Bermuda

Leonardo's heart sank as it seemed the situation was about to end like this.

"Ah, no—"

He immediately reached out to grab something, but his fingertips stopped in mid-air at Hugo's next words.

"The fact that we can face each other and talk like this is all thanks to you risking your life to fight. Yes, I should have said this first... The order was all wrong. I'm sorry, Leonardo."

He was sincerely apologizing, but to the listener, it sounded like a sentence meant to end it here. No wonder, as the face he looked up at was deeply shadowed. The hollow around his eyes was as dark as if it had sunk into an abyss.

Leonardo unconsciously swallowed hard. It felt like if they ended it here, many things would go wrong.

He didn't want to see the other disappointed in him. But perhaps due to the defense mechanism he had wrapped around himself for the past three years, his mouth, which had been so good at rebutting, now hesitated at the crucial moment.

"But the fact that the amplifier is dangerous remains unchanged."

Meanwhile, whether fortunately or unfortunately, the conscientious Commander seemed to feel he still had to say what needed saying and held out his hand again.

"I'd like you to give me all the amplifiers you possess. Of course, it's not coercion or an order, but... I don't want you to be involved with such dangerous things anymore."

This time, both his tone and expression were infinitely gentle. This must have been what he had wanted to convey from the beginning. However, as it seemed the other was doing his best not to go against Leonardo’s feelings to the very end, Leonardo felt the air of the moment turn distinctly bitter.

Leonardo, who had been looking up, slowly lowered his gaze to stare at Hugo's outstretched forearm. He traced the burn marks left on it, then followed his fingertips as he bowed his head.

He took a deep breath to organize his thoughts and feelings. As he did, his stubbornness and pride sank to his feet. Feeling his mind grow calmer, Leonardo rubbed his stiff lips with his hand. He barely muttered, in a voice that seemed about to shrink away.

"It's gone now, that amplifier. What I used then was the end of it."

At his subdued voice, Hugo's fingertips hesitated. Lowering the hand that had been reaching toward Leonardo, Hugo stared intently at the drooping golden head.

The excitement from earlier was nowhere to be seen. It had completely subsided, as if water had been poured on a flame. Although there seemed to be room to continue the conversation, Hugo couldn't take Leonardo's words—that it was the end—at face value. He thought Leonardo might have made it up just to end the uncomfortable situation.

But whether it was true or not, the only thing he could do in this situation was believe him. Hugo slowly nodded at his words, knowing Leonardo couldn't see it. As if sensing the nod, Leonardo slowly raised his face.

The golden eyes, still aloof but somewhat deflated, spoke with a more relaxed air.

"And... you don't need to be sorry. I know that wasn't your intention."

The response was so far from what he expected that Hugo's eyebrows visibly twitched.

"I just... took it the wrong way."

Leonardo's voice, tinged with embarrassment, scattered in the quiet interior. His gaze also drifted through the air with his words, only returning to Hugo right after he finished speaking.

As Hugo's sharp eyes looked at him with an unreadable expression, Leonardo bit and released the corner of his lips several times.

"Still, you should have said it like that from the beginning. That you were worried about me."

He blurted it out grumpily, with a hint of resentment. Although not sharp, his fine brows furrowed slightly.

Hugo, who had been staring blankly at the distorted golden eyes, grabbed the opening Leonardo had given without hesitation.

"I'm worried about you."

Leonardo was momentarily flustered by the words that came so easily. However, he narrowed his eyes as if trying to discern the truth while hiding his inner thoughts. Then Hugo conveyed it once more, clearly.

"I'm anxious. Afraid you might get hurt again."

Leonardo's eyes, which had been tense, helplessly softened. A silent sigh flowed through his parted lips.

How could he maintain his pride in front of such a person? It was the moment when even the last bit of stubbornness crumbled uselessly.

He had thought that revealing one's inner self was an act easily looked down upon by others. But the other, who always apologized first and spoke his true feelings, seemed stronger and more solid than anyone else.

While Leonardo highly respected the other's uprightness, he found that quality—making him feel like a lesser person—annoying. That was always his complaint, but what could he do? Both objectively and subjectively, he was much more of an adult than Leonardo.

The golden eyes that had been wavering, losing their direction, settled once again on Hugo's forearm. Various scars decorated the protruding veins. Among them, the most noticeable was undoubtedly the wound he had left.

