Morning sunlight poured through the windows as Lily and Yuna stepped out of the house.
"Shopping day," Yuna smiled.
"Yeah… just for a while," Lily replied, resting a hand lightly near her stomach without realizing it.
Mall
The mall was crowded and noisy.
They moved from store to store, buying clothes, small items, laughing in between.
Then Lily stopped.
Her eyes fell on a small bracelet inside a glass case.
Silver. Simple. Quietly shining.
"…This," Lily whispered.
"For Leo?" Yuna asked knowingly.
Lily nodded and bought it without another word.
Railway Station
Shopping done, they reached the station.
Wind suddenly picked up.
In one sharp moment—
WHOOSH.
Lily's bag slipped from her shoulder and flew straight onto the railway track.
"Lily!" Yuna grabbed her arm.
"Don't go! A train is coming!"
"I'll be fast," Lily said and moved anyway.
She jumped down onto the track.
Just as she grabbed the bag—
Her foot got stuck between the metal and stone.
"…Ah—!"
She pulled.
Didn't move.
She could break the track.
She had the power.
But she didn't.
If I do… the train will derail.
Around them, people gathered.
Phones came out.
No one helped.
"Guys, look at this—" "Live stream! Live stream!" "Will she survive or not?"
Somewhere Else — Leo
Inside the house, Leo, Chen Wei, and Lily's dad were training like usual chaos.
Leo's phone vibrated.
NOTIFICATION:
"A girl is stuck on a railway track — LIVE"
Leo frowned.
"Hmph… who is it?"
He tapped.
The screen loaded.
His blood froze.
"…Lily."
The sound vanished from the world.
Leo disappeared in an instant.
"CHEN WEI—BEHIND ME!"
Lily's dad blinked.
"…Where did he go?"
The Run
Leo landed on a building rooftop.
"Speed Beast," he said coldly.
"Unlock 50% power."
Golden energy burst across his body.
The city blurred.
He ran over rooftops, walls, air itself.
Chen Wei followed, barely keeping up.
Ahead—
The train.
Only 10… maybe 15 meters away from Lily.
Chen Wei shouted, "Why doesn't she just break the track!?"
Leo vanished again.
"If she does," his voice echoed back,
"the train will flip."
Impact
Leo appeared right in front of Lily.
"What are you doing on the tracks!?" he shouted.
Lily's eyes widened.
"Leo—!"
He turned his head.
The train was an inch away.
In one motion—
Leo grabbed Lily.
Grabbed the bag.
And vanished.
Platform
They landed hard on the platform.
The train thundered past.
Silence followed.
Leo didn't let go.
Then—
He snapped.
"ARE YOU CRAZY!?"
"Do you have any idea what would've happened!?"
Lily tried to speak.
"…I just—"
"NO JUST," Leo said, shaking.
"You don't get to risk yourself like that!"
People stared.
Phones lowered.
Chen Wei arrived, breathing hard.
"…That was insane."
Leo turned back to Lily, voice lower but sharper.
"Never. Ever. Do that again."
Lily looked down, clutching the bracelet.
"…I'm sorry."
Narration:
"And so, the station returned to normal—
but Leo's heart didn't."
END OF CHAPTER 24