Alicia was the first one to move the moment we stepped inside.
She slipped past me without a word, already drifting from one corner of the living room to another, her laughter light and unrestrained as she took everything in like it was a playground built just for her. Every little detail seemed to catch her attention, from the tall glass panels to the polished floors that reflected the morning light.
Millien followed behind her at a steady pace, arms crossed, his eyes moving more carefully than hers. He wasn't exploring. He was watching. Keeping track of where she went, making sure she didn't stray too far or get into anything she shouldn't.
I watched them for a second before my attention shifted back to the space in front of me.
The living room alone was already… too much.
Spacious didn't even begin to cover it. The ceiling stretched high above us, the furniture arranged with that kind of effortless balance that only comes from people who never had to think twice about cost.
"…This is bigger than my whole house," I muttered under my breath, though it came out louder than I intended.
Gino heard it.
Of course he did.
He just chuckled as he walked ahead, like that kind of statement wasn't anything new to him.
"Come on," he said casually. "Make yourselves comfortable."
Cynthia stepped in beside me, her gaze moving across the room, taking in the details with a small nod of approval.
"The layout's clean," she said, almost to herself. "Good use of space."
I glanced at her.
"…Of course that's what you notice."
She didn't even look at me, just smiled faintly.
We didn't have time to linger anyway. Gino turned back to us after a few steps and gestured toward the hallway.
"Use the guest rooms upstairs," he said. "Bathrooms are all there. Just shower first. I'll find something you can change into."
That alone was already something I wasn't used to.
"Find something," like it was that easy.
I was about to say something when footsteps echoed from above.
We all looked up.
A woman was descending the grand staircase, her posture relaxed but composed, her presence immediately filling the space in a way that didn't feel overwhelming, just… steady. Behind her, a man followed at a slower pace, his gaze already settling on us before he even reached the bottom.
"Gino," the woman called, her voice warm, carrying just enough to reach us without effort. "You're back early."
Gino turned, his expression shifting slightly.
"Morning, Mom," he said, then glanced back at us. "They stayed over for a group thing. We just came from outside."
She nodded, her attention moving to us with a gentle curiosity.
"These must be your club members," she said.
Gino nodded and stepped aside slightly.
"Yeah," he replied. "This is the team."
He started introducing us one by one.
"Sarah. Cynthia. And-"
When his hand gestured toward me, I stepped forward slightly.
"Anthony."
Mr. Uy, who had just reached the last step, stopped for a moment.
His eyes stayed on me longer than I expected.
Not in a rude way.
Just… assessing.
"So," he said slowly, a small smile forming as he folded his arms. "This is the young man you were talking about."
Gino didn't say anything.
Didn't need to.
Mr. Uy's gaze sharpened just a bit.
"The one who's… gifted."
I held his gaze for a second, then gave a small nod.
Didn't confirm.
Didn't deny.
Didn't need to explain anything either.
For some reason, that was enough.
Mrs. Uy didn't react the same way. If anything, her expression softened a little more, like the topic wasn't something strange to her.
There was no disbelief.
No awkwardness.
Just… acceptance.
It clicked then.
They weren't new to this.
Not even close.
It explained a lot.
Why Gino never hesitated during cases. Why he treated everything we faced like it was something he had already prepared himself for long before we even started.
Mr. Uy exhaled lightly, then shook his head with a small chuckle.
"I'm still a bit disappointed," he said, glancing at Gino before looking back at me. "You didn't let us handle your store location or the website launch. Could've made things smoother for you."
Before I could respond, Cynthia stepped in smoothly, her tone polite but firm.
"My father already handled those aspects," she said. "We're operating just fine."
Mr. Uy paused for a second, then laughed quietly.
"Ah," he said, nodding. "Jeremiah still does things thoroughly, I see."
There was something in the way he said it.
Not quite praise.
Not quite criticism either.
Just enough weight to it that you could tell there was history there.
I glanced at Gino.
Then at Cynthia.
Neither of them reacted strongly, but the way they held themselves said enough.
So that's where it came from.
The competitiveness.
The subtle tension whenever business came into the conversation.
Like father, like children.
Gino cleared his throat slightly, stepping forward.
"We're just going to freshen up," he said. "We've got classes soon."
Mrs. Uy nodded immediately, her attention shifting back to us.
"Of course," she said gently. "Take your time. I'll have clothes sent up for the girls."
She turned slightly, already giving quiet instructions to someone I hadn't even noticed nearby.
"And I'll have breakfast prepared," she added, glancing back with a warm smile. "You must all be hungry."
No one refused.
No one even tried.
Because at this point, refusing would've just felt… out of place.
I just stood there for a second, taking it all in.
The house.
The people.
The way everything moved so smoothly around us like this kind of setup was just normal.
Then I exhaled quietly and ran a through my hair.
"…Yeah," I muttered under my breath.
Guess this is part of it now.
No point overthinking it.