This person was saying that every moment he was facing now was all thanks to him. But if this person hadn't been there, he wouldn't have had the moment to face those wounds.

Leonardo, who had been hesitating, carefully reached out. He caressed the wound as if handling glass, afraid the thick forearm might break. Soon, his hesitant touch slid down. It dug deep between the large hands that looked particularly empty.

Leonardo, grasping the cool fingers, glanced up.

"I'm sorry."

At that moment, a sigh escaped through Hugo's teeth. His voice kept ringing in his ears like an afterimage.

Although he tried not to show his agitated feelings, his broad chest subtly swelled and then subsided. It was truly an amazing ability—to make a complicated mind feel as distant as emptiness with just a single word.

The sweet apology conveyed by the sorrowful eyes made him look back on the times they had gone through like a panorama. Perhaps because of this, Hugo could, in a brief moment, fully understand the many meanings contained «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» in the single word Leonardo had uttered.

"..."

Afraid that the sensation transmitted through his fingertips might escape, Hugo held firmly onto the heat that had coagulated within him.

The blue eyes that had helplessly melted were filled only with gold. His heated heart strongly pulled the hand he was holding toward himself.

"Come here."

*****

The setting sun disappeared from the gap in the window. Soon, the bluish darkness seemed about to dye the entire sky.

Perhaps because he hadn't gone outside yet, it was difficult to realize that this wasn't inside the peninsula. However, seeing that it was still bright even though it was quite late, the day felt longer than when they were on the peninsula.

It would have been nice if there were a window on the opposite side as well, but on the west side, there was only a tightly closed door. Leonardo felt regretful that he couldn't watch the retreating sun.

However, as he waited, he soon consoled himself. It was because he would be able to open that door and leave this place before long. Hugo, who had been persuading him not to go out all along, had allowed him to go out after some change of heart.

"Where could it be..."

As his voice, sounding like a soliloquy, was heard, Leonardo turned his head to look at Hugo's back. Hugo was rummaging through Flynn's backpack placed in the corner, looking for something.

Although the preparation time seemed to be running a bit long, Leonardo absentmindedly fiddled with the sleeve of the extra clothing he was wearing. Saying that the evening here was quite chilly unlike the peninsula, Hugo had taken out a thin jacket and handed it to him to wear. Even though no perfume had been sprayed, the deep scent permeating it immediately revealed that this jacket was also his possession.

Just as the twice-folded sleeve was about to become crumpled from being touched so much, Hugo turned around, seemingly having found what he was looking for.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

Leonardo shook his head as if to say it was fine, watching him approach with long strides. Yet he glanced at what Hugo was holding in his hand. It was a neatly folded handkerchief that looked soft in texture.

Earlier, when he was taking off his clothes layer by layer to wash, he had also untied the handkerchief that had been tied around his neck.

He thought he might have brought that handkerchief back, but this time it seemed to be a new spare handkerchief he had prepared. It had the same family crest engraved on it, but the pattern was different from the one Leonardo was familiar with.

Leonardo, who had been staring blankly, could tell what he was trying to do.

Hugo, who had spread the handkerchief wide, folded it diagonally into a long, ribbon-like shape. Then, as if it were natural, he wrapped it around Leonardo's neck. As he covered the outline of the choker without any gaps, he tied a knot in front of the collarbone and said:

"Wrapping the neck is most effective for maintaining body temperature. Even if it's uncomfortable, keep it on while you're outside."

Looking down at the large hands skillfully tying the ribbon, Leonardo casually replied to Hugo:

"It's not uncomfortable."

After saying that, he slightly raised his eyelids, and the blue eyes he met smiled gently.

"That's good."

Agrizendro had been very displeased with his desire to go outside. But it seemed that despite this, he had reluctantly allowed it because he was concerned about Leonardo’s words about feeling stuffy indoors.

Of course, it came with the premise that he couldn't go far and had to return after just a short walk nearby. He also added the condition that Leonardo must be accompanied by him, but there was no reason to refuse.

Leonardo lowered his eyes again at the delicate touch brushing his neck.

Perhaps because it hadn't been long since he had come out of being trapped in that broad embrace, his earlobes were still burning.

However, neither of them deliberately mentioned what had happened just before. They didn't even define what it meant exactly.

Just as an indescribable, tickling sensation lingered around his neck and chest, Hugo, who had finished tying the handkerchief, held out his hand with a satisfied face.

"Let's go."