The storm of emotions that had consumed the room finally began to subside, giving way to a profound, heavy silence. Leo's gentle, reassuring words had acted like a soothing balm on Elsa's frayed nerves, causing her erratic breathing to slow down. The overwhelming panic that had gripped her heart just moments before gradually melted away, leaving her calm, though completely emotionally exhausted.
Elsa looked down, her voice dropping to a soft, respectful whisper as she spoke.
"I am sorry, Leo."
The silence stretched between them for a brief second before she spoke again, the weight of guilt evident in her tone.
"It's my fault."
Leo looked at her, his expression softening completely. A small, gentle smile played upon his lips, dispelling any lingering tension in the air.
"It's okay, Elsa."
He paused, letting out a quiet, self-deprecating sigh before continuing.
"I am a stupid person. I should have thought carefully before speaking with you."
He looked away for a moment, running a hand through his hair as he tried to process his own uncharacteristic behavior.
"I don't know why I feel so differently when it comes to you."
He shook his head, a look of genuine confusion crossing his handsome features.
"Generally, I am a confident and a very sensible man."
He turned his gaze back to her, his eyes searching her face.
"But when it comes to you..."
He trailed off for a moment, before letting out a soft, rueful laugh at his own expense.
"I don't know why I speak such nonsense and end up blaming you for my own mistakes."
His voice grew softer, carrying a depth of emotion that he rarely permitted himself to show.
"I was also feeling deeply concerned towards you."
He looked into her eyes, his gaze steady and sincere.
"Maybe it is because I have accepted you more as my best friend."
Elsa's breath hitched slightly in her throat. She repeated the words in a soft, echoing whisper, testing the weight of them on her tongue.
"Best friend..."
An intense, unbroken silence fell upon the room as Leo and Elsa looked deeply into each other's eyes. It was a moment suspended in time, where unsaid thoughts and hidden vulnerabilities hung heavily in the air between them.
As Leo stared into the depths of Elsa's eyes, he found something shifting within them—a look of profound intensity that suddenly made him feel incredibly exposed. Unable to hold her gaze any longer, he abruptly turned his head away, looking behind him.
"Please don't look at me like that."
Elsa, momentarily confused by his sudden withdrawal, tilted her head slightly.
"How am I looking at you?"
Leo quickly raised his hand, partially hiding his face from her view as a faint flush of color crept into his cheeks. His voice was muffled but strained.
"Differently. Like you lo..."
He caught himself just in time, the final word dying on his lips. He froze for a count of three, realizing what he was about to imply, before quickly shaking his head to dismiss the thought.
"Let it go."
Despite his words, Elsa could not easily detach herself from the reality of the situation. She reached up, gently wiping the fresh tears that continued to spill down her cheeks. Her heart ached terribly as her eyes remained fixed on the white bandage wrapped tightly around Leo's forehead, a stark reminder of the pain he was enduring.
Wanting to be closer to him, Elsa slowly sank down, sitting on her knees upon the floor.
Seeing her drop to his level, Leo attempted to adjust his posture. Moving with visible difficulty, he lowered himself completely onto the floor, a sharp gasp escaping his lips as his muscles protested.
"Oh."
Once he settled against the ground, he looked at Elsa, his expression turning uncharacteristically solemn.
"I don't say this to the people around me, and I will not usually share my feelings or emotions with anyone regarding what I truly feel."
Elsa did not speak. She remained there on her knees, still crying silently as she kept her sorrowful gaze locked onto Leo's wounded form.
Noticing her unwavering distress, Leo offered her a comforting, reassuring look.
"This bandage and the wound... it is not hurting me anymore."
He leaned back slightly, trying to project an aura of absolute ease.
"Because I took the doctor's prescription pills."
He gave her a playful, confident smirk.
"And also, I am a very strong man."
Leo smiled warmly at Elsa, hoping his cheerful demeanor would finally break her sorrow.
Elsa simply looked back at him, her large, tear-stained eyes filled with a pure, heartbreaking innocence.
Looking at her sweet, unchanging expression, Leo suddenly found the situation incredibly amusing. A genuine burst of laughter escaped him, breaking the heavy solemnity of the room.
"Please continue your crying session."
He grinned widely, gesturing with his hands.
"Don't stop it!"
Hurt and embarrassed by his sudden teasing, Elsa quickly placed both of her hands over her face, covering her features as she continued to weep.
Leo's laughter subsided into a gentle chuckle. He leaned forward slightly, his tone shifting back to an intimate whisper.
"Do you know something?"
Elsa remained silent behind her hands, listening intently.
"If I see girls crying in front of me, I would normally run away from them. I have a bit of a phobia when it comes to seeing people cry. I get scared seeing them because I always think that I will also start crying just by listening to their tragic stories and feeling their heavy emotions."
He paused, his voice dropping to a completely different octave as he stared at her covered face.
"But seeing you cry... it makes me feel..."
Hearing the sudden shift in his voice, Elsa slowly lowered her hands from her face, her tearful eyes wide with curiosity. She pronounced each syllable carefully.
