No… means he rejected once and for all… There was a chance that he might not get her ever again after this decision, even if she said she would only look at him, but… that would be different from how she had seen him now.

Yes… means he accepted her, and in doing so, he would be hurting his already existing girlfriends' hearts... he would be shattering the trust of those who had stood beside him through thick and thin. Betraying them was the worst thing one could do to their girlfriend, especially when he already had two.

Third option… Postponing it… means he was slipping out and being a coward, a man who could not decide what he truly wanted. To postpone was to betray in a different way. A jerk who left someone waiting in the cold, who couldn't muster the courage to ac... what right did he have to toy with any heart like that?

No matter what he chose… someone was going to get hurt in the process.

As Leo opened his eyes, Azrael held her breath, seeing a final, determined look in his eyes. His lips parted, and her heart thudded even faster,

"No."

Azrael's colourful eyes died—

"That's what I would have said before…" Leo continued, as Azrael's eyes widened, the colourfulness returning in a sudden, trembling burst of life.

"But now, the moment you looked at another man… something in my heart broke. I can't explain it. I don't get it... why am I feeling like this?

Even though I have two girlfriends already, and I wasn't even looking for anyone… the moment you turned to someone else, I felt this… immense pain." He shook his head, as if to scatter the thoughts buzzing like bees.

"An unexplainable feeling… It's maddening. I don't know how to explain, but…" he stared into her eyes, caught in the rawness of his confession, voice quivering with honesty,

"I want you to only look at me."

Azrael's lips trembled, barely holding back her victorious smile. The hurt faded, replaced by wild relief, like rain after a drought.

Leo continued with confusion, the words tumbling out, rough and honest,

"Was that love?

I don't know… It's Sakura and Valra who proposed to me, who took me on dates, who made me feel things I never expected… I just went with the flow.

I am doing what a boyfriend should do—trying my best for both of them.

But I couldn't fall in love with just one and choose between them.

It's not like I ever had a choice... love doesn't work like that. I know my worth, and I'm definitely not in the position to stand above living, feeling beings and declare who stays and who goes." He confessed his deep confusion, lost in the kind of love he could never fully understand. "What right do I have to decide who deserves to hurt or to be happy, when I can't even understand my own heart?"

"But… if there's one thing I felt from them, it was that… they would do anything for me. When Valra was hurt, I felt that pain in my own bones. When Sakura didn't respond to my calls, I worried myself sick, imagining her lost or angry or simply done with me…

And when you said you would do anything for me—even put your life on the line—I… I honestly thought, Do I deserve you?" Leo's voice trembled, just a hint of tears shining in his eyes before he forced himself to focus on Azrael, not hiding anything now.

"When you appreciated another man… well, you just did it casually, I know that. It shouldn't matter, but it does.

Even that hurt—just a little. If something that small hurts, then what happens if you fall in love with another man? Will that break me, even though I already have girlfriends?"

For him, emotions were a labyrinth.... confusing, ever-changing, impossible to map. He couldn't understand what others needed or how to cope with their pain; he'd never learned how.

His childhood had been a garden with no sunlight, no love to nourish him, and when he finally did learn what love was, he'd already lost the one who had tried to show him.

So, when it comes to emotions and love from another person, he is always confused, always fumbling, never sure of any answer.

What makes them happy to be with him?

How could he do his best for them?

What do they need from him?

How could he give back what they are giving to him?

The list could go up as he was totally new to these emotional dramas. For him… love was something you could only give to one person, not a thing to divide, not a power to wield over hearts.

He'd never imagined caring for more than one soul, never thought longing could pull him apart like this.

Azrael stared at Leo… He looked like a child lost in a storm of emotions. For him, everything was new.

A lost child being poured over with so much love, he couldn't even find happiness in it. He questioned his own worth, that aching voice inside whispering:

Was he worthy?

Did he deserve even a piece of this warmth, this hope?

Azrael shook her head, "Enough with all that, Leo. You keep looking at others, worrying what everyone else thinks… But I'm asking, what do you think? Forget about your girlfriends, forget about everyone else… just look at me, right now, and tell me what you want."

Leo's mouth opened, but no words came. For a moment, he only stared, lost between guilt and hope. Finally, voice raw and fragile,

"…Yes. I want you to be with me."

Azrael's eyes turned misty, a soft shimmer as she reached out and touched his cheeks with both hands.

Leo, guilty, muttered, "Valra and Sakura are going to be so disappointed in me… for being selfish. In the end, I betrayed them…" His face fell, shadowed with self-loathing, eyes clouded as if disgusted by his own heart.

Azrael looked at him with a small, knowing smile. She understood that pain—after all, this was him, the real Leo.

