The new café wasn't extravagant.
It didn't have crystal chandeliers or imported marble floors like the places Leonhart usually entertained business. But it had Kevin's touch in every detail—wooden beams polished by hand, jars of mismatched cookies on the counter, a handwritten chalk menu that smudged if you leaned too close.
It was named Sunroot & Steam.
Kevin said it sounded like hope.
Leonhart thought it sounded like Kevin.
He arrived just before the ribbon cutting—early, but not first. A crowd had already gathered: Kevin's friends, his parents, former coworkers from the old bakery, and even a few locals who'd tasted his free-sample cupcakes during the soft opening. There were no press photos, no business deals—just warmth.
Leonhart stood outside for a minute, watching Kevin beam in an apron dusted with powdered sugar, laughing with someone over burnt scones.
He'd never seen Kevin look more radiant.
Then, a bitter memory surfaced—Elian, in a silk robe, draped across a leather sofa like an ornament, purring about how boring mornings were unless they involved mimosas and massage.
The contrast hit like a slap.
Elian had demanded. Kevin built.
Elian wore what Leonhart gave him. Kevin earned what he created.
Kevin wasn't trying to impress anyone. He just wanted to matter.
And somehow, that was infinitely more powerful.
"Leonhart!" Kevin spotted him and jogged over. "You came."
Leonhart nodded. "Of course."
Kevin looked… proud. Nervous. Glowing. "I used my own savings. Everything I had. But it's mine now. All of it."
Leonhart studied him. "You did this by yourself?"
"Every tile, every permit, every coffee bean. Well… with some help from friends." Kevin laughed. "But yeah. I didn't ask my dad or yours. I didn't want it to be a favor."
Leonhart's chest tightened, strangely.
He remembered the first time he saw Elian cry—after Leonhart cut off the payment schedule and Elian realized there'd be no more checks. That kind of desperation had nothing to do with love.
Kevin, though? He didn't beg.
He created.
"Congratulations," Leonhart said, voice low.
Kevin grinned. "Want to come in? I saved you the first cup."
Leonhart stepped into Sunroot & Steam for the first time, heart unsteady.
He wasn't comparing anymore.
He was choosing.
---