After finishing their lunch together, Leo and Valra slowly walked back to the classroom.
Though their words were few, Valra kept sneaking glances at Leo—her brows slightly furrowed, her lips drawn in an uncertain line. There was a subtle worry in her expression, like she wanted to say something but was unsure how.
Finally, just as they neared the school hallway, Valra turned to him, her voice soft and cautious.
"So... about last night... are you okay?"
Leo glanced her way, his expression unreadable for a moment. Then he gave a small shrug and shook his head with a tired sigh.
"I'm... fine, I guess?"
His tone lacked confidence, as though even he wasn't convinced of the answer himself.
Something about the previous night still lingered inside him—an odd weight in his chest, a strange confusion behind his eyes.
As they continued walking down the corridor, their footsteps echoing faintly, they noticed a commotion ahead. Several members were moving around with cans of paint, banners, and ladders, decorating the walls and ceilings with colourful designs.
Leo raised an eyebrow at the sudden change in scenery and asked, a curious frown on his face.
"What's going on here?"
"Oh, it's because of the upcoming sports festival. It's scheduled for the 20th, and the school decided to give everything a fresh coat of paint... brighten up the place a bit. Make it look festive."
"Huh... I see."
Valra gave him another side glance, then hesitated for a second before speaking again—this time more cautiously.
"I know... you don't remember much right now. But, back then... before you forgot everything, you told me you were going to run in the race. You said you'd get first place and make your father proud."
Leo stopped mid-step, staring at her in surprise.
"I said that...?"
A strange sensation prickled in his chest. First place? For his father?
But his parents were already gone… weren't they?
Why would he make a promise like that?
He couldn't understand the motives of the Leo from before.
To him, everything felt like trying to read a book that someone else had written with missing pages and blurred ink.
And honestly, it was hard for him to imagine it. He never had a family in the life he could recall. Never had anyone who expected anything from him, or anyone to live for.
So, trying to understand what had been going through a previous Leo's mind... it felt like trying to grasp smoke.
Valra came to a stop as her classroom door appeared on the left. She turned to him and gave a small wave, her cheeks slightly pink, her voice just a little softer than before.
"Well... I'll see you tonight, Leo."
She stepped into her classroom, and the door slid shut behind her.
The brief exchange didn't go unnoticed. Students from the nearby classroom had been peeking out, and when they saw Valra's shy expression and Leo calmly walking away, their reactions were immediate.
"Who the hell is that guy?"
"I've never seen him before..."
"Wait a sec... wasn't he hanging out with another girl the other day too?"
A few boys scowled, clearly displeased.
Meanwhile, Leo kept walking down the corridor, heading toward the infirmary. He paused for a second in front of the door, letting out a soft breath, then reached for the handle.
The infirmary was a quiet place—painted in a soft white, filled with shelves of neatly arranged medicine and books. The scent of antiseptic floated in the air, light and clean. Sunlight poured in gently from the open window, casting a warm glow across the floor and the desk near the back.
"Leo?"
He turned toward the voice and saw Raphael sitting behind her desk, adjusting her glasses as she looked at him with a curious, almost expectant expression.
"Hello, Raphael. Have you eaten?"
Leo asked casually as he walked further into the room, his tone relaxed.
Raphael gave a warm smile and nodded.
"Yes, I had a little earlier. What about you?"
They exchanged a few pleasantries—nothing deep, just light conversation to ease the atmosphere.
Leo didn't want to make things too serious or heavy, especially not for her. He knew she worried about him enough already. So instead, he just let himself talk freely for a bit, laughing softly at small things, letting the moment feel normal.
Just as he was about to leave, Raphael stopped him.
"Wait! I almost forgot—I brought your new specs. Try not to lose them again this time."
Leo blinked in surprise and looked back at her. She was holding out a small case with a smirk on her face.
He walked over and took the case, humming thoughtfully as he opened it. Inside were a pair of glasses with red frames, almost identical to Raphael's.
"...Red frames? Like yours?"
She gave a faint shrug, avoiding his eyes.
"I thought it might suit you."
Leo stared at the glasses for a second, then slowly slid them onto his face.
And in that moment, it was like the world had snapped into clarity.
What was once slightly hazy now appeared vivid and sharp, like watching an old blurry screen turn into high-definition.
360P To 4K Ultra HD!
He instinctively pulled them off again, seeing the foggy world return, then quickly wore them back with wide eyes.
'Damn... is this how guys with glasses live every day?'
He thought to himself, turning his head as he took in every little detail. Even a bird flying far in the sky beyond the window was clearly visible now.
Raphael chuckled quietly, watching him react like a child experiencing something for the first time. There was something adorable in the way he gawked and turned.
Leo glanced her way, catching her expression. His lips curled up into a playful grin.
"You know... you look even more beautiful when you smile like that, Raphael~"
He threw in a wink for good measure, his tone mischievous.
Raphael's smile immediately faded into a deadpan stare. Her voice turned cold and flat as she pointed at the door.
