Leo walked home from Liana's house, his steps heavier than before. The image of the girl laughing freely with another man—a man who seemed so comfortable and familiar with her—kept replaying in his mind. The cold, foreign feeling that had pierced his chest earlier still lingered, an emotional anomaly he couldn't fully analyze. 'Unexpected variable. Subject's relationship status requires clarification. Potential disruption to secondary mission... and perhaps primary?'
The sky, initially clear, was now rapidly being covered by thick gray clouds. The wind picked up, carrying the scent of damp earth. And soon enough, the first drops of water began to fall, quickly turning into a heavy downpour drenching the city streets.
"Argh, damn rain," Leo muttered irritably, more annoyed at the interruption to his internal brooding than the physical discomfort. He didn't have an umbrella. He quickened his pace, his instincts seeking the nearest shelter.
As he jogged across an intersection rapidly emptying due to the rain, a scene in a narrow alley across the street caught his attention—or rather, triggered his danger alarms. Three burly men surrounded a girl, seemingly demanding something forcefully. One man had just snatched a bag from the girl's grasp. The girl looked terrified, trying to resist but clearly outnumbered and overpowered.
"What the hell is that?" Leo hissed, his protective instincts kicking in instantly, overriding his own emotional turmoil. He had no time to think or analyze. He crossed the street quickly, the rain soaking his clothes and hair in an instant.
"OI, BASTARDS!!" Leo yelled, his voice sharp and cold, cutting through the sound of the rain.
The three men and the girl turned in surprise. Seeing just a skinny teenager soaked to the bone, the two men not holding the bag laughed mockingly. The man holding the bag smirked.
"Damn, someone saw?" the man with a tattoo on his arm sneered. "Get lost or BECOME A PUNCHING BAG!"
Leo didn't answer. He approached with calm yet menacing steps. As the tattooed man ignored him and turned to leave with his companions, Leo moved.
He didn't use elegant Taekwondo kicks or swift boxing punches this time. The narrow terrain, slick with rain, and three opponents required a different approach. He lunged forward, using his momentum on the wet asphalt.
Swish! His right knee slammed hard into the nearest man's stomach, a Khao Loi (flying knee) technique from Muay Thai hitting without warning. The man gasped, air forced from his lungs.
THWACK! Before the second man could react, Leo's left elbow struck his temple hard (Sok Klap), using him as a pivot point to turn.
The tattooed man holding the bag spun around, shocked to see his two companions downed so quickly. He swung the stolen bag towards Leo. Leo dodged sideways, his hand catching the bag strap, then pulled hard while stepping into the clinch.
Quickly, Leo locked the man's neck in a powerful Muay Thai clinch. The man struggled, trying to break free, but Leo's grip was too strong, his technique too perfect. Leo's knees repeatedly slammed into the man's ribs (Khao Trong), making him groan in pain and finally release the bag. With one strong shove, Leo broke the clinch and pushed the man, sending him sprawling onto the wet asphalt beside his still-groaning partners.
It was all over in brutal, efficient seconds amidst the pouring rain. The three men were now incapacitated. Leo picked up the fallen bag. He glanced coldly at the three men. "Leave. BASTARDS!"
The fear in their eyes outweighed the pain. They scrambled unsteadily to their feet and fled the alley.
Leo turned back to the girl who was still standing frozen in the rain, her face deathly pale, tears mixing with rainwater on her cheeks. She looked deeply shocked.
"Hi," Leo said, his voice softer this time, though still slightly flat from exertion. "Are you okay?" He held out the bag to her.
The girl stared at Leo with wide eyes full of fear and confusion, then fresh tears streamed down her face. She sobbed, her body trembling violently.
Leo sighed internally. 'A trauma response. Needs relocation to a safer, calmer environment.' He looked around. There was a bus stop not far away, its roof offering some shelter from the relentless rain.
"Come on," Leo said, gently touching the girl's arm. "Let's get under cover."
The girl was too shocked to refuse. She allowed Leo to guide her slowly towards the bus stop. They sat on the cold bench under the shelter's roof, the sound of rain hammering on the metal creating a curtain of noise around them.
Leo took off his thin, soaked jacket and draped it over the girl's shoulders. "Are you hurt?" he asked again.
The girl shook her head slowly, still sniffling, clutching her bag tightly. Her short hair was plastered wetly to her forehead and cheeks.
"Good," Leo said. "That's good." He sat silently beside her, giving her space to calm down.
After a few minutes, the girl's sobs subsided. She turned to Leo, her eyes red but with clear gratitude in them. "Th-thank you," she whispered. "If it weren't for you..."
"Don't mind!" Leo replied curtly.
The girl offered a small smile. "I'm Sarah," she introduced herself.
"Leo," Leo replied.
Silence settled again. Leo's eyes caught a faint glint hanging from the zipper of Sarah's wet backpack. A small acrylic keychain.
