The campus fair had officially ended, and the soft glow of fairy lights illuminated the pathways as students slowly dispersed. Leon trudged beside Maya, still dripping from the dunk tank and still flushed from the cleanup challenge. His chest burned—not from exhaustion—but from the lingering tension with Richard.
Maya adjusted the strap of her backpack, glancing between the two boys. "You two… I don't understand. Every time I look at you, it's like a storm is brewing."
Leon glanced at her, cheeks heating. "Storm? It's… nothing like that."
Richard, who was walking beside them as calm as ever, smirked faintly. "Storm? Maybe. But interesting storms are the best kind."
Leon's stomach twisted. He makes everything sound like a game… like he enjoys making me feel like this.
Maya tilted her head, eyes sparkling with mischief. "You're both acting… different. I can feel it. Something's changing, isn't it?"
Leon opened his mouth to protest, but Richard answered first, voice soft yet teasing. "Perhaps things are… evolving."
Leon blinked. Evolving? He can't be serious.
Maya laughed, clearly enjoying their reactions. "You two are ridiculous. I mean, I've known you both forever, and I've never seen you act like this!"
Leon glanced at Richard, irritation and something else—a strange, unfamiliar feeling—mixing in his chest. He opened his mouth, then stopped. What could he even say? That every look, every subtle comment, every smirk made his heart race faster than it should? That Richard's calm composure drove him insane in ways he didn't understand?
Richard noticed the hesitation and leaned slightly closer, voice low and quiet, just enough for Leon to hear: "You're thinking about me, aren't you?"
Leon froze, heat rushing to his face. "I—I'm not!"
Richard smirked, as though he already knew the answer. "Of course you are."
Leon groaned and turned away, but his eyes couldn't stop flicking toward Richard. Maya noticed the silent exchange and laughed softly.
"You guys are ridiculous," she said again. "I swear, it's like watching a romantic comedy unfold in real life."
Leon's heart skipped. "R-Romantic comedy? Seriously?"
Richard's smirk widened faintly. "Maybe. But one with a lot more competition."
The trio walked through the campus, the night air cool and refreshing. Despite Maya's teasing, a quiet tension lingered between Leon and Richard. Neither spoke much, but their proximity alone made Leon's heart pound.
Maya eventually wandered ahead slightly, humming to herself, leaving Leon and Richard walking side by side. Leon could feel the subtle brush of Richard's sleeve against his own, and his stomach flipped.
"Why do you always have to make things so… complicated?" Leon muttered under his breath.
Richard's gaze met his, steady and calm. "Because simplicity isn't interesting."
Leon's cheeks burned. "You're impossible."
Richard's smirk softened just slightly. "Maybe. But I think you secretly like it."
Leon's heart thudded painfully. Secretly like it? Me? He clenched his fists, trying to ignore the strange warmth spreading in his chest.
Maya, noticing the tension from afar, turned back with a playful grin. "Hey! Are you two going to keep glaring at each other all night, or can we get some ice cream?"
Leon groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Ice cream… fine. But only because she asked."
Richard simply nodded, still calm, as though he had already won some invisible game.
Maya clapped her hands, clearly delighted. "Good! Let's go before it closes. And Leon… try not to think about him so much on the way."
Leon's face turned red, but Richard only smirked faintly, his gaze on Leon sharper than any words.
As they walked toward the ice cream stall, the quiet moments became charged. Leon kept stealing glances at Richard, who, in turn, seemed perfectly aware of each look. Every step, every slight movement, every brush of their shoulders sent Leon's heart racing.
Maya hummed cheerfully, clearly oblivious to the subtle tension between the two. "You two are acting weird," she teased again. "I think you're both hiding something from me."
Leon muttered, "Nothing to hide."
Richard's calm voice whispered softly, just close enough for Leon to hear: "Are you sure about that?"
Leon's stomach twisted. He didn't answer. Instead, he focused on taking slow breaths, trying to regain control.
Maya stopped at the ice cream stall, holding out a few coins. "Okay, let's get our flavors. And no more arguing—at least not until we sit down."
Leon and Richard exchanged a brief glance—silent, tense, but with a hint of something unspoken. The air between them was heavy, electric, and impossible to ignore.
Leon realized, with a startling clarity, that the real challenge wasn't the relay, the dunk tank, or even the cleanup.
It was Richard.
And trying to ignore him—or deny his feelings—was quickly becoming Leon's hardest task yet.