"Everyone is selfish, Leo…" Her eyes glowed with quiet affection. "Everyone is selfish, in their own way. Who knows? Maybe your so-called girlfriends are selfishly hiding something from you, too."

Leo blinked, confused, "Hmm? What do you mean?"

Azrael's lips curled in a sly smile. "Who knows~" She shrugged. And then, without warning, she tiptoed closer, her breath brushing his lips. Leo's heart lurched, an electric rush spreading from his chest to his fingertips. Instead of pulling away, he leaned in, drawn by a gravity he couldn't resist, and—

"Hmm~"

Their trembling lips met.... soft at first, then growing hotter, pressed together in a feverish, hesitant dance.

Leo's hands hovered uncertainly, not sure where to touch, afraid his desire would burn her. Azrael's palms traced the line of his jaw, fingers lingering as if memorising the shape of his soul.

Every second stretched. Leo's mouth parted, the taste of her... sweet, tinged with salt and wildness. He felt her breath trembling, felt her heartbeat thumping wildly through the kiss, as if her chest might burst.

Guilt tangled with longing inside him; his mind flashed with the faces of Valra and Sakura, but the ache of Azrael's lips on his made everything else fade. All his confusion, his self-disgust, melted into this single, desperate contact.

Azrael pressed closer, her body flush against his, one hand sliding into his hair, the other clutching his shirt like she was afraid he might vanish. Her lips opened, coaxing him to deepen the kiss, urging him to let go.

For a heartbeat, Leo hesitated, trembling at the edge... then gave in, kissing her back with every ounce of heat and worry that lived inside him.

One mouth filled with the guilt of betraying girlfriends, the other carrying secrets yet to be spoken.

Their kiss became a silent confession.

"Hmm… that's weird," Leo muttered, breaking away at last, breathing heavy. Kissing her felt strange, like something he'd been waiting for and yet not quite expecting.

Azrael smiled warmly, staring at his lips for a few quiet seconds before asking, "So… I'm your girlfriend now?"

Leo nodded, a bit dazed, "First, I'll inform my other two girlfriends—"

"No need… I'll take care of it," Azrael said quickly, her hands wrapping around his neck like vines, her eyes dark and hungry.

"What do you mean—Hmmf~"

Before he could finish, Azrael leaned in again, stealing another kiss.

She smiled wickedly,

"I got my boy now. There's no way I'm letting go." She bit his lips softly, sucking with a slow, teasing pull, her tongue tracing the edges with seduction.

Leo's face turned bright red. He pushed her gently, sputtering, "C-Come on now… we're on the school roof, you know!"

Azrael grinned with a wicked, "If you keep acting shy like this, I might just jump you, boyfriend~" She winked. Leaning in, she nipped playfully at his nose, "Looks like the rumours were true after all." Her hand slithered down his side.

Leo's eyes widened in horror, "No way!!" He pushed her away, holding her at arm's length.

Sure, he had feelings for her, real ones... but doing the deed here and now? On the open rooftop, in the middle of school?

Hell no!!

Azrael only laughed, licking her dark lips. "Looks like I'll get what I want another time, then," she purred, voice low. "But sometimes, Leo, you need to be aggressive, okay? You need to man up—"

Leo shook his head. Suddenly, a new spark lit his eyes. He reached out, grabbed her hips with a sudden, hungry grip, spun her around, and pressed her against the wall with a wildness he didn't know he had.

Azrael, utterly shocked and surprised by his sudden force, blinked in disbelief. She had never seen this side of him... her breath caught in her throat as Leo pressed her firmly against the wall.

He leaned in close, his face just inches from hers, his gaze intense and hungry. She felt his breath, warm against her cheek, as he stared into her eyes.

"Don't play with fire, lady," Leo whispered, voice low and rough. His grip on her hips tightened, pulling her closer until she could feel the shape of him. He leaned into her ear, his words a secret thunder that made her face flush beet red, heat spreading across her skin in waves.

Her eyes widened in shock and something close to fear as she saw the wicked smirk curling his lips.

"I may be shy about emotions and love, but believe me when I say this… I'm the fire you really don't want to play with," he growled, his other hand gliding up her side, tracing over her chin. He grabbed her chin hard, pulling her face up to his, their lips barely an inch apart... so close she could feel the tremble in his breath, smell the fever in his skin.

Leo stared deep into her soul. "Next time… the fire might burn your insides," he whispered darkly. Then his hand slid lower, patting her ass before clenching it, his grip fierce. The sensation sent a shock through her body—a shiver she couldn't hide.

"Ahh~" she gasped, echoing on the empty rooftop.

That sound snapped Leo out of his aggressive trance. He blinked, face flushed with surprise, suddenly aware of how far he'd gone.

"Cough, cough… I mean… I can be more of a man too, but you know, I like to be calm and silent," he mumbled, scrambling for composure. He turned and hurried off the roof, cheeks burning.

