The rain kept falling.
Soft.
Cold.
Relentless.
For a while— neither of them spoke.
Only the rain spoke for them, filling the silence stretched between their breaths.
Pearl lowered her eyes.
Her heart still raced like it had forgotten how to slow.
Everything had happened too quickly.
He found her.
Returned what she had lost.
Searched for her.
And now— he stood this close.
And she was checking on his wound.
Close enough to make the air feel heavier.
“You got hurt because of me.”
Her voice was soft— fragile enough to break beneath the rain.
Leo glanced at his bruised hand.
Rainwater slipped over the scratches, washing red into silver.
“It’s nothing.”
Pearl frowned.
“It doesn’t look like nothing.”
Leo looked at her.
And there it was— worry.
Real.
Unhidden.
A small thing.
Yet somehow— it warmed a place inside him he thought had long gone cold.
Guilt aroused in her heart.
“I’m sorry.”
Leo’s brows furrowed.
“For what?”
“For running.”
Her voice dropped lower.
“And for making you search.”
Leo said nothing.
Pearl stared at the ground.
“I left my diary.”
“And then I ran.”
“I thought… maybe you found it disrespectful.”
Something in Leo softened.
“No.”
That single word made her look up.
He wasn’t angry.
He didn’t hate her.
Then why?
Why had he searched so desperately?
Her eyes lowered to the things in her hands.
“So…”
Her voice hesitated.
“You were only trying to return my things?”
Leo froze.
For a moment— something inside him tightened.
Sharp.
Uncomfortable.
He wanted to say no.
Wanted to tell her— it was never about the diary.
Never about what she dropped.
It was her voice.
Her melody.
The piece of herself she had unknowingly left inside him.
But the words stayed trapped.
Because how could he explain something he barely understood himself?
So instead— he answered quietly.
“Yes.”
Pearl smiled faintly.
Small.
Gentle.
Almost relieved.
“So it’s just your kindness…”
Her fingers brushed over her diary.
“The same kindness you showed Matthew.”
Nothing more.
And Leo hated— how deeply that answer disappointed him.
A cold wind swept between them.
Pearl shivered.
Her soaked uniform clung to her skin like the rain refused to let go.
Leo noticed immediately.
“You’ll catch a cold.”
Pearl blinked.
“I’m fine.”
His eyes moved over her rain-drenched sleeves.
“No.”
His voice was calm.
Certain.
“You’re not.”
Pearl fell silent.
There was something about the way he spoke— simple.
Steady.
Impossible to argue against.
Leo turned toward the main building.
“Come.”
Pearl hesitated.
Then followed.
The walk was quiet.
Only rain.
Only footsteps.
Only the strange heaviness of things left unsaid.
Pearl stole glances at him.
His dark hair was soaked now, falling over his forehead.
His bruised hand clenched at his side.
And even now— he looked untouchable.
Like a storm wrapped in silence.
But not cold.
Not to her.
She looked away quickly.
Her heart felt strange.
Lighter.
Yet heavier.
As if it was learning two opposite things at once.
The path toward the main building stretched beneath old iron lamp posts.
Rainwater dripped from rusted edges.
The storm above was growing darker.
Thunder rolled across the sky like distant warning.
Pearl clutched her diary tighter.
Her thoughts tangled endlessly.
He searched for her.
Found her.
And somehow— there was still something hidden behind his eyes.
Something she couldn’t reach.
Leo suddenly slowed.
Pearl noticed.
“What happened?”
Leo looked up.
The wind had changed.
Stronger now.
Sharper.
The old iron lamps trembled.
His instincts tightened.
Something felt wrong.
Dangerously wrong.
Above them— metal groaned against metal.
Pearl kept walking.
Lost in thought.
Unaware.
Leo’s eyes narrowed.
And then— a violent metallic crack tore through the storm.
Pearl stopped.
Her eyes lifted.
One of the heavy iron lamp fixtures had snapped loose— falling.
Straight toward her.
Her blood ran cold.
Her body froze.
Her legs refused to move.
Time shattered into pieces.
The rain slowed.
The sound disappeared.
Even her heartbeat stopped.
Leo’s eyes widened.
And for the first time— fear hit him.
Raw.
Violent.
Merciless.
He moved.
Fast.
Without thought.
Without hesitation.
And before the iron could crash— he ran straight toward her.
With Love Kiaan