali slowed beside her.

"Hey."

She glanced over.

"Happy birthday," he said simply, and handed her a small box.

Alicia blinked. "...You remembered?"

"Of course. Thought you'd like this."

She accepted it, her fingers brushing his briefly. A small shiver crept up her spine—not from the touch, but from the surprise.

Inside the box sat a bracelet. Golden chain, deep-toned. Sleek, minimal. A small emblem charm rested at its centre.

"It's nice," she murmured, almost like she was afraid to admit it out loud.

"Good," he replied, and for once, he seemed the flustered one. "Guess I still know your taste."

She smiled—just a little. "Yeah... you do."

...Alicia was sitting in the academy lobby, when Moon popped up from around the corner with perfect comedic timing.

"Oooh what's that you've got on your wrist?"

Alicia's heart skipped.

"Nothing," she answered way too quickly.

Moon narrowed her eyes, grinning. "Is that new? Hmm. Someone gave it to you, huh?"

Alicia stiffened. "No. I mean, yes. But—"

"Sooomebody gave Alicia a giiift~"

"It's just a bracelet—"

"Who gave it to you?"

"...Somebody."

Moon leaned in with wide, nosy eyes."Ooh... I wonder who... Is it Ali?"

Alicia's voice went high, defensive: "No, it's not—What makes you think that?"

Moon snorted, backing off with a knowing smirk. "Sure. Well, you two are always visible together, and you seem rather comfortable with it."

...

The soft hum of the fan filled the silence in her room. Alicia sat cross-legged on her bed, the box still open beside her. Her eyes were fixed on the bracelet resting in her palm.

The charm gleamed faintly under the warm light of her bedside lamp—a small compass, simple, delicate. She traced it with her thumb.

Why a compass?

Her thoughts circled. It wasn't flashy. It wasn't romantic. But it felt...thoughtful. Personal.

She clasped the bracelet around her wrist, letting it settle there like it had always belonged.

A quiet smile touched her lips. Not wide or giddy—just...soft.

"Idiot," she muttered under her breath, though she didn't quite know who she was referring to.

The bracelet felt heavier than it looked. Maybe because she was reading too much into it. Or maybe not enough.

She lay back on her bed, arm resting above her head, the charm catching light now and then as it moved.

"Why'd you give me this... really?"

But the question hung in the air, unanswered—just like the ones she'd been quietly asking herself for a while now.

Did he see her the way she saw him?She closed her eyes.She wasn't ready to find out.

Not yet.

...

It was a quiet morning. Sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow across Alicia's room. She had just finished washing up, towel slung over her shoulder as she sat down at the edge of her bed.

Weekend mornings like these were rare—peaceful, slow, and hers alone.

As she sat, she caught sight of something draped over the back of her chair.

Ali's hoodie.

She blinked, then quietly reached for it. The fabric still faintly carried his scent—clean, like the shampoo he always used.

She stared at it for a moment longer, then grabbed her phone, thumb hovering over the screen. A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she opened the chat with the contact 'idiot'.

...[Alicia]I just realised I have had your hoodie for almost a month. Do you want it back

...

Oh. He's typing. That was fast.

...

[Ali]Eh, you can keep it if you want. I don't mind[Alicia]You sure?[Ali]yes

[Alicia]ok then....

Alicia was folding the last of the laundry, the quiet hum of the washer still lingering in the background, when her phone buzzed loudly on the counter. She reached over, wiping her hands on a towel, and glanced at the screen—Moon.

The chances this meant no good were absurdly high... especially ever since she saw that bracelet. But she picked up anyway.She tapped the answer button and held the phone to her ear.

"Hello?""Finally!" Moon's voice came through, full of energy. "Are you free?"

"I'm kind of busy," Alicia muttered, glancing at the half-folded shirts.  "What's up?"

"Girls' day out—you, me and Iman. Now. You are allocated ten minutes to prepare. No excuses, or I'm burning your place down." 

"I—wait, what? Moon—"

Click.

Alicia stared at her phone. The call had ended.

"Why did I pick it up..." she muttered to herself as she headed to her room, pulled out a plain white T-shirt and a pair of blue shorts, and tried them on.

"This looks alright..." she mumbled, before grabbing Ali's hoodie and wearing it over the top. She then adjusted her hair into her usual style, not forgetting the green headband.

"All to keep the house from burning down." ...

It was 2:30 p.m. at the mall, as a cheery and bubbly girl among two others contemplated hard on which cafe to go to. The other two, one with her hands crossed and the other sighing, just simply stood there as she went through the list of places. 

By the time they settled down in a cafe—one ultimately chosen by Alicia—fifteen minutes had already passed."You're really indecisive," she stated."And you, are simply in denial." Moon shot back, as Iman sat in silence, rather amused by such entertainment. "In denial about?" Alicia responded, scanning the menu. 

"The fact that you like Ali," Moon snickered, earning a glare. 

"Moon! Don't say such things in public," Iman said, shushing her as two figures walked in—unmistakably Ali and Viktor. They sat at the table behind them, though neither noticed the girls.

"Oooh Alicia, look who's theeere," Moon teased some more, as Alicia put her face on the table in embarrassment. Iman, on the other hand, simply sipped her drink with a quiet smile, clearly enjoying the chaos without adding fuel to the fire.

"He didn't see me, right?" Alicia mumbled into the tablecloth.

"Nope. But they sat right behind us. Isn't fate amazing?" Moon whispered, barely containing her grin.

