Leonid walked down the hallway but stopped at the door of his apartment and turned toward her.
"In the meantime, would you like to go out with me, or would you prefer to stay in my apartment?"
Charlotte hesitated for a moment before whispering.
"Go out? I don't know... I don't really feel like it."
"That's okay, you don't have to force yourself to do something you're not up for."
Leonid was very understanding. After all, his main concern was Charlotte's mental well-being, and he had already been thinking of ways to get her out of this place, like taking her to Daniel's girlfriend's birthday party, which he had been bothering her about.
He turned and reached for the doorknob of his apartment, opening the door and then gesturing for her to enter first before following her slowly.
The moment Leonid was about to close the door, Charlotte stopped and suddenly turned to him.
"Leonid, you left your clothes in my bedroom!"
"And what about that? We can get them later, also—wait, where are you going!?"
He hadn't finished talking about how it wasn't important to go back for his clothes when Charlotte rushed outside. Leonid sighed in annoyance, rolled his eyes, and then decided to walk behind her.
Meanwhile, at the headquarters, inside one of the locked rooms, Vladimir was getting ready to put on the cleaning service uniform consisting of blue and yellow colors, with a badge reading 'Free Cleaning.' Next to him, Vasili wore the matching cap with the official uniform, while Dmitri had already finished dressing except for the last piece, the cap.
"Is everyone ready?"
Vladimir asked calmly as he closed the wardrobe door, directing his gaze toward the two young men.
Vasili was leaning against the wardrobe, his arms crossed casually, an indifferent look on his face, while Dmitri sat on the chair, sighing audibly, as if the weight of the world was pressing down on his chest.
"Yes, we're waiting for you, Deputy Commander."
Vasili replied with a polite tone, though it carried a hint of insincerity. Vladimir nodded slightly in approval.
"You look very polite... it seems the commander did a good job disciplining you."
Vladimir smiled sarcastically, his tone calm but laced with satisfaction.
"Is throwing important files and documents at me what you call discipline? Deputy Commander, you really don't appreciate my efforts and genius."
Vasili muttered with sarcasm, before curling the corner of his lips in disgust and turning to exit first, his indifferent steps echoing lightly in the room. Vladimir watched his back for a moment before turning to Dmitri, studying his pale face.
"By the way, are you having trouble sleeping? You look worse than yesterday... and the day before."
Dmitri sighed heavily, as if he didn't want to answer, but eventually gave in.
"I've always had trouble sleeping, this isn't new."
He hesitated for a moment, then looked around disinterestedly before adding in a low voice, as though forced to admit it.
"I feel miserable every moment..."
He looked away, his eyes lost in the void, then continued with a hoarse sadness.
"My best friend told me he won't invite me to his wedding."
He clenched his hand tightly, his teeth grinding with repressed resentment, while Vladimir silently observed him, his expression stiff with no apparent emotion.
"Imagine that... my best friend since childhood! We were always together, never apart! And in the end, he simply tells me he won't invite me... as if I'm nothing!"
Dmitri's eyes widened slightly, his voice choked with bitterness.
"He's so vile..."
"Hmm... yes, very vile."
Vladimir murmured softly, forcing himself to match Dmitri's emotions. He reached out and patted his shoulder with a quick touch, as though it were a mere formal gesture.
"Alright, let's go. We're almost late."
With a slight nod, he gave Dmitri's shoulder a light push, then turned toward the door without waiting for a response. Dmitri stayed where he was for a moment, took a deep breath, then let out a heavy sigh before standing up and putting on his uniform cap, following Vladimir out.
"Are you feeling at ease now?"
Leonid asked neutrally as he stood behind Charlotte, closing the door of her apartment after she returned to grab the clothes she had forgotten.
Charlotte paused, clutching the clothes she was carrying as if she were holding something more than just fabric.
"More than you can imagine... I don't know what would have happened to me if I hadn't come back for them."
Leonid raised an eyebrow slightly, his tone growing more curious.
"Is it really that important? You're exaggerating. Whether you leave my clothes here or take them with you, it doesn't make any difference in the end."
