Leo somehow managed to bring Raphael back from her faint, though the awkwardness in the room had thickened like fog that neither of them could clear with words.
They both avoided eye contact. The silence between them wasn't just silent—it was loaded, simmering with something unspoken.
First, he had seen her. In that state. And now... she had seen him—completely exposed.
And what made it even more unbearable?
She was his aunt.
His own aunt.
Leo lowered his gaze, his thoughts tangling inside his head. 'How the hell did this happen...?' he wondered, biting his inner cheek.
There was no way to unsee what was seen. And even worse, no way to un-feel what was felt.
After washing up, changing clothes, and trying to act like everything was normal, they sat at the dining table. The breakfast was already laid out—food that Raphael had prepared early that morning, as if trying to anchor herself in routine.
But the air was far from ordinary. The clinking of cutlery against the plates was the only sound that filled the space, a lifeline to avoid any conversation.
There was no music. No talking. Just awkward chewing and the occasional quiet swallow.
Leo couldn't take it anymore. Feeling the pressure of silence squeeze against his skull, he reached for the T.V. remote and clicked it on. Anything. He needed something to distract his mind before it ran in circles again.
But the very first thing that appeared on the screen made his chest tighten.
The image was unmistakable—the building that had collapsed last night.
His expression turned dark.
The news anchor's voice echoed from the screen, sharp and clinical.
Raphael's eyes widened as she heard it, her breath catching in her throat.
"My God…" she whispered, her shoulders slumping as a deep sigh left her lips. She shook her head, her expression contorted with sadness that quickly shifted into anger. "Machine failure? Are they seriously blaming a machine for this? Bullshit!"
Her voice cracked into a snarl.
"That's not a failure, that's negligence! Those bastards probably didn't maintain the system properly! Someone has to be held accountable!" Her fork clattered onto her plate as she glanced at Leo, who was frozen—his jaw clenched tightly, his fist trembling slightly against the table.
There was something in his eyes. Fear. Guilt.
Raphael gently took the remote from his hand and turned off the T.V., trying to mask her concern.
"Come on. Eat up—we're already running late," she said, her tone gentler now, but her voice carried urgency.
Leo blinked, snapping back to the present. He gave a short nod and shovelled food into his mouth quickly, even though his appetite had already died.
But no matter how much he chewed, the weight in his chest didn't go away. Thirty-five people… gone. Just like that.
After a moment of silence, Raphael tried to speak. Her fingers fidgeted around the edge of her plate.
"A-Anyway… about what happened earlier..." she began, her voice cracking. Her cheeks were glowing crimson, and she looked like she wanted to bury her head into the ground.
Leo exhaled through his nose. His face remained firm, but his eyes carried a shadow.
"Raphael."
She flinched slightly when he called her name with that heavy tone.
"Y-Yes?" she replied, her voice barely audible.
He stood up, pushing his chair back slowly. His eyes didn't leave hers.
"I'm not… the Leo you remember."
Her lips parted, but no words came out.
"I lost my memories, Raphael. Everything. Including you." His voice was steady, but his chest felt tight with every word. "To me… you're not my aunt. You're a stranger."
She looked away, but he didn't stop.
"The woman I see sitting across from me… she's just that. A woman. And because of that, because of my messed-up teenage hormones, I reacted. My body reacted. And I know what I felt… but I also know it was wrong. You're a doctor—you understand how the mind and body can confuse things when emotions and memories don't line up."
He leaned slightly toward her, not threateningly, but with an almost pleading honesty.
"You're incredibly beautiful. And graceful. And right now… the only thing I see when I look at you is a woman who is taking care of me with love. Not someone I have any past with"
He lowered his gaze, his voice softening.
"So please… don't beat yourself up too much."
He gave her a small, broken smile. Then he silently gathered two extra plates of food, slipping them under his arm, and walked away from the table with a defeated expression, his shoulders drooped and heavy.
Raphael watched him leave, her heart pounding.
He had grown.
More than her, perhaps.
She placed a hand on her chest and let out a breathless smile. "He's growing into a good man," she murmured, eyes still on the doorway he'd exited from.
But the images… the feelings from earlier... they didn't just vanish. They clung to the corners of her memory like vines.
She shook her head hard, trying to banish those thoughts before they pulled her under again.
Meanwhile, Leo entered his room and saw Pride sitting cross-legged on the study table, her arms folded, an unmistakably cold expression on her face.
"Here," he said, placing the plates down gently. "Eat breakfast and stay here, alright? I'll be back after school."
Pride didn't even look at the food. Her sharp eyes focused directly on him, unreadable and icy.
"You're still angry?" Leo sighed, rubbing his forehead.
"I understand the situation," Pride replied calmly, though her voice carried an undercurrent of restrained judgment. "But what I don't understand is… why did she faint? Just from seeing you naked? That doesn't add up."
Her eyes narrowed.
"You're hiding something, aren't you, Master?"
Leo froze for a second, sweating like a bullet, "M-maybe she saw... a snake or something.. ahah.." before picking up his school bag.
"Anyway, take care," he muttered, dodging the question entirely as he stepped out of the room.
Pride watched him leave, her eyes still narrowed, "Snake? Where snake?" After a pause, she finally started eating.
Leo walked toward the car, still lost in thought, but his steps slowed when he saw who was in the driver's seat.
Raphael was already waiting inside, her hands confidently on the steering wheel.
Leo's heart skipped. He looked at her, then at the car.