"What feel?"
Leo leaned in closer, bridging the remaining distance between them until his lips were just inches away from her ear. He murmured in a soft, breathy tone.
"You look cute."
Elsa froze instantly. She stopped crying for a complete second, her entire body locking up in absolute shock as she stared at Leo with wide, stunned eyes.
Leo instantly backed away, throwing his hands up in the air with a dramatic sigh of relief.
"Oh my God!"
He let out a loud breath, shaking his head.
"I have been trying for an hour to stop you from crying."
He looked at her pointedly, his expression turning a bit more serious.
"Not just for an hour... basically from the very day I met you."
Elsa felt a cold jolt of shock run through her. She stared at him, her voice trapped in her throat as she absorbed his words.
Leo looked at her with a knowing, perceptive gaze.
"I know you are crying inside, Elsa."
He leaned back against the support behind him, his eyes never leaving her face.
"I saw it already. You were crying when you were running away from me earlier."
His expression softened into one of deep, genuine concern as he asked the question that had been weighing on his mind.
"Do you face any serious problem in your life?"
He extended a hand slightly towards her, his voice pleading.
"If it is so, please share it with me."
The question struck Elsa like a physical blow. In an instant, a flood of vivid, agonizing memories rushed through her mind. She recalled the horrific details of her recent accident—the screeching tires, the crushing impact, and the absolute terror of that moment. Right alongside those memories, the sharp, arrogant face of Easton flashed vividly in her mind.
Leo watched her closely, noticing the sudden distance in her eyes.
"Elsa, say it to me."
He pressed further, needing to know the truth.
"What problem are you facing?"
The realization hit Elsa with a terrifying clarity: Easton was Leo's first cousin. If she revealed the truth, it would shatter everything. She could not bring herself to cause a rift or bring that darkness into Leo's life right now.
Suppressing the tremor in her soul, Elsa looked directly at Leo and lied.
"There is no problem in my life."
Leo narrowed his eyes slightly, completely unconvinced by her quick denial.
"Are you sure?"
He tilted his head, studying her micro-expressions.
"Because I think you are lying to me."
Elsa immediately defended her stance, her voice rising slightly.
"No."
Leo let out a soft, knowing sigh, a gentle but firm look in his eyes.
"I know you, Elsa."
He pointed lightly toward her face.
"When you are lying, your eyes won't meet my eyes, and you also try to hide your face from me."
He paused, realizing that pushing her any further right now would only distress her more. He raised his hands in a gesture of peace.
"Okay, fine."
He gave her a reassuring, warm smile.
"When you are ready, please share it with me."
His voice grew incredibly fierce and protective as he made a solemn vow.
"I am your best friend. I would help you and save you, even from death itself."
Elsa's heart skipped a beat, a profound sense of shock washing over her at the sheer magnitude of his promise. Leo merely smiled back at her, his expression pure and completely unwavering.
Before another word could be exchanged, the loud, intrusive ringing of a phone broke the silence. Leo reached into his pocket and pulled out his device, checking the caller ID. His expression instantly hardened into one of strict business.
"It is an important call."
He stood up, stepping away to answer the phone.
Elsa slowly stood up as well, moving a considerable distance away to give him privacy. She stood far from him, her eyes fixed entirely on his retreating back. As she watched him, a wave of intense admiration and overwhelming emotion washed over her.
She asked herself in the quiet sanctuary of her own mind, How can Leo be so pure and kind-hearted?
She gripped her hands together, her thoughts swirling with confusion and deep affection.
Who are you to me, Leo?
Why are you caring for me so much?
A tear slipped down her cheek, but this time, it wasn't from sorrow.
You are the first person who has truly understood the pain hidden deep inside my heart.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, Leo pressed the phone to his ear, his voice dropping into a cold, commanding tone as he spoke to his private investigative detective.
"Kevin."
On the other end of the line, Kevin's voice sounded weary but focused.
"It's difficult, sir. But I would find her."
Leo's jaw tightened, his eyes flashing with a dangerous, protective anger.
"I don't know what you will do."
He gripped the phone tightly, his voice laced with absolute steel.
"I want the girl who faced that serious accident because of my dirty cousin, Easton."
He turned slightly, ensuring his voice wouldn't carry across the room.
"I want her, and I want to know all her updates."
He paused, his tone turning incredibly dark and menacing.
"Remember also, I want Easton."
His knuckles turned white against the phone casing.
"Who tried to kill an innocent life?"
He exhaled a cold, sharp breath.
"I am not going to spare him. Locate him."
He commanded authoritatively.
"Track him, where he hides."
Kevin responded immediately on the other end, his tone respectful and compliant.
"Understood, sir. I am on it."
Leo cut the call without another word, lowering the phone to his side. He stared blankly ahead, his eyes burning with an intense, vengeful wrath as he muttered to himself.
"Wherever you hide, Easton, I would give you a bigger punishment for trying to kill an innocent girl."