Alicia didn't respond. With her head resting on the table, her ears picked up on the voices behind them more clearly than the others could. Moon and Iman had already gone back to looking at the menu, oblivious.

But Alicia stayed still—silent, listening.

She could hear Viktor's voice start, casual and teasing.

"Sooo... you and Alicia, huh? Something you're not telling me?"

"Nope. You've been told everything." 

"Are you sure? Then why is she stuck like glue to you whenever you're in the hallways?""You already know, it's the fake dating thing. And that weirdo that she loathes."

"You sure she asked you not because she likes you?""Why would she like me?""Well, do you like her?" "Depends.""Earth to Aliciaaaaa," Moon called."Are you alright?" Iman asked, as Alicia's face had been on the table for quite some time."I'm fine," she said, as she sat up straight, attention still on the conversation behind them.

"Are you going to order? Or just water will do?" Iman continued, as she received a nod from the girl with the green headband.

She went back to eavesdropping. Why are they talking softer now..?

"What do you mean depends?" Viktor asked, voice full of curiosity. 

"I like her as a friend." Ali said plainly.

"Do you see her as anything more than that?" 

"At most, just a sister." 

"Are you suuure?" "Are you going to ask me until I give the answer that satisfies you?"

Alicia felt a pang inside her. This is what happens when you become nicer to people! You fall for them and they don't. 

You already knew this sort of situation could happen, yet it hurts you.

"Alicia? Are you alright?" Iman asked, her voice filled with concern. Moon's expression had also changed, now more sympathetic.She just nodded stiffly, as Moon spoke up. "Did we say anything that disturbs you?" She shook her head.

"But you're doing where you pretend alright but you're actually about to cr—" "Moon..." "Okay, okay. You're sulking but doing the thing where you pretend you aren't sulking."

"I'm fine. I mean it." 

The two girls weren't buying it. She was obviously hurt, but they didn't know why. And they were determined to find out.

... [Next day]

The library was quiet that Sunday afternoon, sunlight streaming through the tall windows as Alicia wandered between shelves—until a familiar face caught her eye. Ali.

Before she knew it, she waved hi and he looked at her, a warm smile on his face. He was studying. Strange. He offered her to sit with him, and she subconsciously did. 

"Oh. You're wearing to bracelet.""Mhm." she responded.

They sat together, pages turning softly, the only sound between them the occasional scribble of a pen.

Alicia kept her gaze on her notes, though her mind was far from focused.

She could feel the bracelet shift slightly on her wrist every time she moved.

I need to go back to being... neutral like we were. But what am I doing now?

"You're awfully quiet," Ali commented, eyes still on his textbook. "Tired?"

She forced a small smile. "Just thinking."

"About?" he asked, not teasing—just genuinely curious.

She shook her head, glancing at her page again. "Nothing important."

He looked at her then, just for a moment. "Well... if it becomes important, I'm here."

Her heart clenched. She wished he wouldn't say things like that so easily.

"Thanks," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

The silence returned—but it felt heavier now.

...Time passed, and suddenly, their phones vibrated, interrupting their study. They exchanged a knowing glance, before heading out.

...In the control room, the transmission screen lit up as usual, with General Rama on it.

In the control room, the transmission screen lit up as usual, with General Rama's face filling the display.

 "We've intercepted a lead—Numeroz may be targeting the Azurium vault."

Ali and Alicia exchanged a sharper glance.

"Azurium is stored in the high-security wing of the M.A.T.A. Academy," continued General Rama. 

He paused, scanning the two.

"I'm assigning you both to infiltrate the area, secure the Azurium, and prevent any theft. Be discreet. No unnecessary confrontation unless it's unavoidable. Got it?"

They nodded in unison.

"Good," he said. "Act imediately!"

... 

From their vantage point on the upper catwalk, Alicia and Ali crouched low, eyes locked on the vault entrance below.

"There they are," Alicia whispered.

Down by the reinforced doors, two figures moved with practiced coordination—Dos, gripping her signature shock stick, and Trez, fingers flicking across a tablet, likely disabling security layers one by one.

"Looks like they're not wasting time," Ali muttered, already calculating the odds.

Alicia nodded, gripping her gear. "We need to stop them before they breach the last lock."

But before they could descend, Dos's head jerked up, like she sensed something.

"Go!" Ali said sharply, and they dropped down into action.

Trez reacted first, flinging a small explosive disk their way. It detonated midair—just a blinding flashbang—but Alicia was ready, covering her eyes.

"Your left!" Ali called out.

Dos charged with a low growl, swinging the crackling shock stick toward Alicia. She ducked, the weapon grazing the wall behind her.

Ali didn't hesitate.

He intercepted the next blow with his gauntlet, the electric current surging as metal met metal—but he held his ground.

"Get behind me!" he snapped, pushing Alicia slightly back as he launched a precise counterstrike. His movements were sharp, purposeful—not just defending, but shielding.

Trez tried flanking, but Alicia was faster this time. She swept low, knocking his legs off-balance, then kicked his tablet away, skidding it under a control panel.

Dos came at her again—too fast—but Ali intercepted him once more, shoulder-checking him into the vault wall.

"Don't touch her," he said  under his breath.

Alicia paused, breath quickening. Her heart thudded—not just from the fight.

But there was no time to think.

Dos and Trez regrouped, eyes narrowing.

This wasn't over yet.

At least they fled empty-handed.