The days after the silver-laced truce passed with deceptive calm.
At school, Leo and Rin carried on like any other couple—cautious, quiet, careful. No declarations, no drama. Just small moments that made their new normal feel real. A shared glance during class. A whisper exchanged between bookshelves. A gentle tug on a sleeve as they walked home.
But beneath that serenity, something churned.
It began on a Wednesday afternoon.
Rin didn't come to literature club.
At first, no one noticed. Kai was busy debating a poem's meter with Yuki, and Hana had dragged two new members into a haiku duel.
But Leo noticed.
He checked his phone.
No messages.
He texted her:
Leo: You okay?
No reply.
It wasn't like her.
By the time the club wrapped up, Leo's worry had morphed into cold anxiety.
He ran into her near the music building.
She looked pale. Tired. Her uniform jacket was folded over one arm, and her backpack bulged with books.
"Rin—"
She turned. "Leo."
His breath caught.
"Where were you?"
"Special tutoring," she said simply. "Three hours straight."
He frowned. "You didn't tell me."
"I didn't want to worry you."
"Too late."
She exhaled and leaned against the wall. "My mom called the school. Arranged supplementary prep sessions. Apparently, a top-tier university is reopening early admissions for science-track students. She wants me to apply."
Leo's heart dipped. "And you?"
"I don't know," Rin said, staring up at the sky. "I'm tired, Leo. I don't know if I want that life. But if I say no too early, she'll pull the offer. She said she only agreed to our arrangement because she believed I could still stay at the top."
Leo clenched his fists.
"So now your love is a condition of your grades."
She didn't answer.
Instead, she looked at him, voice barely above a whisper:
"Will you still want me… if I fail?"
Leo took her hand.
"Rin," he said. "I don't love your grades."
She smiled, tired but real.
He wanted to say more.
But he also knew—right now, she didn't need words.
She needed help.
---
That night, Leo stayed up and reread his entire physics book.
He wasn't science-track. But he could still learn enough to be useful.
The next day, he slipped a study schedule into her locker.
Color-coded. Balanced between study and breaks. With margins scribbled full of encouraging notes:
> "Hour 2: Stretch. Smile. You're still breathing, and that's enough."
> "Don't memorize. Understand. The brain loves meaning."
> "You're not alone."
Later that afternoon, Rin sent a message:
Rin: You made this?
Leo: Yeah. It's rough, but I checked the chapters you said were hardest. I found summaries online and—
Rin: I almost cried.
Leo: I almost failed physics last year, so fair.
She replied with a photo of her desk—his schedule pinned up, highlighted.
He smiled.
---
As the week rolled on, Leo started staying late in the library again.
He didn't always study the same subjects, but he sat nearby. Just close enough. Quiet support.
Others started to notice.
One afternoon, Yuki walked by, two melon sodas in hand.
She placed one beside Leo. "You look like a tired dad."
"I feel like one."
"She's working hard," Yuki said, glancing at Rin. "But she smiles more when you're here."
Leo blinked. "…Really?"
Yuki nodded. "It's kinda unfair. I try all day to make her laugh and you just exist and she lights up."
Leo chuckled. "Sorry?"
She grinned. "Don't be. Just… don't give up. She's worth the burn."
---
One Friday evening, it all nearly came crashing down.
Rin collapsed during cram school.
Leo was already on his way to walk her home when he got the call.
By the time he arrived at the school's infirmary, she was lying on the cot, eyes closed, her breathing shallow.
The nurse looked up. "Overworked. Minor dehydration. Stress."
Leo sat beside her, heart pounding.
She stirred a little. Opened her eyes.
"…Leo?"
"I'm here."
"Sorry," she whispered.
"For what?"
"I'm weak."
"No," he said firmly. "You're human."
She looked at him, eyes red.
"Can we… just stay like this?"
He nodded.
And for an hour, they said nothing.
Just hands touching. Breathing in sync.
---
That weekend, Rin's mother called again.
Leo was in the courtyard when Rin told him.
"She asked if I still want to apply."
"And?"
"I said yes."
Leo's heart paused.
But Rin smiled.
"I'm going to apply. Not for her. For me. Because if I have the power to choose, I want to prove I can succeed and stay true to myself."
He felt something swell in his chest. Admiration. Pride. Love.
"Then I'll be your backup generator," he said. "If you ever flicker, I'll keep you lit."
She kissed his cheek. "You already do."