Leon ended the call with Subaru and turned back to Hazel, who was still smiling at him.
“Is it time for you to go?” she asked.
“Yes, but actually… I have about an hour before I need to log into the game.”
Hazel nodded. “I see. Let’s finish the food, and then we can head back to the Home Bus,” she said, then hesitated for a moment before continuing. “Uh… would you mind if I came along?” “No… it’s fine, as long as you’re okay with being there alone for a bit.”
Hazel nodded enthusiastically. “I have dinner plans with my mom later,” she said, pausing for a moment, her expression growing even more excited. “I’m really happy and have been looking forward to it, so if you’re not back by then, I might head out first.”
“No worries… I’ll make sure to get back as soon as I can.”
They spent the next few moments finishing their lunch, with Hazel casually discussing how delicious the food was, explaining it with her usual expressive flair. Her full range of expressions was something Leon could never quite replicate. No wonder she could easily become a commercial star-her cheerful and positive vibe seemed to naturally draw people in, making it easy to see why she’d attract so many fans.
After they finished their meal, they left the restaurant and spent some time walking toward the parking lot, heading back to the Northstar Home Bus.
While the topic Hazel had brought up earlier wasn’t mentioned again, it continued to linger in Leon’s mind, pushing him to consider how he should respond. Even though it wasn’t something he had been thinking about, he knew he needed to respect her feelings after all, it took a lot of courage for her to open up like that.
This brought back memories for Leon of the first time he had confessed his feelings to someone. It hadn’t been easy at all-feelings could flourish effortlessly in the heart, but when it came time to put them into words, it could make your lips freeze. Maybe that’s just how it is for someone who’s still a teenager?
But now, at this stage of his life, as he was stepping into adulthood, did that mean he could express his feelings more easily? Was he truly giving her feelings the consideration they deserved? Surely, no one could be completely devoid of attraction, affection, or love, right?
Yet, in reality, Leon’s mind was consumed with his ambitions-to reach the highest levels in the game, to become the strongest. He was confident in that goal. In the real world, his focus was just as sharp: he didn’t want to squander the opportunities and blessings he had been given.
That’s why he trained so intensely, pushing his physical limits with running, bodybuilding, martial arts, and more. These pursuits filled his mind and heart, giving him a sense of love and fulfillment that he hadn’t found elsewhere.
But surely, he still had an interest in women, didn’t he? Had he unintentionally pushed that aside because of past hurt? If he had truly experienced love or even been in a relationship, he should be able to open up and do the same again. He didn’t have to be so hard on himself— maybe it was time to show more appreciation to those close to him.
They walked side by side, with Hazel’s steps noticeably more lively and occasionally longer, as if she were truly enjoying the moment. Every so often, she glanced at Leon and let out a soft laugh.
“I’m going to try my best to win your heart,” she said with a giggle.
“I appreciate what you’ve done, Hazel.”
“Don’t worry… I’ll try to make this feel as natural as possible. I actually like this moment, and I feel even more at ease now that I’ve opened up to you. But I can wait… and at least I’m not behind anyone else because I took the first step.”
When they reached the Home Bus, the door opened, and Leon stepped in first, with Hazel following close behind.
“Wow… it’s really luxurious…” she said as she walked to the middle of the bus and flopped down onto the sofa.
Leon followed and sat down on the sofa next to her.
“I could sleep like a baby in here,” she said with a giggle.
“Actually, you can use the bed back there,” he said, pointing toward the rear of the bus. She nodded repeatedly. “Sure, no worries. You don’t have to rush to get your work done. Just pretend there’s no one else in this Home Bus, and take your time,” she said with a smile. “You can use any of the facilities here, and when you’re ready to leave, just use the voice command. The AI is pretty smart. You can walk out, and it will secure itself,” Leon explained. Hazel nodded repeatedly, a bright smile on her face. “I’m so happy… yay!”
Once Leon felt everything was set, he headed to the back, opened the Capsule Device, and climbed in. Hazel waved as he did.
After Leon had entered the Capsule Device, Hazel relaxed on the sofa, taking in the luxurious surroundings. Her phone suddenly buzzed, and she pulled it out of her bag, seeing her mom’s name on the screen. Her eyes lit up with joy and excitement. She glanced over at the Capsule Device to ensure it was closed-Leon should have been fully immersed in the game by now. “Hey Mom, I’ve already reserved a table for our dinner tonight… it’s at the restaurant you love… I can’t wait to see you… finally, we can have dinner together again,” she said, her voice full of excitement and a smile lighting up her face.
Then she fell silent, listening to the response on the other end of the line. Her expression slowly shifted from one full of cheer to a more neutral, almost flat expression.
“But Mom… this is the third time you’ve canceled the same plan,” she said, her voice dropping.
“It’s my birthday…” she added, now in a much softer tone, her expression completely shifting.
She fell silent again, listening to the response on the other end of the line. “Mom, you promised,” she said, her voice trembling. A tear began to well up in her eyes, and a couple of them slipped down her cheeks.
“Do you have time next week?” she asked, her voice trembling as a tear rolled down her cheek and dripped off her chin.
Then the call abruptly ended. She stared at the phone’s screen for a few moments, and now the tears flowed more freely, her sobs growing louder as she could no longer hold them back. She pulled her legs up onto the sofa, pressing her face against her knees as she tried to suppress the overwhelming disappointment and the tears that wouldn’t stop falling.
“I just wanted to have dinner with you, Mom…” she said, her voice trembling. “I feel so alone… I need you…” Her words broke between sobs. “Dad… I miss you…”
Meanwhile, inside the Capsule Device, Leon hadn’t actually logged into the game yet; he was still messaging back and forth with Subaru. From within, he overheard Hazel’s conversation. Hazel had truly been doing her best to hide her tears, masking her sadness with laughter and cheerfulness whenever she was around others.
He sighed, unsure of what to do after unintentionally overhearing such a personal moment. After a moment’s hesitation, he finally logged into the game.