Wee... Woo... Wee... Woo...
"Huff—Huff—Huff..."
Leo panted heavily, clutching his knees like he had just run a marathon, sweat dripping down his face.
He finally reached the location.
The blaring lights reflected in his eyes, and he saw... police cars and an ambulance already standing there.
But then his stomach twisted when he caught sight of the police officer stepping out of the vehicle. Soone familiar. Soone he actually knew... the sa man he had gone to visit before.
Leo imdiately ducked behind the nearest wall like a startled cat, pressing his back flat against the rough surface. "Damn it, of all people... why him?" he thought, peeking around the corner with one wary eye.
The officer held a phone to his ear, talking in a serious, low tone. Then, to Leo’s surprise, he frowned, sighed heavily, and with a half-annoyed grunt, kicked a small pebble on the ground.
The officer then turned to one of the ambulance staff, waved his hand carelessly, and just... left?
"Eh?" Leo blinked, leaning forward, still crouched.
Leo frowned deeper. "Wait, what? They just left like that?!"
Not even a glance inside the house. Not even bothering to check. They had literally co all the way here with sirens blazing, and then left?
He was still processing that nonsense when—
Ring~ Ring~
The sudden shrill tone of his phone made him nearly jump out of his skin. He scrambled to silence it and quickly pressed it against his ear.
"Sakura? Are you alright?"
"Cough... cough... I am alright... did you call the ambulance?"
Leo blinked, confused. "Well, yeah, of course! You sounded really serious, like you were about to collapse or sothing, that’s why I called them."
"Hah... cough, cough... I told you I’m fine..." Her weak voice drifted through the line, though it didn’t sound anywhere close to fine.
Leo’s brows knitted. "That doesn’t sound fine at all... Anyway, enough arguing. Open the door, I’m standing at your gate," he said firmly, already moving towards it.
On the other end, there was a sharp intake of breath. "Y-You already ca here? S-So fast?" Her voice cracked, almost panicked, before she abruptly cut the call.
Leo stared at the phone screen. "...Huh?" He blinked several tis. Her tone—it almost sounded like she was expecting him, or maybe not expecting him this soon?
Either way, sothing was off. Still, no point thinking too hard about it.
He lifted his gaze toward the towering gate in front of him and whistled low.
"Damn... It’s even bigger"
The tal lood like the entrance to so private fortress.
Leo muttered again, eyes travelling upward at the mansion beyond. Her house... it wasn’t just big. It was absurdly big. Almost twice the size of Valra’s already intimidating mansion and easily.... what, a fifty? Or may 60 tis the size of his own cramped little place?
"Did I... hit the jackpot or sothing?"
For a second, excitent lit his face. Then imdiately doubt crashed over him.
’Am I even worth it?’ he thought, biting his lip. Honestly, anyone standing in his shoes would have the sa thought: how in the hell did he manage to score a "goal" like this?
A girl like her was the rarest of rare balls, the kind you couldn’t even hope to dribble near, let alone put in the net.
After all, wasn’t it always so childhood friend or so fate-tied weirdo who got the chance with a girl like this? Not... well, him.
Leo sighed, shoulders slumping, as conflicting feelings tangled in his chest. Sure, he was happy.
Who wouldn’t be? Rich girlfriends, fancy houses, private baths... it was like a dream.
But dreams also ca with pressure, and this was the kind that squeezed him until he could hardly breathe.
"Ah, screw it," he muttered.
Grrrrrrnnnn—
With a groaning sound that echoed through the street, the gate moved to the side just like Valra’s.
"Seems like this kind of machine is popular around here," Leo muttered under his breath, watching the heavy slabs of tal slide away like so giant chanical jaw.
Anyway, Leo stepped inside the gate.
The mont his shoes hit the other side, he felt a strange spinning in his head, as if he were stepping not into soone’s yard but... into another world altogether.
The sll, the air, the sense, the feel—everything seed so different here. The atmosphere felt detached from the rest of the city, almost like this house existed in its own pocket of reality.
He walked forward, eyes darting around the vast yard that stretched for what looked like several kilotres.
Then, instead of taking his ti, Leo imdiately broke into a run, sprinting toward the huge mansion that lood ahead. The building was painted a clean white, with a golden hue gleaming on its edges, and for so reason, a faint pink mist hung lazily around it.
"Weird combination," Leo muttered, slowing down as he arrived at the massive front door. He pressed the calling bell once. Then again. But... nobody ca through.
Clicking his tongue, he pulled out his phone and called Sakura.
She answered with a cough, her voice faint. "The door... is already open."
Leo hesitated, then reached out. The handle turned easily.
The door creaked open, and with a reluctant step, Leo entered. Much less to say... he was instantly awed by it.
A large red carpet sprawled across the entire entrance like a river of velvet. His eyes imdiately caught the shoe rack by the side... no, not a rack, more like a miniature shop. It was enormous, filled with shoes of every possible colour and style, arranged neatly like a display in so high-end boutique.