"Your class is about to start. Leave."
Leo blinked at the sudden change in mood. He had clearly gone a bit too far. Scratching the back of his head, he let out a sheepish chuckle.
"Alright, alright... I get it. I'll see you later, Raphael."
He turned and walked out, waving as the door slowly shut behind him.
As soon as he was gone, Raphael's cold expression melted instantly. Her cheeks flushed into a deep red, and her fingers lightly brushed against her lips.
"W-What was that..."
She muttered to herself, voice barely audible. Her heart was racing.
Why was it beating so fast?
Why did her chest feel warm?
And most of all... why couldn't she stop smiling?
Meanwhile, Leo walked back toward his classroom, his steps unhurried. This time, instead of students avoiding or ignoring him like before, many of them looked at him with curious expressions, their eyes subtly following his movements. It was clear that something about him had caught their attention. But Leo, completely uninterested in their silent questions, walked past them without so much as a glance.
He didn't owe them an explanation.
Honestly, he felt a bit bored today. Sure, this world had plenty of new things for him to observe and explore, but... most of what they taught in school felt too familiar. Different names, different presentation—but the concepts were almost the same.
Math was still math.
Language still followed grammar.
History might have different heroes, but it followed the same rise and fall patterns.
He may not look like a top student here, but in his previous world, he was ranked first in his class—consistently.
Not that he was trying to brag or anything!
And besides, he had already studied mathematics, science, social subjects, and even multiple languages in his past life. Going through it all again? It was exhausting... in the most uninteresting way. He didn't feel like sitting through another repetitive lecture.
So without a word, he walked over to his desk, picked up his school bag, slung it over his shoulder, and casually stepped out of the room.
"H-He just left?"
"Studious Leo left on his own?"
"What's going on with him?"
Murmurs filled the room almost immediately. The students were clearly baffled, whispering among themselves with puzzled tones and glances. Even the quiet ones seemed to be reacting. But not all were curious—some were clearly annoyed.
One in particular—Kai—sat clenching his jaw, his eyes narrowed in irritation. His knuckles went white from gripping his pen too hard.
Leo, already halfway down the hallway, glanced around lazily. The corridor was mostly empty, save for a single teacher walking in the opposite direction with a brisk, disciplined stride.
Leo frowned slightly as he recognised the posture and energy.
'That must be the P.E.T. teacher... Tsk.'
He clicked his tongue in annoyance.
Of course, only P.E. teachers walked like that after lunch—like they were still in the middle of a morning jog. The rest of the staff usually moved around sluggishly after eating, half-asleep and weighed down.
The teacher noticed Leo standing in the hallway and immediately frowned.
"Oi! What are you doing out here? Don't you have class right now?"
Leo didn't answer. Without missing a beat, he stepped behind one of the thick columns lining the corridor, vanishing from the teacher's line of sight.
The teacher quickened his pace and turned toward the column.
But when he looked, there was no one there. Just an empty space.
"...Did I imagine it?"
He blinked, a bit confused, then shook his head and continued walking, muttering under his breath.
From behind a different column, Leo slowly peeked out, a sly smile forming on his face. He watched as the teacher marched off in the distance, barking at nearby students and herding them back into their classes like lost sheep.
Leo chuckled to himself.
'Heh... how many times did I pull this exact move in my previous life?'
His grin widened with a trace of arrogance, a little pride in his stealthy mischief.
Feeling pleased, he turned around to resume his escape—only to pause when he noticed someone sitting a few steps down the staircase ahead.
An elderly woman in a janitor uniform sat alone, holding a lunchbox in her lap as she quietly ate her lunch.
Her eyes lifted in surprise as she spotted him.
"Leo? What are you doing here?"
Her voice held a calm warmth, mixed with mild curiosity. She looked at him like a grandmother catching her grandchild sneaking a cookie from the jar.
Leo froze. His mind scrambled for a good excuse. He hadn't expected to be caught by a janitor of all people.
He opened his mouth but fumbled for words.
She noticed the awkward look on his face and raised an eyebrow. The school bag on his back gave away everything. She wasn't stupid—she knew exactly what he was trying to do.
Still, she didn't scold him.
Instead, she let out a soft chuckle, then pointed a wrinkled finger at him with a stern but caring tone.
"You better not be up to anything bad. And more importantly, take care of your health, alright?"
Her eyes held that unmistakable blend of strictness and genuine concern.
Leo blinked for a moment, then gave her a small smile—one of rare softness—as he nodded in understanding.
"Yeah... I will."
He walked past her gently, and the janitor watched him go with a contented little smile before returning to her meal, peacefully chewing and staring at the open window nearby.
Meanwhile, Leo let out a quiet sigh of relief.
'Man... so many obstacles just to leave school for a bit.'
As he finally neared the exit, his hand reached for the door when—
"Senior Leo!!"
A loud, high-pitched voice rang out behind him like a thunderclap.
He froze mid-step, groaning softly as he glanced back over his shoulder.
"...Give me a break!"