Chapter 22 : Goodbyes.
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Location: Outer Regions of the Capital Continent's Airspace.
The Bartfort family's airship drifted steadily through the skies, its engines humming softly beneath the endless sea of clouds.
Far behind them, the Central Capital slowly shrank into the horizon.
Leon stood quietly near the edge of the deck, both hands resting against the cold railing as the wind brushed through his hair. His eyes remained fixed on the distant city growing smaller and smaller by the second.
Beside him, Balcus silently watched his son for a moment before gently placing a large hand on his shoulder.
"It was bound to happen eventually, son," he said softly. "We can't afford to stay in the Capital any longer."
Leon didn't answer immediately.
His fingers tightened slightly around the railing before he finally spoke.
"…I'm not that sad, Dad."
The response came quickly, almost automatically.
After a short pause, however, his expression softened.
"It's just…" Leon exhaled quietly. "I only just met her."
A weak smile appeared on his face.
"I feel like we could've become much closer friends."
The wind howled softly between them.
"And now…" Leon looked back toward the fading Capital once more. "I might never see her again."
Balcus' expression gentled slightly at those words.
Slowly, he lowered himself until he was kneeling beside Leon at eye level.
"Leon," he began calmly, "you're still young."
He rested one arm against Leon's shoulder while looking directly at him.
"If you let every goodbye break your heart, then you'll never truly enjoy your life."
Leon quietly listened without interrupting.
Balcus smiled faintly before continuing "So instead… cherish every moment you have with them."
"And when the time for goodbye finally comes…" his gaze drifted briefly toward the distant Capital, "…you won't look back regretting the moments you missed."
"You'll smile because of the moments you shared." For a few seconds, only the sound of the wind filled the silence between them.
Leon slowly lowered his gaze in thought before eventually looking back toward his father with narrowed eyes. "…How long have you been saving that speech?"
Balcus nearly coughed. 'Years,' he admitted internally. But outwardly, he simply snorted before lightly flicking Leon on the forehead. "Just take the advice, Leon. There's no need for sass."
"Ow." Leon rubbed his forehead dramatically while Balcus laughed quietly beside him.
Then eventually, the two returned to standing side by side at the edge of the deck, silently watching the receding Capital together.
After a while, Leon finally spoke again. "…Thanks, Dad."
Balcus smiled warmly before ruffling Leon's hair roughly. "You're welcome, son."
Then after a brief pause, he added casually,m"At least you got to say goodbye properly, right?"
Leon's hand paused slightly against the railing.
Then slowly, a small genuine smile formed on his face.
"…Right."
††Flashback
"You're going back tomorrow, right?" Olivia asked quietly.
"…Yeah." Leon nodded slightly. "Before dawn."
The two of them sat beneath the shade of a large tree in one of the many parks scattered throughout the western district. The evening breeze gently rustled the leaves overhead while the distant sounds of the Capital echoed softly around them.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Then Olivia finally lowered her gaze slightly and whispered,"…I wish you didn't have to go."
Leon leaned back against the tree trunk behind him. "Olivia, I can't stay in the Capital forever." He smiled faintly. "I was always going to go home eventually."
"I know that," Olivia replied quickly.
Then after a brief pause, she quietly added. "It's just… you're my only friend."
Her fingers tightened slightly around the fabric of her dress. "I don't want you to leave."
A moment later, she immediately lowered her head. "…Sorry, I know it's selfish of me."
Leon sighed softly. "You're apologizing again."
Olivia instantly flinched slightly. "…I'm sor—"
"There you go again."
Olivia immediately puffed her cheeks slightly before looking away in embarrassment.
Leon couldn't help letting out a small laugh before staring quietly toward the orange evening sky. "…You know," he began slowly, "I actually like that you're being selfish right now."
Olivia blinked in surprise. "…Huh?"
"You're usually way too meek," Leon admitted honestly.
Olivia looked down slightly. "…Is that bad?"
"It's not bad exactly," Leon said while scratching his cheek awkwardly, trying to find the right words.
"It's just…" He paused briefly. "If you keep holding yourself back because you're scared, then you'll never really get to enjoy anything."
Olivia quietly listened. "So even if it's only for a tiny chance at happiness…" Leon smiled faintly. "…sometimes you should just say what you really want."
He turned toward her. "Because honestly?"
"You're actually really fun to be around."
Olivia's eyes widened slightly. "And if you start opening up more," Leon continued casually, "I won't be your only friend."
For a moment, Olivia simply stared at him silently. Then suddenly— Slap! She smacked both of her cheeks with her hands.
Leon blinked. "…What are you doing?"
Olivia slowly stood up with an unusually determined expression on her face before turning toward him.
