“You’re up early.” Jiwoo jumps up and turns to Olivia laying next to her with her head resting on her hand. An amused smile paints over Olivia’s tired expression, “God, you’re so easy to scare. How can you live on the battlefield?”

It was 5 in the morning and their call time wouldn’t be until 8. Jiwoo wouldn’t mind an early start. Jiwoo didn’t plan it though, just suddenly waking up then the next thing she knew, she couldn’t fall back asleep. Olivia on the other hand woke up the same time once she felt Jiwoo move up to sit. The coldness of the room got to Olivia quickly so she was awake too.

Olivia observed Jiwoo seemed to float in her own little world sometimes, that one would have to repeat themselves in order to gain the girl’s attention. Olivia looked through her team’s transcripts the second they were excused from the ceremony.

She found out Jiwoo turned out to be the oldest though she didn’t look a day older than a 14 year old girl. She turned out to be 17 moving onto 18 this year. Olivia thought it was odd she had only recently been enrolled but it was fair compensation how quickly she got into the academy anyways.

Choerry, as her given codename, was Yerim, was 16 moving to 17. Gowon, to Olivia’s surprise was also a codename, the blonde that shared the same age as Jiwoo actually held the name of Chaewon. This would leave Olivia the youngest but seemingly enough her maturity was no joke in comparison to Jiwoo sometimes. Maybe it was the fact she had trained longer than the 2nd years.

“I didn’t think you’d be up. Compared to those two.” Jiwoo pointed to Gowon and Yerim who were still sound asleep. Jiwoo found it cute how the brunette and the blonde laid closed to each other despite only knowing each other for the entrance test as well as being on the same team.

“Well they’re tired Jiwoo, what do you expect?” Olivia hummed looking over to the said girls as well. “Did they know each other before our team?” Jiwoo shook her head.

“After the entrance tests, Gowon began hanging out with Yerim and I, all the way up until now.” Jiwoo turned around to Olivia, “Say, didn’t you have anyone with you in the Hero Academy?”

“Used to, I prefer not to come anywhere near them. Otherwise, I’m close with some of the technicians. But you know, they’re always busy making and testing things, so I guess I’m a lone wolf.” Olivia seemed unbothered by this.

“Let me guess, something with Yves right?” Jiwoo could associate most of Olivia’s worries with her newly found crush, but she’d have to keep quiet if she wanted a stable team. Olivia remained silent with her eyes shut, Jiwoo surmised the girl still was half dozing off yet still held a conversation with the former.

Jiwoo didn’t know Olivia long aside from their little bathroom meeting just a couple of days ago. Otherwise, she’d see the 5th year glancing around seemingly to try and find someone she couldn’t even name. The girl did act like a lone wolf when Jiwoo saw her.

It was awkward for Jiwoo, to know she had to bite her tongue when she would have her crazy ramblings with Yerim that started approximately two weeks ago when the ever so iconic Yves vs. Jiwoo occured.

Maybe it was better for the both of them. To Yerim and Gowon especially, since Gowon recently added to the 2nd year duo. Gowon was catching on quickly to know Jiwoo was falling too hard for Miss Loona Hero 7.

For Olivia, it’d be a unfamiliar bonus, she didn’t have to know that her teammate was falling for her enemy.

Olivia opened her droopy eyes to glance at Jiwoo then shut them again. “Spot on.” For the girl that said not to mention Yves, she didn’t seem to object on the matter Jiwoo was bringing her up now.

Jiwoo realized Olivia’s earlier complaint by this, “Right, not supposed to say her. Sorry Hyejoo.” A slight satisfied smile comes to Olivia’s lips and it brought Jiwoo to confusion.

“The only reason I say not to mention Yves is because when people talk about her, all they talk is how she’s God recreated into human form.” Jiwoo awkwardly looked to the side considering she herself had done the same. “It’s all I hear nowadays. Ever since your little brawl with her.” Jiwoo shrunk even further into her mind, make it twice as hard not to talk of Yves ever again.

“If it’s like, you know, she actually needs to be spoken of? Then that’s fine, I just want some free space where Yves doesn’t fall from someone’s mouth.” Olivia’s words stuck to Jiwoo, it made the former contemplate whether to confess her undoubtedly strong feelings for Yves but wanted to keep quiet. At least for now.

“Got that noted.” Jiwoo slides an awkward laugh. It made Jiwoo curious though, what kind of past did Olivia and Yves have? Before she could ask for more, she heard murmuring and grumbles coming from the other bed. She assumed both Gowon and Yerim were waking up to their chatter.

She looked to the digital clock. A quarter to 6. Reasonable enough as sunlight slowly spilled into their dorm room.

“Rise and shine!” Jiwoo made an outburst that startled Olivia so much that she fell out of her bed. Yerim grumbling and pulling the bedsheets over her with Gowon doing the same. The bubbly, energetic Jiwoo made her comeback to get her squad up and ready.

“Christ, I bet My0 heard you.” Olivia rose to her feet rubbing her back. A giggle comes from Jiwoo as she practically skips over to her teammates’ bed, shaking Yerim.

“Come on, Cherry! Get up!” It’s a common joke that Yerim’s codename gets mispronounced and misspelled. Even the staff has done the same.

“It’s...Choerry, for the last time..” Yerim mumbles half awake, half asleep. Her eyebrows scrunched and eyes shut trying to avoid the sunlight that just so happened to land on her face.

Gowon soon sat up. Her face covered in irritation for waking up earlier than she had expected. She was rubbing her eyes to adjust to the room coming to light slowly bit by bit.

Olivia had already made her way to the bathroom to wash up, leaving Jiwoo in charge to well, wake up Yerim.

“Yerim come on!” Jiwoo still was shaking the brunette yet she still remained unresponsive to her calls in waking her.

It all felt like routine despite being the first day together as MaBl. Gowon, as soon as she woke up and adjusted, joined Olivia in the shared bathroom after she finished with a shower, Gowon would go in next.

As soon as Yerim got up, she ended up being last in the shower, ending up with the cold water. This earned a shared laugh between the earlier three.

Maybe it was because they clicked together quickly. But training is what truly tested this.

~~~

MaBl showed up the same time as My0 to the training area. All stretching and preparing themselves. Jiwoo making her own fun summoning the small apple tree to get herself a treat. Gowon and Yerim conversing more and showing each other their own special moved to their powers. Yeojin and Hyunjin bickering while Heejin and ViVi tried to end their little worries. Olivia? She sat back and watched, she observed.

Didn’t take long for Uni-Q to make their way out, all in the same uniforms as the other groups. Olivia avoided the curious stare of Yves. She felt uncomfortable as she went to stand near MaBl, looking anywhere but at Yves.

Jiwoo was able to pick up on this, Yves had an apologetic stare towards Olivia although the charcoal haired girl had an uncomfortable one.  

“Alright, girls. I think you all are well acquainted with each other, considering the racket I heard last night.” Haseul spoke up eyeing My0, Jiwoo recollected My0 and Uni-Q’s rooms