By Zephyria 
Hugo, standing in an awkward posture, opened his eyelids slightly. Reflexively leaning against the wall, he stared blankly at the shimmering golden light.
Would there be anyone else in his lifetime who handled his tie so roughly?
They say a moderate amount of humiliation breeds a strange kind of excitement; the pupils within his stunned blue eyes dilated minutely. Then, in stark contrast to the hand acting so brazenly, the tightly closed gold eyelashes came clearly into view.
Regardless of the precarious situation that had almost led to an argument, Hugo’s lips, which had been firmly shut above his unconsciously bobbing Adam’s apple, parted. While the ticklish sensation of being tapped like a small bird’s beak was pleasant, it was because he wanted to swallow that childish freshness.
Just as he turned his head as if possessed, intending to capture those red lips—
“Do you really… not remember?”
As the face pulled away, Leonardo tilted his chin up and asked.
His hand was still gripping the tie tightly. As if clinging to a sole lifeline.
Hugo, who had been about to move closer, paused. The Gold Eyes were filled entirely with a vast ocean. The sea was calm, but neither of them were unaware of the vortex raging within it.
“…….”
A silence followed, so profound that even breathing seemed to stop for a while.
While agonizing over what answer to give, Hugo quietly closed his mouth, which had been swept by an unseemly desire.
Fearing that telling the truth would ruin the atmosphere, he replaced a shameful affirmation with silence. Upon realizing this, the yearning Gold Eyes gradually withered. Looking at him, Hugo felt as if he had become a sinner before Leonardo.
Facing a face filled with as much disappointment as his own, his heart ached as if he had done something terrible, regardless of the memories that refused to surface. On the other hand, he sincerely wanted to ask back.
If the fact that I don’t know makes you sad,
‘You could just tell me yourself.’
If you would just whisper it, parting those mischievous lips just a little, I would never forget it until the day I die.
However, this current clash of emotions had begun because he could not recall their past encounter. Regardless of the reason, he was likely the only one who could control his own fundamental memories. Thus, for Hugo, who had never once doubted his own memory, this situation was a source of great confusion and a mental burden that prevented him from hastily demanding or urging the other.
Even if he didn’t know everything, he felt deeply in his heart that Leonardo’s waiting was exceptionally heavy.
Furthermore, during the time he had struggled alongside Leonardo, Hugo had realized one more thing. If there was something he wanted to know about him, he had to approach with extreme caution.
It couldn’t be sudden, nor could the intention be too obvious. He had to stealthily occupy a place by his side, like clothes getting soaked in a drizzle without noticing, and remain there until the moment came when Leonardo would quietly reveal it of his own accord.
If he didn’t do that, this fickle beauty would fly far away alone once again.
‘This is difficult.’
Of course, the process was tedious and he was incredibly hard to handle… but because he was such a being, Hugo was the only one who could find him, and the only one who could endure him.
Having steadied his heart, Hugo finally confessed the truth.
“I… still don’t quite know.”
As expected. The corners of the gold eyes stiffened upon hearing the answer, then dropped lifelessly. The hand tangled in the tie also slid away. Hugo hurriedly grabbed his wrist before it could slip away.
As if displeased, Leonardo tried to brush his hand off immediately, but Hugo did not let go.
“Leo.”
“…….”
The exploration continued amidst the complex current. While conscious of the gaze that reached him from the forehead down, Leonardo deliberately cast his eyes downward and refused to look.
Watching him quietly, Hugo rubbed the corner of the eye that was drifting elsewhere with his thumb. It was a bit redundant since they had kissed the moment they met, but his persistent touch was very cautious. After carefully choosing the words lingering on the tip of his tongue, he offered the greatest comfort he could provide at this moment.
“But I will definitely remember. If you stay by my side.”
It was a sweet whisper that inevitably tilted the heart.
“Will you do that for me?”
His solemn voice possessed a magic-like ability that made one want to believe. Leonardo wanted to demand how he could do that when he couldn’t even remember now, but the hesitating Gold Eyes slowly found their place.