Then she held out her hand. "Come on."
Leon looked at her hand in confusion. "…Where are we going?"
"You just said it yourself," Olivia replied firmly, though her face was slightly red from embarrassment. "If we're going to spend our last day together…" Then for perhaps the first time since meeting her, Olivia smiled without hesitation. "…then I want us to have fun."
At that exact moment, the setting sun shone through the trees behind her, bathing her in warm golden light.
And for a brief second, Leon forgot how to speak.
'…Beautiful.'
Olivia tilted her head slightly after noticing him staring blankly at her. "…Leon?"
Then before he could recover, she suddenly grabbed both his hands and started pulling with all her strength. "Come on already!"
Despite clearly struggling to move him even slightly, Olivia stubbornly continued trying anyway. Leon stared at her for a few seconds before finally laughing softly. "…Okay, okay." He slowly stood up. "We're going."
Olivia's face immediately brightened.
And just like that, the two children ran off together beneath the evening sky,
Determined, in their own words, to have the greatest day of their lives.
†† Later That Day.
It was already late into the evening by the time Leon and Olivia finally returned to the church. Both of them were exhausted, sweaty, and slightly dirty from running around the Capital all day. But despite that, they were smiling from ear to ear.
For the entire day, they had laughed, argued, explored, eaten street food, gotten lost twice, and somehow enjoyed every second of it.
And yet…
No matter how much someone wished otherwise, time never stopped moving forward. Eventually, the moment they had both been avoiding finally arrived.
Leon quietly looked toward the church entrance
before letting out a small sigh. "…I guess this is it, huh?"
Olivia lowered her gaze slightly before nodding. "…Yeah."
For a brief moment, neither of them spoke. Then suddenly, almost as though acting on instinct alone, Olivia stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him.
Leon's eyes widened slightly in surprise. But after only a second, his expression softened and he slowly returned the hug.
The evening breeze quietly passed around them while the church bells echoed faintly somewhere in the distance.
Olivia suddenly realized what she had just done. Her entire face immediately turned red as she quickly pulled away.
"I-I'm sor—" But this time, she stopped herself midway. After taking a small breath, Olivia made a determined expression and looked directly at him.
"…Thank you, Leon. Thank you for being my friend."
Leon smiled softly. "…No. Thank you."
Then he slowly reached into his pocket. "Olivia."
"…Hm?"
"Turn around for a second."
Olivia blinked in confusion. "…Turn around?"
"And close your eyes."
"…Okay." Though clearly confused, Olivia still did exactly as he asked.
Leon carefully pulled something from his pocket. It was the necklace Olivia had stopped to admire on the very first day they met, a delicate silver chain with a small blue gemstone resting at its center.
Quietly stepping behind her, Leon gently placed it around her neck. "…Okay. You can look now."
Olivia slowly opened her eyes before instinctively touching the necklace. The moment she saw it, her eyes widened. "…It's beautiful." Her fingers carefully held the blue jewel as though it were something precious beyond words.
Then her expression suddenly fell slightly. "…But I didn't get you anything."
Leon simply smiled before looking directly at her. "You already gave me something."
"…Huh?"
Leon's expression softened slightly. "Just promise me people will get to see more of the Olivia I saw today."
Olivia froze for a moment. Then slowly, a small smile appeared across her face and before Leon could react, she suddenly hugged him again, this time even tighter than before.
"I will," she whispered softly. "I'll treasure this forever. And I won't forget you."
Leon quietly closed his eyes for a brief moment before answering softly, "…I won't forget you either."
Eventually, Olivia slowly pulled away. Step by step, she began walking toward the church entrance.
But before entering, she stopped one final time and looked back toward him. "…Goodbye, Leon."
Leon smiled faintly. "…Goodbye, Olivia."
Then the church doors slowly closed behind her.
And Leon turned around without looking back again.
Because somehow… He felt that if he did, leaving would become much harder.
The night air felt strangely cold as he quietly walked through the empty streets.
After a while, Luxion silently appeared beside him. "…Are you alright, sir?"
Leon stared quietly ahead for a few moments before finally answering. "…No."
His voice was softer than usual. "It hurts more than I thought it would." And like that, Leon continued walking deeper into the night.
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I am writing my A Levels this year so I'm already stumped and if you add the time I use writing I think I'm entitled to POWER STONES sooooooo give them to me, I mean by 6 I'm going to school, 1300hrs I'm going to extra lessons and I only get to come back home at 1900hrs, and after that I still need to study on my own, so help me stay motivated.
P.S
Let it be known that the Story is undergoing a Rewrite, hence if you read the unedited chapters its on you, they are no longer part of the story.