Charlotte frowned as she stared at him for a long moment, her eyes searching for an answer that would explain her perspective, but she couldn't find the right words. She paused for a moment, then exhaled lightly before whispering.
"Listen... you won't understand what I'm thinking right now, just as I sometimes can't understand you."
"You mean most of the time."
Charlotte tilted her head slightly after his quick reply, a hint of displeasure in her eyes before she said calmly.
"Just go along with me, okay?"
Leonid shrugged indifferently and replied.
"Okay. But there's no need to say that... I'm the best at going along with things, and the proof? I'm here right now, chasing after you even at this moment."
Charlotte narrowed her eyes; she didn't like his response, which seemed sarcastic to her, while, for Leonid, it was simply a passing truth.
For some reason, her spirit flared up again, and she felt the urge to reply, but before she could say anything, the door to the apartment at the end of the hall opened. She froze for a moment, glancing from behind Leonid, while he continued to look at her, uninterested in who was approaching them from behind, adding with a feigned conviction.
"You seem unconvinced, but, darling, I still am and will always be the one to go along with your moods, actions, and illogical words."
Charlotte raised an eyebrow, her gaze never leaving his face, but she couldn't ignore the man with black hair who stepped out, smoking his cigarette, heading steadily toward the elevator, almost reaching them.
"Hey, don't say it like that, as if I seem unreasonable."
She frowned, her full lips expressing her displeasure.
"For your information, I also go along with your actions, moods, words... and even your illogical stares most of the time."
"Illogical? Please, I'm the most logical person in the world."
Leonid stopped for a moment, a slight smile creeping onto the corner of his lips, but he didn't hide his curiosity about Charlotte's reserved tone.
"But wait... is this a fact or a made-up complaint?"
There was a warm resentment in her voice, making him pay more attention to her words. Meanwhile, Charlotte was stealing glances at the approaching man, watching him from the corner of her eye as he drew closer, but without losing eye contact with Leonid.
"Maybe both... does it matter to you if there's a difference?"
"Oh, darling..."
Leonid smiled lazily, his eyes glinting with a mix of amusement and interest, before leaning toward her slightly and murmuring:
"You're bold now, but don't worry... the bolder you get, the more enchanting you become in my eyes."
"... What?"
Charlotte flinched for a moment, her eyes meeting his, about to protest, but that mischievous smile on his lips made her turn quickly, heading toward his apartment while still holding his clothes as if they were a precious treasure.
"What, what?!"
Leonid raised his voice, enjoying her reaction.
"Don't you like being more enchanting in my eyes, darling?!"
She didn't reply, only quickened her pace, which only increased his enjoyment.
He shook his head as he heard the sound of footsteps approaching. Indifferently, Devin passed by Leonid, exhaling smoke from his cigarette as he headed toward the elevator.
He had come out after hearing Charlotte's voice, expecting to find something interesting, but what he saw only increased his irritation he saw her enter Leonid's apartment.
But, as usual, he didn't show any reaction, merely walking past them as if nothing had happened.
Meanwhile, Leonid cast a brief glance at Devin's back for a moment before turning his gaze away and entering the apartment, closing the door behind him.
Charlotte fled to the living room, spinning around in confusion, her full cheeks burning with embarrassment. When she heard Leonid's footsteps and the sound of the door closing, she hurried to the bathroom, pushed the door open quickly behind her, and locked it securely.
In the hallway, in front of the elevator, Devin stood slowly exhaling cigarette smoke, his eyes half-closed as he waited for it to arrive. When the faint bell rang and the doors finally opened, he paused for a moment, silently watching the three men who stepped out, carrying cleaning equipment.
The cleaning crew moved outside, carrying bags filled with cleaning supplies, mops, and brooms. The scene was ordinary, but for some reason, it bothered him.
Once the elevator was empty, Devin entered and pressed the button for the lower floor with a sharp tap, his frustration clearly visible in his movements.
Meanwhile, Vladimir quickly glanced around before starting to walk, followed by Dmitri and Vasili, carrying cleaning equipment and wearing the uniform caps and masks to conceal their identities from any curious eyes.