The pupils clearly showed a reluctance to give in. However, he continued in a much softer tone.
“…I’m serious about you remembering on your own. Even if I ask now, I won’t tell you.”
His parting lips and the slant of his eyes were crooked. Fortunately, it seemed he was willing to converse.
Hugo, whose expression had been stiff due to his caution, breathed a sigh of relief and answered calmly.
“Alright. I will try.”
“Don’t just try, remember.”
“Yes, I’ll remember.”
“The answer is easy.”
Speaking bluntly, Leonardo shifted his upper body and pushed Hugo away. Hugo stepped back a pace to give him space, but he did not let go of the wrist he was holding.
Looking down at the man who was as stubborn as a hungry ghost, Leonardo gave in and added one more thing.
“And, I’m saying this in case you have another strange misunderstanding.”
The Gold Eyes rolled toward the silver emblem symbolizing the Council.
“If I had come all the way here simply with the intention of meeting you, I wouldn’t have participated in this tedious league. I would have just gone to the front of your mansion.”
“…What do you mean?”
“I participated in this league because there is something I want, too.”
Hearing this for the first time, Hugo tilted his head, raising an eyebrow.
“What is it?”
“Winning. Everything I want here is in that position.”
A fierce momentum was felt in that sharp gaze, conveying clearly that his words were sincere. Hugo had known, but hearing it like this made the determination feel different. But why bring this up now?
Noticing the puzzled look in the other’s eyes, Leonardo shrugged and continued.
“So, until I win and get what I want, I’ll be coming here regularly. I’ll see you and greet you every time.”
The Gold Eyes, opened primly, flicked upward again. Somehow, unlike the ticklish words, his actions were stiff. Because it looked as if he were trying to reassure Hugo while still maintaining his pride, Hugo looked down at him, blinked slowly, and eventually let out a faint chuckle.
“Alright.”
His gaze, which had been deeply sunken, also softened as he tenderly caressed Leonardo’s cheek.
“It’s a promise.”
“Promise or not, didn’t you think I would win anyway?”
“Of course I did.”
“Then we’ll run into each other at every match, so why have such a misunderstanding?”
It was an affectionate reproach. Hugo had much to say upon hearing that, but he didn’t bother adding it. He simply responded with a serene smile and silence. Facing him, Leonardo pretended to be composed and bowed his waist and head. After slipping out from between the wall and the man’s chest, he gave a piece of advice to the man who was still looking back at him from that spot.
“Then you know you have to be careful from now on, right? How desperately people rush just to see ‘Ryan’s’ face. How exhausted we’ll become if it’s exposed that you’re with a Legion Commander.”
The tone wasn’t cold, but it sounded like a request to maintain a certain boundary. Hugo’s expression, which had finally relaxed, quickly returned to a distance according to the other’s intent.
“…I’ll keep that in mind.”
“For the time being, even if we meet, we won’t be able to stay together for long. I’m a quite busy person. I’ll still show my face before I leave, so don’t suddenly appear in front of my teammates like you did today. I don’t know about your subordinates or servants, but it’s hard to expect that level of loyalty from my teammates. Everyone has eyes and ears.”
Half of Leonardo’s coldly sounding words were sincere.
“We’re in the same boat for now, but there’s no telling what will happen later.”
Even if they were partners plotting a great cause together, he couldn’t trust everything. Especially if their goal was the eradication of the imperial faction nobles, Duke Hugo Agrizendro could become the number one target for removal depending on his relationship with a Vampire. Of course, that wouldn’t happen, and he would stop it somehow before it did.
Regardless, for the sake of those with the same goal, and to protect this man from them, it was necessary to desperately prevent unexpected contact between the partners and the Legion Commander. Having organized his thoughts, Leonardo picked up the mask that had fallen to the floor and dusted it off lightly.
Covering his face again, he turned around and spoke suggestively.
“Anyway, try hard to remember. Until I win.”