He swallowed. "A-Are you sure…?"
He wasn't sure if she was about to drive... or commit vehicular manslaughter.
Raphael glanced at him with a deadpan expression.
"Tsk. Come on, brat. I've been driving for years," she said, clearly annoyed but with a flicker of a smile playing at the corner of her lips.
Leo hesitated for a second longer before sighing and stepping into the car.
*****
Soon, they reached the front gate of the school.
The engine of the car shut off with a soft purr, and just as Leo was about to open the door and step out,
"About that..." Raphael suddenly called out, her voice low but heavy with emotion.
"Hmm?" Leo paused and turned back to face her, slowly sinking back into his seat.
Raphael's hands were still on the steering wheel, gripping it tightly. Her eyes flickered with conflict as she looked at him, then away, then back again. She took a small breath and forced the words out.
"I understand you, Leo… I really do. I know it must be difficult to see me as your aunt, especially when your memories are gone. Right now, to you, I must feel like nothing more than a stranger." Her voice trembled a little as she continued, "But… in my heart, I still hope… somewhere deep down, you might still see me as your aunt someday."
There was a quiet pause.
Leo looked at her for a few seconds, his face unreadable. A strange mix of guilt and distance swirled behind his eyes.
"I'm sorry," he finally said, his voice soft but firm. He didn't explain. He didn't justify. He just opened the door and stepped out of the car.
He couldn't give her what she wanted.
Because honestly… he knew the truth.
There was no way he could see her as his aunt anymore.
Not after everything.
Not after seeing her that way.
Not after she became the first woman to see him entirely—unfiltered, naked, exposed.
It was burned into him now. Deep. Permanent. Unchangeable.
So no matter what kind of past they might've shared—this present had rewritten everything.
As Raphael sat alone in the car, her eyes widened, and a horrified blush spread across her face.
Her grip on the wheel tightened until her knuckles turned pale. Her heart raced, and her breath hitched.
"Haa… I really messed up…" she groaned softly, her voice barely audible. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears as she drove off toward the staff parking area, unable to shake the feeling of shame wrapping tightly around her chest.
Meanwhile...
Leo, now inside the school gates, was greeted by a few janitors and staff members with friendly waves, just like always.
But then—
"Big Brother Leo!!"
"Leo Brother!!"
He flinched at the sudden chorus of high-pitched voices.
He turned around to see a group of small kids—probably third or fifth graders—rushing toward him with wide grins and sparkles in their eyes.
'What the... Who the hell are these kids? Did I make friends with random elementary kids?' Leo thought, blinking in confusion as they surrounded him.
"Big Brother! Yesterday you were so cool!" one little boy exclaimed, eyes practically glowing.
"Yes, so cool! That faint you did—amazing! Can you teach me, Big Brother? Please?" another one chirped, bouncing on his feet.
"Yes, Brother Leo! Teach me too!"
"Wait, what about the candy?"
"Yeah! You promised candy if we got full marks on our tests! Look! Look!" several of them said, waving their test papers with bright red 100s proudly displayed at the top.
Leo looked at the papers… then at the kids… then at the crowd of other students who had begun whispering and glancing toward him.
He stood in the middle, frozen, absolutely surrounded by tiny energetic monsters, unsure of what to say.
'What the hell is going on? How the hell did I become a local hero to elementary schoolers?!'
Just then—
"Oi, brats! Your classes are starting!"
A sharp, commanding voice rang out like a crack of thunder.
The kids all flinched at once, instantly turning toward the source of the voice. Standing there, arms crossed and eyes glaring, was none other than Valra.
"It's the Assistant Student Council President!! Run!! Run before she catches us!" one of the kids shrieked.
Chaos ensued.
The entire group of children scattered like pigeons, vanishing into the school corridors within seconds, leaving Leo standing there, dumbfounded.
He blinked rapidly, trying to process what had just happened.
'What… in the actual hell… was that?'
Valra stepped up to him with a smirk tugging at her lips, her sharp eyes softening slightly.
"Surprised by your little fan club?" she asked, her tone laced with subtle amusement.
Leo let out a dry exhale and rubbed his forehead. "It's really weird..."
Valra chuckled faintly. "You get used to it."
Leo tilted his head slightly. "Wait, are you… are you the Student Council President?"
Valra shook her head. "Nope. Assistant."
"Oh…" Leo gave a small nod. "Well, anyway, I should get going to my class—"
"OI! BI—ahem, Thieving cat! What are you doing to my Senior?!"
A loud voice cut through the air, interrupting him once again.
Leo turned his head and saw two familiar figures walking toward them—Sakura and Luna.
Sakura charged forward and stepped between Leo and Valra like a knight defending her king.
"Are you trying to punish my Senior with your fake rules?! Fu—ahem, get off, woman!" she barked, glaring at Valra with fiery protectiveness.
Valra's smirk dropped, her eyes narrowing into a dangerous glare. "You little gremlin…"
Sakura spread her arms in front of Leo. "Don't worry, Senior! She won't touch you! I'll protect you from her evil clutches!"
Leo's expression sagged. His shoulders dropped. The stares from passing students, the whispers, the awkward tension—it all piled on.
'What is going on today...?' he groaned inwardly, feeling more and more drained with every passing second. 'Ever since the day started… it's been one weird thing after another!'
And high above them, on the second floor, a shadow stood silently by the window.
A boy.
His gaze was locked onto Leo like a hawk, his eyes narrowed, filled with something cold.