As Anthony lay in his bed, his deep sky-blue eyes fixed upon the ceiling, boredom quickly settled over him. Since this was a place he had never been to before, he reasoned that he should at least explore… right?

Although there might not be much to discover, he could, at the very least, tour the building. With that decision made, he rose from the bed, swinging his feet to the side. In one fluid motion, he got off the bed, stretching slightly as he prepared to leave his room.

Opening the door and stepping into the spacious living room, he noticed Kingsley sitting with his eyes closed. 'Is he training?' Anthony wondered silently. No sooner had he thought it than Kingsley's eyes snapped open. 'I guess not,' Anthony concluded.

"Are you heading out?" Kingsley asked, his head turning casually toward Anthony.

"Yeah… I just want to look around a bit. I can't stay cooped up in my room all day, can I?" Anthony replied calmly.

Kingsley nodded. "I will follow you," he responded with a measured tone.

Anthony simply acknowledged him with a nod. He wasn't particularly bothered by someone following him; in fact, he almost welcomed the company. With the brief conversation concluded, he walked toward the room Vega had chosen.

He knocked gently, respecting the privacy the space seemed to afford. Unlike the walls in the apartments that strictly prevented people from spying on one another, Anthony had learned that those sharing the same apartment could sense the presence and eavesdrop on others.

"You know you don't need to knock," Vega's voice called from within.

Hearing this, Anthony smiled softly and opened the door. Stepping in, he saw Vega seated before a mirror, staring at her own reflection as if she had recently become enamored with herself.

"When did you start admiring yourself in the mirror?" Anthony asked, closing the door behind him.

"Sigh… ever since you took an interest in Aura," she replied, her voice adopting a mockingly exasperated tone. Anthony almost staggered at her words. Vega, catching his reaction from the corner of her eye, restrained a laugh but continued, her tone playful yet serious.

"I saw the way you looked at her, staring into her blue eyes that reminded you of your own. You walked up to her, introduced yourself like you had fallen in love at first sight. Even the first time you saw me, you never approached me… sigh," Vega continued, her voice adopting a melodramatic sadness. She turned, her gaze shifting from the mirror to land on Anthony, her striking purple eyes meeting his.

Anthony felt his throat tighten as he absorbed her words. Of course, he wasn't in love with Aura; his actions had been impulsive, driven purely by the inexplicable sensation he had felt upon seeing her. His chest constricted slightly, a subtle weight pressing against it.

"Vega…" His lips parted as he attempted to explain, but before he could get a word out, Vega interrupted.

"Maybe we should break up, then you can be with her," she suggested, a faint sadness softening her expression. "It seems you also care for her cat, Akira. And Akira appears to like you too, since she's already given you the nickname 'Food Human.'"

Anthony's mouth opened and closed, unsure how to respond. A storm of thoughts whirled through his mind, and just as he parted his lips to speak, a sudden, resounding laughter erupted in the room.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Vega's laughter filled the space, unrestrained and genuine. She had intended to continue teasing Anthony, but seeing his guilty, flustered expression made her stop mid-performance.

"I can't believe you fell for that. HAHAHA!" she said between laughs, clutching her stomach.

Anthony, realizing she had been teasing him as usual, exhaled in relief, a calm wash of composure settling over him.

"You have to stop with these types of jokes, Vee. I think I nearly had a heart attack," he said, shaking his head slightly. This wasn't the first time Vega had played such a prank, yet he seemed incapable of resisting falling for it every single time.

"Pffft… don't blame me, Ant. Blame yourself for falling for it," she replied with a sly shake of her head, her laughter softening into a gentle smile. "Honestly, how do you even fall for this?" she asked, genuinely curious.

"Maybe because you're a good actor," Anthony replied flatly, walking toward Vega's bed and settling onto it.

"I mean, really. You do have an ocular ability that lets you perceive people's emotions, and you couldn't think to check mine…?" Vega said with a gentle chuckle.

'If only it were that simple,' he thought, a mischievous idea forming in his mind. 'Maybe I'll be the one acting this time… I'd love to see her reaction.'

"Don't ask me, but this will probably be the last time I fall for it, so good luck with your next act," Anthony replied, a playful smile curling on his lips as he contemplated a little payback.

"So… you want to explore the building?" Vega asked, having overheard the earlier exchange between Kingsley and Anthony. Despite the reinforced walls, her senses were far too keen to miss it.

"Yeah, just walking around a bit. See what a couple of young masters are being prideful and arrogant about," Anthony responded calmly.

"I'll follow you then… I have nothing better to do here," Vega replied.

With nothing but a simple thought, Anthony manipulated the air around them, bending it into a dome that encased the two of them. Vega arched a brow, initially confused by his actions, but within moments, she surmised his intent: he didn't want Kingsley overhearing their next conversation.

"What do you think about me being friends with Aura?" Anthony asked, his expression suddenly serious. Based on his information on women from his past life, he knew many disliked the idea of their partner socializing with another woman. For that reason, he chose to be direct with Vega, sparing neither nuance nor hesitation.

Vega paused at his question. A gentle laugh escaped her lips as she shook her head slightly. "Ant, I think you're confusing me with other people, or with women in general. I'm not immature or insecure, nor will I suddenly develop a petty attitude. Our relationship has endured this long without a single argument because we've always been true to ourselves," she said, pausing momentarily as if allowing him to process her words.

"Be friends with whoever you want, man, woman, or cat. You don't need my permission or blessing. Even I, for that matter, want to be friends with Aura. She seems… different from every woman I've ever met. I feel like we could understand each other," Vega concluded, her voice steady yet warm.

Anthony's lips curved into a small, approving smile. Turning his gaze to her, he remarked, "You are as confident as ever."

Vega smiled, a playful glint in her eyes. "Please, this confidence is one of the reasons you fell for me," she said, flipping her purple hair as though posturing.

Anthony simply shook his head, rising from the bed. With a wave of his hand, he dispersed the air barrier he had created earlier, leaving them free to move about the building together.

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