Maki's eyes widened. She shook her head, disbelief and concern washing over her expression. Sorrow flickered in her gaze—yet within it, a quiet understanding took root.
"So that's why… But still, why did he even bother showing up if it meant—?"
Sellzen let out a soft chuckle, leaning back in his seat. He took a slow, bittersweet sip of his cola, the carbonation fizzing softly in the silence.
"Austin lost his parents young—Marines, through and through. Always saving others, always taking the hit. After they were gone… something in him shattered. Or maybe it was buried. Locked away."
His gaze drifted toward the window, eyes distant.
"Then came you."
He paused, setting the bottle down with a gentle clink. "You're the one who stirred that part of him back to life. But he's still scared to embrace it. Attachment… that's a double-edged sword. It protects, but it wounds too."
Sellzen offered her a dry smile, more fond than mocking.
"You two are cut from the same cloth. Both idiots when it comes to feelings—like you're dancing around them with blindfolds on. Complicating simple truths. Like some damned author I know."
He sat forward and tapped the table once with a finger, his tone lightening.
"Still… the match is over, sure. But the next one's already starting. So keep playing. You melted the ice princess, damn it. Now take the win and run with it."
With that, he stood, gave her a playful flick on the forehead, and waved over his shoulder. Maki's lips curved into a faint smile—one that burned with quiet resolve.
---
Meanwhile, beneath the silver glow of the moon, Austin sat against the base of a tree in a quiet park. His eyes, half-lidded, traced the drifting clouds above. The air felt heavier than it should have.
A shadow stirred.
From the gloom stepped a man—tall, with long purple hair cascading over his shoulders, and piercing grey eyes that held too many unspoken memories.
He stood over Austin and tilted his head.
"It's been a while, hasn't it… dear brother?" he said calmly. "Relax. I'm not here to stay. No need to start cursing me out—yet."
Austin didn't rise. He just offered a weary glare before letting out a breath.
"What are you doing here, Lorenzo? How'd you even find me this time?"
Lorenzo gave a quiet laugh, looking up at the sky as if it might answer for him.
"Your life's still a beautiful mess, I see. For everything you've been through… you still keep moving. Still carrying that guilt like a badge. Still refusing to attach yourself to anything real—because you think it'll break you."
He looked down at his brother, voice softening.
"You've never forgiven yourself. But you were never to blame. Our parents… they'd have made that sacrifice regardless. That's who they were. And wishing you'd traded places doesn't honor them—it just dishonors the life they gave everything to protect."
Austin didn't respond. He stared forward, silent. Like he was waiting for an answer to a question he couldn't ask aloud.
Lorenzo sighed.
"You can try to forget who you are. You can even try to kill your own heart. But that heart's not yours alone anymore. You've opened it—whether you wanted to or not. And now…"
He trailed off, smiling faintly.
"…now there's a bond. One that—even if your memories blur it—you swore to protect. Deep down, it's still there."
He turned to leave, pausing just once more.
"I'm staying in Japan for a while. Keeping an eye on you. Do what you will—but remember this: the choices you make today are shaped by the wounds you carry from before. The heart doesn't play fair, Austin. It just keeps beating. No matter how many times we try to silence it."
With that, he tossed a small box toward Austin, who caught it with practiced ease. But when he looked up, Lorenzo was already gone.
Austin stared at the box in his hand, then gave a quiet laugh.
"He hasn't changed one bit…"
He leaned his head back against the tree and closed his eyes.
"Fine. I'll be the fool to my feelings. But this time—I'll do it without regret."