After locking himself in the storage room for what felt like an eternity, Leo's nerves finally began to settle. The chase had been exhausting, and his mind raced with thoughts of traps, angry girls, and narrow escapes. The room around him was still and quiet, offering him a rare moment of peace.
Once he was sure the coast was clear, he decided it was time to sneak back to his room. The hallways had quieted down; the usual chatter of students had died down as the night dragged on. Slipping through the shadows, Leo made his way back to his dorm. Each step was taken with caution, his senses heightened, but there were no sounds of pursuit, no traps lying in wait.
When he finally reached his door, he let out a sigh of relief and entered. The safety of his room felt almost foreign after the chaos of the day. Without bothering to change out of his clothes, Leo collapsed onto his bed. His body ached from the constant running, but the exhaustion was comforting in a way—it meant the day was finally over.
His thoughts briefly wandered to Rin. He wasn't sure how to feel about her yet. The events of the day played back in his head—her fall, the kiss, the misunderstanding that followed. And then, her underling declaring him a pervert. Despite all of that, Rin had gone out of her way to call off the search. That had to count for something.
I'll figure it out later, he thought, letting sleep finally claim him.
Leo woke to the soft light of dawn streaming through the window, the air still cool from the night before. He rubbed his eyes, groaning slightly as he forced himself out of bed. Today had to be better than yesterday, right? He could only hope.
After stretching and shaking off the lingering drowsiness, Leo began his morning routine. He washed up, brushed his teeth, and changed into his uniform. His mind was still foggy from the lack of proper sleep, but at least the academy was quiet at this early hour.
As he finished getting ready, there was a knock on his door. It was unusual this early in the morning, and he opened the door with a hint of curiosity. To his surprise, Rin stood there, her face calm, as though yesterday's madness had never happened.
"Good morning, Leo," she greeted him, her voice soft yet steady.
Leo blinked in surprise. "Rin?"
Rin nodded, her expression more composed than usual. "I came to walk with you to class. After yesterday's… incident, I think we should go together. That way, there won't be any misunderstandings."
Leo scratched the back of his head, not entirely sure what to say. "Yeah, I guess that makes sense."
For a moment, they stood there, the awkwardness of the previous day hanging in the air between them. But Rin, to her credit, seemed to have moved past it, and Leo was grateful for that. He grabbed his bag and stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him.
Together, they made their way down the dormitory hallway. It was still early enough that the academy grounds were quiet, with only a few students milling about. The soft morning breeze and the distant chirping of birds made the atmosphere feel peaceful, a stark contrast to the tension of the day before.
As they walked side by side, Leo couldn't help but glance at Rin from the corner of his eye. She seemed different today—calmer, more composed. She wasn't wearing her half-mask, and he noticed how the early morning light softened her features. There was a quiet determination in the way she walked, as if she had already decided to move past the events of yesterday and start fresh.
"Thanks," Leo said after a moment, breaking the silence.
"For what?" Rin asked, her gaze forward.
"For calling off the search yesterday. You didn't have to do that."
Rin's lips twitched into a small, almost imperceptible smile. "It was the right thing to do. Besides, I couldn't let you keep running around the academy like that. It wouldn't be good for anyone."
Leo chuckled, feeling the tension between them start to ease. "Yeah, I appreciate it. I don't think I could've survived another day of being hunted."
Rin shook her head lightly, but her smile remained. "Let's just focus on today. We'll be late for class if we don't hurry."
They continued walking in comfortable silence, the academy grounds slowly coming to life around them. As they approached the classroom building, a few students cast curious glances their way, but no one dared to say anything. Leo wasn't sure if it was because of Rin's presence or if word had already spread about the misunderstanding, but for now, it seemed like things were returning to normal.
For the first time in a while, Leo felt a sense of calm.
The day was just beginning, and with Rin by his side, maybe—just maybe—things would start looking up.
A/N:
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