If he stayed any longer, he knew something inside him might snap... just like what had happened with Sakura.

He was not about to do something reckless and cause a scandal here—not now.

On the other hand, Azrael was still staring at the empty space where Leo had stood. Her legs quivered, her body buzzing with the aftershocks of his sudden change. Her thoughts spun: had her sweet, awkward Leo really just turned into something wild, a predator disguised as a panda?

"W-What did he say? He's going to plunge… do it… make me cry…?" Her face burned redder with every word, whispering aloud the things Leo had threatened.

The heat between her thighs throbbed as she replayed his grip, the promise of danger in his eyes.

Her legs trembled harder. All this time, she'd thought her boy was just innocent… but now…

"H-He's far fucking awesome~" she screamed, almost loud enough for the crows to hear. She jumped up, joy sparking in every inch of her body. Her lips curled into a sly, satisfied smile.

She was really going to enjoy this—every second.

With that, she chased after Leo, laughter bubbling on her tongue, leaving the rooftop empty... Except,

Kaa… Kaa…

A small crow stood on the edge of the rail, before flapping its wings and flying away into the blue sky.

When Azrael caught up to Leo, she immediately hugged his arm, wrapping herself around him as if she owned him now. Leo was taken aback, stiffening in surprise, but then sighed and let himself relax, accepting this strange, wonderful new reality.

Azrael leaned over his shoulder as they walked together, looking every bit like a pair of lovers in a fairy tale.

She whispered, her voice sly, "If you accepted me, then… what about Raphael?"

Leo halted mid-step, mild shock flickering across his face. He looked down at Azrael, but she didn't glance up, just kept leaning on his shoulder as they walked,

"Oh, please… It's obvious that you two like each other."

"What are you talking about? She's my aunt—" Leo protested, voice faltering.

"Not for you, though, right, another Leo?" Azrael cut him off.

Leo flinched, "Huh? What do you mean?"

Azrael chuckled, seeing the horror flash across his face. "I mean, you lost your memories, so now you're another Leo, right?"

"Oh? Yeah…" Leo sighed inwardly, staring at the floor. "Still, she was my—"

Azrael turned to look at him, her eyes gentle but unwavering. "We have only one day… Promise me you won't leave any regrets? And… It's not like you don't understand her feelings, too, right?

It was way more obvious than mine, wasn't it?"

"…" Leo fell silent, eyes shadowed.

Of course, he knew about Raphael's bubbling feelings... He had always known.

Azrael smiled softly, patting his chin with gentle fingers. "I'll take care of your girlfriends. You just need to be selfish, that's all… For today, you can be selfish. After all, today you're my birthday boy, right?"

"B-But… this is wrong—" Leo started, his voice trembling with guilt and uncertainty.

"That's just for the eyes of others… Think only about yourself," Azrael whispered, her tone soothing but insistent. "Even Ophis knew something was going on between you two."

"Are you fine with that?" Leo asked.

Azrael tilted her head, her thoughtful expression making her look almost angelic. "Of course not."

"Then why—?" Leo began, but Azrael cut him off, her eyes locking onto his.

"Because it makes you happy, right? If you're happy, then I am… also, you already got 3 girlfriends... I don't think adding one more is going to make any different," Her voice softened.

Leo's face turned teary, overwhelmed by her acceptance and sacrifice. What was he going to do with her?

She always found his weak spot, always saw the real him—sometimes better than he saw himself.

Azrael added slyly, a mischievous spark in her gaze, "Also, if you got her… we could have some~ some~" She grinned wickedly, sultry and inviting.

Leo didn't fully understand her meaning, but her expression told him everything. His face turned beet red. "What the heck are you thinking, woman?!" he yelped, boinking her on the head with a gentle flick.

Azrael rubbed her head, then gave him a cheeky, daring smile. "I'm waiting for it~"

Leo looked at her in disbelief. What was wrong with this woman? Was this her plan all along?

Azrael giggled, her voice lowering to a sultry tease. "Of course, that's only if you want… but I'm pretty sure you want to be filled with both your mouth and your coc—"

"There you are… bitch!"

Suddenly, the corridor turned cold—like all the light was sucked away. Azrael's face froze, dread creeping in as she slowly turned back. At the end of the hall stood a little, cute girl, doll-like, holding a bloody knife in her hand, a strand of hair hanging from her mouth. Her eyes glinted, uncanny and soulless.

Leo's heart dropped. "Oph—"

Thud!

Before he could finish, the doll-girl leapt forward. Azrael was taken down in a blur of movement, the child's small hand driving the knife into Azrael's throat, blood spraying in a crimson arc.

"AZRAEL!!"

Leo screamed!

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