Leo’s shoulders tensed. He let out a deep sigh, unable to put into words the odd, heavy feeling settling inside his chest. It was sothing he couldn’t say out loud, nor could he fully understand himself.
"Where are you?" he asked quickly, still on the call.
"Second floor... third room..." ca Sakura’s faint reply.
"Okay." He hung up, eyes already on the grand staircase.
Leo climbed the stairs, staring wide-eyed at each polished step. The staircase was so broad it felt like his entire house could fit comfortably right there.
’Shit,’ he smirked, lips curling in a weird grin, ’Am I seriously going to own this house after marriage?’
He slapped his cheeks lightly. "No! Nope! Don’t even think like that, Leo. Focus on your girlfriend, not her damn assets!"
Shaking his head rapidly, he forced himself to focus as he reached the second floor.
There were too many rooms. Doors stretched on and on, each decorated differently. Still, he walked toward the third one on the left.
There it was. A board fixed on the door read: Sakura. Tiny flowers, both painted and real, decorated the fra.
"Cute..." he muttered, raising his hand.
Knock, knock...
He knocked gently, waiting.
But the door didn’t open.
Thud!
A muffled sound from inside—like soone collapsing.
"Sakura?"
He didn’t wait. Gripping the handle, he pushed the door open and rushed inside.
His eyes widened the mont he stepped in.
"S-Senior?"
There she was... Sakura. Lying on the ground, sweat beading across her face. Her long hair was ssy, tangled across her shoulders. She was wearing a loose nightshirt and small shorts, the quilt she’d probably tried to drag with her now sprawled awkwardly over her body.
Leo froze in the doorway, caught between worry and the awkward sight before him.
Sakura looked at Leo with a flushed, hazy face, her cheeks red as she managed a weak smile.
"Y-You ca...?" she whispered softly, her voice trembling.
Without hesitation, Leo bent down and scooped her up in one swift motion, lifting her like a princess.
Sakura gasped, her body tensing, before her already red face deepened into an even hotter shade of crimson. "He... hehe..." she giggled weakly, half-embarrassed and half-delirious.
Leo carried her carefully and gently set her down on the massive bed... a bed so large it looked like it could comfortably hold four people at once. Plush toys were scattered all around, adding an oddly childish charm to the luxurious setting.
He tucked the quilt back over her, smoothing it across her shoulders, before sitting down at the edge of the bed. His hand reached out, brushing against her forehead, her neck, and the damp skin of her cheek. His brows furrowed as he checked her temperature.
"Is the fever too high? Why didn’t the ambulance take you?" he asked.
Sakura didn’t reply right away. Instead, she just stared at him with her squinted eyes, a fragile little smile clinging to her lips.
"Sakura?" Leo called again, leaning closer.
She blinked slowly, then whispered, her voice faint and shaky, "You... ca... for ... really... you... ca..."
Leo’s expression softened. A gentle smile curved across his lips. "Of course, I would," he murmured, reaching out to stroke her hair. His fingers brushed her damp bangs back from her forehead, pushing away the strands sticking to her sweaty skin.
"Anyway... your body temperature seems normal," Leo muttered in confusion. His hand lingered against her skin, but the warmth wasn’t as high as he expected. On the outside, she seed fine.
Sakura coughed twice, her small fra shaking. "I... I don’t know..." she whispered, her tone weak, eyes lowering under the weight of exhaustion.
Leo studied her for a few seconds, brows knitting tighter. "Maybe so kind of inner fever..." he thought silently. Then, aloud, he asked, "Have you taken any dications?"
Sakura’s heavy-lidded eyes drifted toward the small table near her bed. Following her gaze, Leo turned and saw several packs of dicine neatly stacked there.
Untouched.
"You didn’t take anything today?"
Sakura weakly shook her head, coughing again. "I... haven’t even... eaten anything to take dicine..."
Right on cue, her stomach betrayed her with a loud growl that echoed in the room. Her cheeks flared pink, and she quickly looked away, embarrassed.
Leo’s eyes widened. "You haven’t eaten? What are you doing, idiot? Where are your parents?"
At the ntion, Sakura smiled faintly but lowered her gaze, refusing to answer.
Leo clicked his tongue, "Tch... seriously..." He glanced around, ’I should at least check the kitchen. Ordering outside food won’t do for a sick person...’ he thought.
Sakura slowly raised her trembling hand and caught his wrist just as he was about to stand.
Her grip was weak, but desperate.
"P-Please... don’t leave ... cough, cough..."
Leo froze, then let out a soft exhale. He looked down at her fragile hand clutching his and gave her a small, reassuring smile.
"I’m not leaving," he said gently. He patted her hand and leaned closer. "But you need to eat sothing before you can take your dication, right? I’ll prepare sothing simple for you." His voice was calm, steady, as if promising her he wouldn’t disappear.
Sakura’s lips pursed into a faint pout, like a child refusing to let go, before she finally released him. Her expression softened into the smallest smile.
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