Leo woke up with resolve burning behind his ribs.
It was Saturday morning, the kind with silver light leaking past the curtains, and for the first time since he'd read that letter, he felt more than just helpless.
He felt angry.
Not at his parents. Not even at the situation.
At himself.
For always letting the tide decide where he went.
But not this time.
---
His first stop was the school office.
"Do you have a phone I can borrow? One that can call overseas?"
The secretary blinked. "Is it… urgent?"
"Yes."
She handed him the staff line with a puzzled look.
Leo took a deep breath. Then dialed.
It rang.
Then connected.
His mother's voice came through the static. "Leo?"
"Hi, Mom."
"Is everything alright? Why are you—"
"I got your letter."
Pause.
"Leo… we wanted to talk in person."
"I know," he said. "But I had to say something first. Before you buy tickets. Before you pack my bags. Before you make this choice for me."
Silence.
Then: "Leo, we're trying to keep the family together."
"I know. But I'm not just your son. I'm a person now. With roots here. With friends. With things I care about. People I'm just starting to understand."
"High school relationships—"
"—aren't the reason. Not completely."
Leo took a breath.
"I finally feel like I belong somewhere. That has to count for something."
He didn't yell. He didn't cry.
Just spoke.
For once, clearly.
"Please don't ask me to start over again."
The silence stretched.
Then his mother sighed. "Your father isn't here. I'll… talk to him. But no promises."
"Thank you," Leo said.
They hung up.
He sat still for a long time, heart pounding.
He had done what he could.
Now, he had to wait.
---
Except he didn't wait passively.
He went to his dorm. Cleared his desk. Rearranged his drawer. Started a letter to his parents explaining everything: Rin, Yuki, Hana, Kai, the school, the festival, the first time he felt seen.
He didn't finish the letter.
But writing it made his hands shake.
---
He went for a walk.
The campus was quieter than usual. Most students had gone home for the weekend or were off-campus.
Which made it easy to spot Hana, doing sprints alone on the track.
She saw him approaching and slowed.
"You're early," she said, panting. "Didn't think I'd see you until Monday."
"I needed air," Leo said. "And maybe someone who wouldn't mind yelling at me if I sounded stupid."
Hana grinned. "Lucky you."
They walked a lap together in silence.
Then Leo said, "I told my parents I didn't want to go."
Hana stopped walking.
He kept going. Then turned.
"I don't know if it'll change anything. But I tried."
Hana jogged up beside him. "That's… good. That's really good."
"I thought you'd say something sarcastic."
She shrugged. "Sometimes serious is okay."
Pause.
"You want to stay for us?" she asked.
"For everything," he said. "You included."
She bumped his shoulder. "Good answer."
---
Later that day, he found Yuki lounging on a park bench near the dorms, drawing something in a sketchbook.
"Yuki."
She looked up. "Oh hey, world-traveler."
"I called them. Told them I wanted to stay."
Yuki blinked.
Then set the sketchbook down.
"Wait, seriously?"
Leo nodded.
She stood, looked at him for a long moment.
Then socked him in the arm. Hard.
"Ow—"
"That's for almost disappearing."
Then she hugged him.
"That's for doing the right thing."
Leo blinked. "You're… unpredictable."
"I'm chaos incarnate," she said proudly.
He laughed. "Thanks for not giving up on me."
"I was close," she teased. "But now I'll delay my heartbreak for at least another chapter."
---
That night, Leo sat on the rooftop again.
This time, he wasn't hiding.
Kai joined him, bringing two canned coffees.
"News travels fast," Kai said. "Yuki's already told half the dorms."
"I bet."
Kai opened his can. "So what now?"
Leo looked at the stars.
"Now… I wait for my parents' decision. But either way, I know who I am. And what I want."
Kai grinned. "Proud of you, bro. For real."
They toasted with their cans.
In the distance, a windchime rang faintly in someone's window.
The clock was still ticking.
But Leo wasn't afraid of the sound anymore.