That afternoon, the small cafe near the school became a silent witness to the thick awkwardness hanging in the air between Leo and Liana. The aroma of coffee and pastries mingled with a tension that was almost palpable. After Leo's sudden confession in the cafeteria—a social maneuver equivalent to tossing a flashbang into a library—the atmosphere felt... strange. Very strange.
Liana remained mostly silent, her fingertip tapping against her condensation-beaded iced tea glass. Occasionally, she stole glances at Leo, her gaze like that of a biologist encountering a confusing new species: a mix of curiosity, skepticism, and a faint trace of fear. Was the boy in front of her truly the same person as Leo, the apathetic loner who had barely registered on her social radar for the past three years?
Leo himself was trying hard to appear normal, a concept more foreign to him than quantum encryption codes. He ordered a black Americano ("No sugar, no milk. Efficient.") with a knowledgeable tone, though his memory of a 2015 cafe menu was hazy at best. He observed the other patrons with the analytical gaze he used to scan for threats in his past life. 'Seating positions aren't strategic. Too many blind spots near the windows. Tch. Amateurs.'
"So... Leo..." Liana finally broke the thickening silence, her voice soft and cautious. Ice cubes clinked as she stirred her drink. "About... uh... what you said earlier in the cafeteria..."
Leo raised an eyebrow, trying to assemble a relaxed expression that might look more appropriate on a robot attempting human emotion. "Yes?" His heart began to pound faster. 'Damn it. The interrogation begins. This is more stressful than waiting for a target to appear in the crosshairs.'
"Were you... were you really serious?" Liana asked, this time looking straight into Leo's eyes. There was vulnerability in her gaze, but also sharpness—she was searching for truth, or at least consistency, behind Leo's bizarre behaviour.
Leo took a deep breath, forcing himself not to look away or instinctively check the exits. "One hundred percent serious, Liana," he replied, his tone flat but firm. Lying wasn't his style, at least not about something this critical. "Every word. I know it was sudden. I know it probably sounded like the craziest load of bull you've ever heard. But I'm not messing around about helping you. And... about my feelings." He paused, his expression softening fractionally—or perhaps, more accurately, becoming slightly less rigid. "Although, yeah... I admit, the delivery might have been... lacking finesse. Equivalent to a flashbang, maybe?"
A small, weary smile touched Liana's lips. "Yeah, 'flashbang' is a pretty accurate description." She sighed deeply, her shoulders slumping slightly. "I... I just don't understand, Leo. Why? Why now? For three years, you barely spoke to me. You always seemed so... indifferent. To everyone. Like a total geek!"
Leo leaned back in his chair. Hmm. Good questions. Questions that were hard to answer without revealing the whole time-travel, dark-past assassin thing. He opted for the heavily censored truth.
"Because I was an idiot, Lia," he said bluntly, without a trace of jest. "A coward. I was too wrapped up in... my own head, my own boredom, my assumption that everyone and everything was pointless." He paused, meeting Liana's gaze with an intensity that made her flinch slightly. "I was wrong. Dead wrong. Seeing you upset today... seeing something obviously crushing you from the inside... it made me realize how much I actually cared all this time... how much I wanted to protect you. I couldn't stand seeing it."
He leaned forward slightly, his 'protector' instincts activating, overriding his social awkwardness. "Look, Liana. I might suck at words. I probably don't know how to comfort someone or be romantic like in those trashy movies. But I can do things. I can analyze problems. I can find solutions. And I can make damn sure no one hurts you again." 'This is my version of acts of service. Protect the asset... protect the queen.'
Liana looked stunned by the raw honesty and strange confidence radiating from Leo. "You talk like this is... a war strategy problem or something."
"Because it is," Leo replied without hesitation. "The people threatening your family, they're predators. Crazy predators. And predators need to be dealt with strategically, not just with hope or fear." He took a sip of his Americano. Bitter. Just like his old life. "Okay, forget my awkwardness and the ridiculous confession for a second. Let's focus on the primary issue. Information is key."
His demeanor shifted, becoming more focused, almost like a detective—or an interrogator. "Who are 'these people'? Names? Affiliations? How often do they contact? Their methods of threats?"
Liana hesitated, chewing on her lower lip. She glanced around the cafe, ensuring no one was listening. "I... I don't know their exact names. They just call themselves 'the collectors'. My dad owed money to a local loan shark, Mr. Beno, but it seems the debt got sold to a bigger, more... ruthless group." Her voice trembled slightly. "They've been calling almost every day this week. Threatening to hurt us if we don't pay by next week."
