Your Garden Villa was unusually lively that afternoon.

Shopping bags were scattered across the living room as you rummaged through your latest haul. One by one, you held up new outfits, disappearing briefly into your bedroom before returning to model each purchase.

Stretched across the sectional couch, six pairs of eyes followed you despite their attempts to look occupied.

Sylus sat comfortably in one corner, methodically cleaning one of his pistols. Beside him, Zayne rested with a medical journal in hand, though his eyes drifted above the pages far more often than he cared to admit.

Xavier quietly ate a bowl of instant ramen, pretending to focus on his meal while the tips of his ears gradually turned pink.

Rafayel lounged against the armrest with a sketchbook balanced on one knee. His pencil hovered over the paper, yet the page remained suspiciously blank.

At the opposite end, Caleb lazily tossed an apple between his hands before taking another crisp bite.

Next to him, Valko adjusted the bridge of his glasses while discussing something over the phone, a tablet resting across his lap.

"...No, increase the alloy density by—"

The sound of your bedroom door opening interrupted him.

You stepped into the living room, giving your skirt a playful twirl as the fabric flared gently around your legs.

Valko stopped mid-sentence.

"...Hold that thought."

Without taking his eyes off you, he tapped the screen and ended the call.

"...I'll call you back."

The room fell noticeably quieter.

Sylus was the first to break the silence, a satisfied smirk tugging at his lips.

"Not bad," he mused. "Looks good on you, kitten."

Zayne closed his journal with a soft sigh.

"The material looks breathable," he observed. "Comfortable enough for everyday wear."

"And," Caleb added with a grin, "you look really cute in it, Pipsqueak."

Rafayel tapped the end of his pencil against his sketchbook.

"Cute?" he scoffed dramatically. "That's the best you've got? She's absolutely stealing the spotlight."

"I was trying to be respectful."

"You can be respectful and have better taste."

Xavier set his bowl down, clearing his throat.

"...It suits you," he said quietly. "I like the color."

A warm smile spread across Valko's face as he removed his glasses for a moment to clean the lenses.

"I've spent the last ten minutes discussing engineering specifications," he said with an amused chuckle. "And somehow, the most impressive thing I've seen today is still you."

Then Caleb leaned forward, mischief simmering in his eyes.

"I've got an idea."

Caleb pointed toward your skirt with an innocent smile that fooled absolutely no one.

"We should do a quality inspection."

"...A what?" Xavier blinked.

"A field test," Caleb continued confidently. "Twirl around again. We need to know if the skirt passes inspection."