Leo’s music had always been a source of comfort for Maru, and once again, it healed her heart. But this time, as she listened to the songs on his album, she couldn’t shake the feeling that the songs were written for her.

Leo, on the other hand, decided he couldn’t keep holding back. He began making his feelings for Maru more obvious through small but heartfelt gestures, determined to show her how much she meant to him before he confessed outright.

Maru noticed the change in Leo’s behavior. He was more affectionate, his actions more deliberate, and it wasn’t something she was used to seeing from him. Then, one day, Leo impulsively followed Maru to her campus. There, he unexpectedly crossed paths with someone from her past—a man whose presence seemed to cast a shadow over Leo’s confidence.

A growing sense of dilemma consumed him. Did he really stand no chance of convincing Maru to stay by his side? He kept questioning what Maru truly felt deep in her heart. Leo began keeping his distance, leaving Maru confused but aware of his withdrawal. What she didn’t know was that Leo had turned to Knights, seeking their advice on whether he should just confess his feelings.

“You once told me, that love is about giving and receiving. I’ve realized I can’t just keep giving without getting anything back. Maru, I want you. I want to be with you, to have you by my side.”

One evening, as Leo and Maru spent time together in a secluded park near Seisoukan, their conversation drifted toward a memorable night from their past—the night Maru accidentally stayed at Leo’s dorm after falling asleep. They laughed as Maru teased him about his grumpy expression that night, even joking that she would have preferred sleeping in Natsume’s bed just to enjoy his scent.

Leo was quiet for a moment before he murmured something that caught her off guard. “I would’ve preferred you slept in mine,” he said softly. “Next to me. So I could hold you close.”

Maru froze, startled by the unexpected confession, but quickly brushed it off, reminding him of their roles. “We’re just friends,” she said. “You’re an idol, and I’m just staff. Being seen as anything more would ruin your reputation.”

But Leo didn’t stop there. He began asking hypothetical questions, claiming he enjoyed coming up with random scenarios. “What if we were more than friends?” he asked. “What if we were just two regular people, without any reputations to protect?” He paused before continuing, “What if I told you I had feelings for you?”

Maru hesitated, her thoughts spiraling as she tried to convince herself that her feelings were one-sided. Finally, she replied, voicing her concern that Leo wasn’t thinking things through. “You’d be risking so much,” she said. “Your career, everything you’ve worked for—just for love with an ordinary girl.”

“Forget it,” he said, forcing a smile. “I was just being unrealistic.”

The conversation shifted. Maru brought up her own hypothetical scenario, subtly hinting at her resignation from ES. She reasoned that her role had been fulfilled—she had helped Leo return to Knights, and the group no longer needed her. Maru believed she could leave without causing harm, but her words deeply unsettled Leo.

This worried Leo deeply. He saw Maru’s decision as selfish, not because she wanted to pursue her own dreams, but because she wasn’t considering the feelings of those she’d leave behind—not Knights, and certainly not his own.

In the heat of the moment, Leo confessed his feelings outright. But, as he had feared, Maru rejected him.

What upset him most wasn’t her refusal—it was that he knew she was lying to herself. She was deliberately creating distance between them, pushing him away despite their mutual feelings.

Leo grew frustrated and hurt, realizing that Maru’s fear of their love and her impending departure were driving them apart. The thought of her leaving him sooner than he was ready to let her go felt unbearable. Still, he couldn’t stop loving her, even if it meant enduring the pain of her rejection.