Leo's eyes immediately locked onto it. The shape was intensely familiar. A miniature mecha with a distinct blue and white design, carrying an energy sword. It was...
"THAT'S... THE ACCESSORY FROM THE ANIME 'TIME INTERTWINED'?!" Leo screamed internally, his eyes widening with shock and uncontrollable enthusiasm. It was his favorite obscure mecha time-travel anime from this era! An anime even Fred didn't really like, dismissing it as too 'niche'. Finding someone else who knew it, let alone owned merchandise, felt like discovering buried treasure. All worries about Liana, the debt, and his strange feelings momentarily vanished.
"That..." Leo pointed at the keychain, his voice noticeably more excited than before, losing its usual flatness. "That's the 'Chronos Wing' keychain from 'Time Intertwined', right?"
Sarah looked surprised by Leo's change in tone and his specific knowledge. She looked at the keychain on her bag, then smiled wider, this time the genuine smile of a fan meeting a fellow enthusiast.
"Yes! It is!" Sarah exclaimed, her own enthusiasm sparked. "You know that anime? Hardly anyone does! Most of my friends say the art is weird or the story is confusing."
"Confusing for those who cannot appreciate the complexity of non-linear narratives and the superior retro-futuristic mecha design," Leo retorted quickly, slipping back into his analytical mode but this time fueled by otaku passion. "The Chronos Wing's design is genius. Its aerodynamic efficiency in flight mode, the sequential transformation, even the placement of the energy sword for balance..."
Sarah laughed at Leo's technical analysis of her favorite anime. "Wow, you really are a huge fan, huh? I love how the story plays with time paradoxes, and of course, the Chronos Wing design is just cool!"
They immediately dove into an animated conversation about 'Time Intertwined'. They discussed favorite episodes, the tragic main character, theories about the ambiguous ending, and even its epic soundtrack. The awkwardness between them instantly melted away, replaced by a shared passion for a common interest. Leo, for a moment, forgot he was a former assassin from the future; he was just an excited anime fan.
Seeing how enthusiastic Leo was about the keychain, Sarah smiled. "You really like it, huh?" She unclipped the keychain from her bag. The zipper pull was slightly damaged from the earlier struggle. "Here, take it," she said, holding it out to Leo. "Consider it an extra thank you for helping me. Besides, my zipper's broken, it might fall off anyway."
Leo stared at the keychain in Sarah's hand, then looked at Sarah, slightly surprised. "Are... you serious?"
Sarah nodded. "Of course. You seem to appreciate it more than I do, Leo."
Leo hesitated for a moment, but the desire to own this rare piece from his favorite anime was too strong. He accepted the keychain carefully, as if receiving a precious artifact. "Thank you, Sarah. This... means a lot." His expression softened, showing genuine gratitude.
"You're welcome, Leo," Sarah said, pleased by his reaction.
The rain began to lessen into a fine drizzle.
"Looks like it's letting up," Sarah said, standing and returning Leo's jacket. "I should get home."
She paused. "Hey, Leo..."
"Yes, Sarah?"
"Can I get your phone number?" Sarah asked, a bit shyly but with an expectant look.
"I... I want to thank you again later. And maybe... we could talk again about anime or... other stuff? It's nice to have someone to talk to who's... unique like you."
Leo was slightly taken aback by the request. A friend? Someone voluntarily wanted to be friends with him after seeing his weird and dangerous sides?
"Okay," Leo replied briefly, taking out his phone and exchanging numbers with Sarah.
"Thanks again, Leo," Sarah said sincerely with a smile. "Get home safe."
"You too," Leo replied.
They parted ways. Sarah walked home feeling much better, even a little excited by the unexpected encounter. Leo continued his journey, now clutching the Chronos Wing keychain in his pocket, the chill from the rain slightly offset by the strange warmth of the unexpected interaction and his newfound 'treasure'. He was still thinking about Liana, but now there was a new variable in his calculations: Sarah. A potential friend? Someone who shared a rare interest? This was getting complicated.
The next morning, Leo woke up feeling dreadful. His head throbbed heavily, his throat was sore, and his entire body ached. He tried to sit up, but a piercing chill made him shiver violently. He touched his forehead. Burning hot.
He was sick. Properly sick. The combination of being soaked in the rain, emotional stress, and perhaps the physical exertion from the fight the night before had finally taken its toll on his not-yet-as-strong teenage body.
He reached for his phone, intending to call his mother, but then remembered. She was out of town for two days on sudden family business. He was alone.
Lying weakly in bed, surrounded by anime posters and comic books, the legendary high-class former assassin, 'The Raven', was now nothing more than a miserable, feverish teenager left to fend for himself. The irony might have been amusing if he didn't feel so utterly wretched.
He groaned softly. This was going to be a long, uncomfortable day. And he had to face it alone