"Next week," Leo repeated, his mind instantly calculating. 'Tight timeframe. Need capital fast. BTC plan needs acceleration. While ensuring subject's security.' "The exact amount?"
Liana shook her head slowly, her eyes welling up. "Dad won't tell me. But I overheard him on the phone... it's huge. Hundreds of millions (rupiah)."
Leo nodded slowly, his jaw tight. This was exactly the kind of scenario he vaguely remembered from his past—debt traps leading to desperation and tragedy. 'Not again.'
"Okay," he said calmly, though anger simmered beneath the surface. He pulled a napkin and a pen from his pocket (an old habit, always ready to take notes). "The phone number they use?"
Liana looked at him, slightly bewildered by the rapid topic shift and Leo's intensely practical attitude. "I-I'm not sure..."
"It's okay. Try to remember later," Leo said. He noticed Liana's hand trembling slightly as she held her glass. Without much thought, driven by a clinical sort of care, he pushed his still-warm Americano slightly closer to her hand. "Mine's still warm. Yours is cold. Swap if you want." He then awkwardly reached out and briefly, hesitantly, touched the back of her hand resting on the table. 'Is this how you comfort girls? Physical contact seems logical.'
Liana blinked, startled by the small gesture and the fleeting touch. It wasn't smooth or conventionally romantic, more like a logistical transaction mixed with a clumsy attempt at connection, but there was an undeniable attentiveness behind it. "Uh... it's okay, thanks," she declined softly, though a faint blush coloured her cheeks as she subtly pulled her hand back.
Leo just shrugged, seemingly unfazed by the rejection of his 'service'. "Offer stands." He returned his focus to the main problem. "We need a plan. First, your and your family's security. Second, clearing that debt before the deadline." He looked at Liana again, his gaze softening marginally. "I know this is heavy. But you're not alone now... you have me, Lia."
"How?" Liana whispered. "How can you possibly help? You're just a high school student, same as me. You said you wanted to invest, but that takes time, right? And money?"
"Tch... don't underestimate this handsome young man," Leo said with a conviction that no normal 18-year-old should possess. 'Ways involving future knowledge and possibly some semi-legal or grey-area maneuvers if necessary. Details not required for the subject.'
They sat in silence for a moment. Liana studied Leo, trying to read his often-impassive expression. There was something strange, maybe even dangerous about him, but there was also a sincerity in his determination to help. And honestly, she didn't have many other options.
"Alright, Leo," Liana said finally, her voice steadier. "I... I'll try to trust you. But please don't do anything stupid or dangerous, okay?"
Leo offered a faint smile—his first genuine-seeming smile that wasn't forced or cynical since returning to this time. "The definitions of 'stupid' and 'dangerous' are relative, Liana. But I promise you, my objective is to get you out of this mess... and... marry you."
He glanced at his watch (a cheap digital one). "It's getting late. We should head home before dark." He stood up, leaving a few bills on the table, more than enough to cover their drinks. 'Always leave a tip. Efficient for securing good service in the future.'
Liana nodded and stood up too, feeling slightly dizzy from the day's emotional rollercoaster. An absurd love confession, terrifying family problems, and now... an unexpected ally in the form of her strangest classmate.
As they walked out of the cafe into the descending twilight, Liana couldn't help but ask, "Leo... why do you carry a pen and napkin in your pocket?"
Leo glanced at her briefly. "Always be prepared to record important information. Never know when you'll need it." A perfectly logical answer, yet it felt profoundly unusual coming from a teenager.
Liana could only shake her head with a small smile. Maybe Leo was crazy. But maybe... Leo's brand of crazy was exactly what she needed right now.
They walked side-by-side in a silence that no longer felt awkward, but rather charged with anticipation. Liana felt marginally lighter, the weight on her shoulders seeming to lift slightly now that someone else knew and was offering help—however bizarre that person might be. Leo, on the other hand, his mind was racing, planning the next steps, analyzing potential threats, and occasionally glancing at Liana to ensure her immediate well-being.
'Primary mission: Protect Liana.
Secondary mission: Resolve the debt issue.
Tertiary mission: Attempt to be a normal human being.
Correction: Primary mission: Protect Liana AND resolve debt. Secondary: Normalcy attempt. Difficulty level: Extremely high.'