After the competition, Leo was awarded the first prize and received a wave of applause, yet his heart wasn't there.
He forced a smile, the corners of his mouth trembling with an expression that looked real but felt empty inside. The cheers echoed around him, but he felt utterly lost and confused, to the point he wondered if what happened was just a dream or something real...
And currently, Leo and his group were sitting in a half-circle, eating on the grass under a darkening sky.
The evening's light softened the world around them.
Azrael and Raphael glanced at each other... They saw Leo sitting cross-legged, blankly chewing his food, eyes unfocused, as if he was watching some memory on the far horizon.
His hand hovered halfway to his mouth, almost forgetting its purpose.
They wanted to ask... but not sure how to ask-
"Why do you look like someone fucked you up?"
