The car rolled into the school compound just as the morning bell echoed faintly across the grounds. The campus was already alive—students gathering in clusters, laughter ringing out, footsteps rushing toward buildings as the day officially began.
Ethan was the first to step out.
He glanced around once, eyes sharp and alert despite the ordinary setting, then reached back to lock the car doors with a soft click. Only after the sound registered did he turn to the others, nodding once. A habit. A ritual. One that grounded him.
"Let's go," he said.
Leon stepped out last.
The morning sun caught his pale complexion immediately, highlighting the faint exhaustion that still clung to him no matter how carefully he masked it. His expression remained as cold and unreadable as ever, posture straight, movements controlled—but those who knew him could tell. He was weaker. Not broken, but not whole either.
Yun Qiaolan noticed first.
Her gaze flicked to him briefly before she slipped closer, uncapping a small vial hidden in her sleeve. "Drink," she murmured quietly, pressing it into his palm. "Don't argue."
Leon glanced at it, then at her. For half a second, it looked like he might refuse—then he sighed, tipped the vial back, and swallowed the contents without a word.
"Good," she said, satisfied. "I'll check on you later."
She stepped away before he could respond, already walking toward where Luna waited near the entrance, chatting animatedly about something only the two of them found interesting.
The rest of the group exchanged glances, silently acknowledging the care without commenting on it.
That was when voices cut through the air.
"Leon?"
The tone was soft. Concerned. Familiar.
Leon barely had time to turn before Tyler was already in front of him.
Tyler stood there with his soft green eyes wide, brows drawn together in worry, scanning Leon from head to toe like a mother hen assessing an injured chick. His hands hovered, uncertain whether to touch or restrain himself.
"You weren't here yesterday," Tyler said, voice gentle but unmistakably tense. "And you're pale. Like… really pale."
Alex stood beside him, arms crossed, eyes sharp. "You look like hell," he added bluntly.
"No offense."
Leon raised an eyebrow. "Some taken."
Tyler ignored the remark entirely. "Did you eat? Did you sleep? You look like you didn't do either."
"I slept," Leon replied coolly.
"When?"
Leon paused.
"…Earlier."
Tyler stared at him.
The rest of the group—Ethan, Caleb,—pretended very hard not to notice the interaction. None of them commented. None of them intervened. It was far too interesting. The almighty cold hearted Leon is being interrogated and was helpless. Haha this is far too interesting.
Alex snorted. "That's not an answer."
Leon exhaled slowly, already annoyed. "I was dealing with personal business yesterday."
Tyler's eyes softened even more. "Personal business that almost killed you?"
Leon's head snapped toward him. "Excuse me?"
Tyler blinked. "I—what? I mean—you just look—"
Alex burst out laughing.
"Wow," Alex said. "You're really bad at subtlety."
Tyler flushed slightly but didn't back down. "I'm just worried, okay? That's not a crime."
Leon studied him for a long moment. Tyler's gaze didn't waver—soft, stubborn, unapologetically concerned.
Annoying.
…And strangely disarming.
"I'm fine," Leon said at last, tone clipped. "Drop it."
Tyler's lips pressed together, clearly unconvinced, but he nodded anyway. "Fine. But I'm watching you."
Leon scoffed. "You always are."
That earned him a smile—small, fond, and entirely too knowing.
They started walking toward the main building together.
"Did you hear we have a pop quiz in literature today?" Alex asked, trying to steer the conversation back to something normal.
Caleb groaned. "You're lying."
"I wish."
Ethan clicked his tongue. "I told you to read the material."
"You say that every time," Caleb replied.
"Because you never listen."
Tyler leaned closer to Leon as they walked.
"You missed practice yesterday."
Leon shrugged. "I'm not on the team."
"You still watch," Tyler countered. "You critique better than half the coaches."
Leon smirked faintly. "That's because most of them are incompetent."
Alex laughed. "See? This is why we keep him around."
The conversation shifted naturally—classes, upcoming exams, sports matches, teachers they disliked. When Yun Qiaolan's name came up again, Tyler brightened.
"Did you see the jacket she wore yesterday?" Tyler said. "Absolute perfection. The cut? The texture? I almost cried."
"She has good taste," Ethan agreed.
Alex rolled his eyes. "You two talk about clothes like warriors talk about swords."
"Fashion is a battlefield," Tyler said solemnly.
Leon huffed quietly.
Tyler noticed. "You don't disagree."
"I don't," Leon admitted. "You just talk too much."
Tyler grinned. "And yet you listen."
Leon didn't respond.
They reached the classroom just as the bell rang.
The first period passed quietly.
Leon sat by the window, eyes half-lidded, body still, appearing to sleep—but anyone looking closely would notice the subtle shift in his breathing, the controlled stillness of meditation. He let the ambient noise fade, drawing in energy slowly, carefully, mending what Shen Rui'an's treatment had stabilized but not fully restored.
Tyler glanced at him more than once.
Alex noticed. "You're hovering."
"I am not."
"You're absolutely hovering."
Tyler frowned. "He looks tired."
"He always looks like that," Alex said.
"That's not true."
Ethan glanced over briefly. "Let him rest."
Tyler nodded, finally sitting back—but his attention never fully left Leon.
The second period began with the sound of footsteps echoing down the hallway.
Slow. Unhurried.
Different.
Leon's eyes opened instantly.
The door slid open.
Logan stepped in first.
His hair was loose, falling naturally around his face, still slightly damp from a rushed wash. He wore a plain white shirt—clean, fitted just enough to emphasize his frame—paired with dark trousers and boots that looked like they had seen better days. Nothing flashy. Nothing planned.
And yet.
The room went quiet.
Jason followed behind him, sleeves rolled up, collar open, dark hair equally loose and untamed. He looked tired. Not weak—just worn, like someone who had burned through too much energy and hadn't had time to recover.
They looked devastating.
Not because they tried.
But because they didn't.
"I didn't plan this," Jason muttered under his breath.
Logan didn't reply.
Every head turned.
Tyler's mouth parted slightly. "Oh."
Alex whispered, "Wow."
Leon's gaze sharpened, instantly alert.
Logan's eyes found him immediately.
For just a second—brief, imperceptible to everyone else—relief flickered across Logan's face.
Then it was gone.
"Sorry we're late," Logan said calmly.
The teacher stammered something about seats and attendance.
Jason dropped into a chair, stretching slightly. "Long night."
Leon leaned back, arms crossing.
The room buzzed with unspoken questions.
Like "where did they come from to look this devastatingly handsome?"