• Gaze •

Layla's POV

I woke up feeling relatively okay.

Though I only got to sleep for 3 hours, I was in a much better state than yesterday.

I thought everyone would ask me questions about my mood or am I fine and stuff but thankfully that wasn't the case cause they all talked to me like they usually do.

And the best part was that Spencer was nowhere to be found. Francis was still here though.

Finding no Spencer made my mood even better. Mattheo sat beside me on the sofa on his phone texting someone.

Today was a chill day and we were told to do whatever we wanted to as a bonus after completing our first mission. And I was more than thankful for this day off.

"My day's even better now that I don't have to deal with that fucker Spencer," I told Mattheo and he looked up from his phone and then back down.

"Well thank Sinn, he told that bastard to be out by today morning." My eyes widened slightly at that comment but I didn't show my surprise.

"Oh," was the only thing I muttered before Yuri made an entrance into the room in his buttoned-down white shirt and black pants.

"You two," Yuri sat on the sofa in front of us and leaned back. "Entertain me cause I'm bored." He told us and I arched a brow.

"Why don't you ask your two besties?" I teased him and he rolled his eyes.

"They don't want anything to do with me, now please help me kill this boredom. I'll even happily hear you sing that atrocious song. " he cackled thinking about it and I glared at him.

"Don't even remind me of that embarrassment. I forgot you're Japanese." I told him and he continued his little chuckle.

"Not gonna complain, it gave me a good laugh. But I have a question," he sat up straight and I caught my breath already guessing the question he would want an answer for.

"I figured it would be an anime though which one? Haven't watched one with that song." Well yeah, now I have to explain it to him.

Mattheo chuckled beside me and I gave him a death glare. He knows about it cause I dared him to watch it. He was traumatized would be an understatement.

"Well," I cleared my throat and sat up straight. Yuri focused his gaze on me and Mattheo put aside his phone and turned his head towards me, hiding his laughter with his hand on his chin and mouth.

"It's you see," I sought words and Mattheo shook with laughter beside me while on the other hand, Yuri anticipated my answer genuinely curious.

"Yarichin Bitch Club." I blurted out finally, wanting to be over with it. Silence fell in the living room and I looked at Yuri as he processed my words.

"Okay, I'll add it to my watch list." His words shocked both me and Mattheo as he casually just said them.

"No way," Mattheo muttered beside me. I almost burst out the way he said that.

Yuri's gaze fixed on him now, "Why? Have you watched it?" Mattheo sighed, "She dared me, that shit traumatized me for life." Mattheo shook his head.

"Well, now I'm even more curious." I couldn't control my smile. "Why not, do let me know what you thought about it."

He nodded his head and thank god that was the end of the discussion on that topic. "But do you have time to watch stuff?" Mattheo asked and Yuri leaned back on the sofa.

"Good question. I forgot I'm caught in between the Mafia and the Yakuza." He winced and I felt intrigued by his mention of the Yakuza.

I've only heard talk about the Yakuza from here and there and know the basics that it's a Japanese organization just like the Mafia. Yuri is the only person I know who's involved with them and the Mafia both.

"Can I ask you something?" I asked and Yuri opened his eyes and nodded his head, "Sure." I sat straight and started, "Can someone work with the Mafia and Yakuza at the same time?"

Yuri sighed heavily, "No, not everyone. Well, I'm a rare case cause I was sent by the Yakuza to work with the Mafia as a, you can say, truce? That the two organizations would not get involved in each other's business."

Oh, that makes sense. So he was initially working with the Yakuza.

Mattheo and I nodded our heads and Yuri shut his eyes, his face for a moment seemed like he remembered something bitter but then he focused his gaze on something which widened his eyes and he went back to himself.

"So you're finally here," he muttered and my gaze landed on a tall figure in all black. His earings dangled as he stood before Yuri.

Sinn looked at him with a stoic look and turned his head making our gazes meet each other. My heart did something weird and my body felt hot all of a sudden. I didn't notice his arrival.

The moments from that night at the Astor mansion replayed in my head and I straightened my back. What the fuck?

We still haven't talked about what happened between us that night and the way Sinn's words made me feel.

Sinn turned his gaze back at Yuri and I finally filled my lungs with air. "Had to or you'll not leave me alone." Sinn retorted and Yuri laughed.

"Where's Leo though?" Yuri asked and Sinn sat beside him on the sofa and locked his gaze on me once again. "Still have something to sort."

Yuri nodded his head and silence filled in the room briefly as I tried to look anywhere but at Sinn. Not when the scene from that night kept on replaying in my head.

I shifted my gaze between my hands where I had my phone.

"Fuck Layla," Mattheo blurted making me look over at him. "What?"

He scowled looking at his phone screen and I furrowed my brows in confusion. "What?" I asked again.

"Remember that Seth dude?" I still had my brows furrowed which made Mattheo utter the details when it wasn't really necessary cause I knew who it is.

"Seth, who you dated briefly but then broke things off cause he only wanted to have sex with you-" My eyes jolt up from his excessive slip of details.

"Yeah, I remember him Mattheo." I gritted, glaring at him and he looked around before realizing that we weren't alone and gave me a sheepish smile as he mouthed a 'sorry'.

I continued glaring at him already feeling 2 pairs of eyes on me. I sighed heavily closing my eyes as I controlled myself from punching him.

"What about him Theo?" I asked now feeling curious. Mattheo met my gaze saying, "He's asking me for your number. Saying he wants to know how you've been."

I rolled my eyes, "Don't bother with him, he'll forget in no time." I told him and he nodded his head going back to typing something on his phone.

He looked up from his phone and opened his mouth once again. "The audacity this man has to ask me for your number after he did all that. Like you were pretty serious with him-" I shot him my glare once again and he stopped.

"Let's not talk about it Mattheo." He took the sign and finally shut up.

I leaned back on the sofa and when I looked in front, I found those two pairs of eyes planted on me. Yuri looked at me in amusement while Sinn on the other hand just had this intense look that was hard to read cause of his stoic expression.

Thankfully, Yuri's phone ringed and he cursed under his breath before he stood up and put his phone by his ear and said something in Japanese before he left us three in the living room.

Mattheo also dismissed himself shortly saying he needs to use the bathroom leaving me with Sinn. Alone.

I usually don't feel nervous with him but having flashbacks from that night is making my body feel many things and his intense gaze on me isn't helping much either.

We sat there in deadly silence with Sinn looking at me and me looking at anywhere but him.

"How're you doing." His deep voice filled the silent room. "Huh?" That left my mouth stupidly and I cursed myself for acting this way with him.

"You drank a lot last night," he added and I shifted my gaze at him finally meeting his ice-cold gaze which was fixed on me.

"Oh, yes I'm good now thanks for asking," I replied.

I finally got an urge to clear things from that night cause it was starting to mess up with my brain. Not to say he's also my boss.

"I wanted to talk to you about something." I blurted out with whatever courage I had. He kept on looking at me and crossed his arms, signaling me to continue.

I opened my mouth to say when another made the words die in my mouth.

"Get ready by 7, we're going out." Leo entered the living room and with him came Yuri putting his phone back in his pocket. Francis was beside Leo and Mattheo came back from the bathroom. They all came back at the most convenient timing there could ever be!

Leo stood between Sinn and me and I looked up at him. He furrowed his brow as he studied us. "Did I interrupt something important?" Sinn clenched his jaw as he now had a pissed-off look on his face.

I shook my head, "No, not at all."

However, Leo knitted his brows, looking at Sinn. "I think I did."