Then his eyes widened.
Leo blinked twice, trying to make sure he wasn't still dreaming.
Standing outside was Sarah, carrying her bag on her back with one arm.
Leo, still in disbelief, stood there until she started calling his phone from outside. Leo's eyes widened as soon as his phone inside rang with Sarah's name...
He wasn't dreaming. He quickly opened the door. Without a single word, he rushed and hugged her, lifting her up in the corridor.
Her eyes widened in shock, her ears and cheeks turning bright red...
She slowly raised her hands and wrapped them around his neck tightly...
"Babe, I've missed you so much," she whispered into his ears...
Leo didn't say anything else. He just held her tighter, as if letting her go would make her disappear.
"I didn't know you were coming today," he finally responded, putting her down, pulling back just a little to look at her...
She laughed cutely, rubbing her jaw as if there were beards... "I wanted to surprise you... And also..." She walked inside, dropping her bag on the bed as she sat down on it...
"I'm done with the movie... Yay!" She swung her arm and leg upwards repeatedly. Then she stood up and started walking towards Leo...
She smiled as she got up close and held his shoulder, a little bolder than usual. She kissed him on the lips, their saliva mixing together... "God, babe, I have missed you so much," she exclaimed while kissing him...
Then she instantly stopped kissing him, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Babe, you smell like cereal."
Her eyes widened, suddenly becoming watery as she bit her bottom lip. "Babe… you were starving because of me. Because I was away… I knew you couldn't cook, but I still left. I'm such a bad girlfriend."
She started crying. Her tears dropped endlessly, one after the other, like someone had been peeling onions in the corner of the apartment...
Leo held her face upward and then proceeded to gently wipe her cheeks with both of his hands. "Don't say that," he replied, quietly kissing her forehead. "You didn't do anything wrong…"
"I wasn't here," she whispered, her voice breaking. "You were going through all this alone…"
"I'm okay now," Leo said, pulling her into another hug. "You're here now, you can cook as much as you want. So it's enough, okay?"
She buried her face in his chest, her arms tightening around him like she didn't want to let go.
They stood in the doorway like that for a while… no words, just the quiet sound of her breathing slowing down as she calmed in his arms...
Then, softly, she exclaimed, "I really hate seeing you like this."
Leo gave a faint smile. "Babe, I told you it's fine."
"Now go and take your bath. You stink," he added, smiling, trying to lighten the mood..
Sarah gasped, her teary eyes narrowing. She gave his chest a playful punch, her fingers still trembling. "You're such a jerk."
But her voice cracked near the end.
Leo chuckled with a grin, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Just wanted to see you smile again…"
She looked up at him, her eyes still glossy, lashes wet, but a small smile finally tugged at her lips. "God, you're really annoying sometimes."
"I missed annoying you," he whispered, his voice soft enough to calm her down.
Sarah sniffled and gave a weak laugh, wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand. "Fine, I'm going to take a shower."
Leo leaned against the wall, watching her closely. "Bathroom's still where you left it," he responded, trying to keep things normal after her sudden tears...
She nodded slowly, stepping toward her small bag on the floor. Her fingers lingered on the strap for a moment before she picked it up...
As she walked past him, he murmured, "Don't use up all the hot water…"
She turned back slightly, her voice quiet but teasing. "Say another word and I'll use your towel to wipe my butt."
Sarah went into the bathroom, the door clicking softly behind her...
Leo stood there for a second longer, exhaling quietly and gratefully.
He turned his head slightly, his eyes catching her faint silhouette through the glass door. The soft curve of her waist and shoulders...
The way she moved her hair to the side. Just enough to make him excited, not in a sexual way, but simply excited...
The shower came on with a gentle hiss, steam slowly beginning to fog up the glass. He watched for a heartbeat longer, not with lust, but with a strange feeling of comfort… like seeing something precious finally back in its place...
He turned away and sat on the edge of the bed.
His room still smelled like cereal. His pillow had the dent from his nap. But everything felt… lighter now… more colorful.
Leo rested his elbows on his knees, hands locked together, and just breathed.
How long had it been since he felt this kind of calm?
Even the silence in the room wasn't empty anymore... it was filled with the sound of running water, the quiet reminder that she was here. That she came back to him.
He smiled faintly, staring at the floor.
"Maybe, just maybe I didn't get the job," he whispered to himself. "But at least I still have the one thing that matters the most to me."
A few minutes later, Leo's phone pinged.
Still seated at the edge of the bed, he reached for it with his left hand, absentmindedly unlocking the screen...
Then he froze in shock. His jaw slowly dropped as he read the message.
Dear Leo Kuroko,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected for the position of Junior Game Developer at HexaSoft Studios.
Your skills, passion, and interview performance stood out among many applicants. We look forward to working with you and will be sending further onboarding details shortly.
Welcome to the team...
Leo blinked twice, rereading the message as if his eyes were playing tricks on him. His heart began to pound… first in disbelief, then in silent joy.
He stared at the screen with his jaw open, for what felt like forever...
He did it.
He actually fucking did it...
A shaky breath escaped his mouth. A smile pulled at the corner of his lips. Then both hands covered his face, overwhelmed, not just by the job, but by the way today had unfolded.
Sarah had come back.
And now this.
It felt like the universe was in his favor today.
The sound of water stopped in the bathroom.
A few seconds later, the bathroom door creaked open, and Sarah stepped out, her curvy body wrapped in a towel, her damp hair clinging to her shoulders...
She looked up at him and tilted her head, noticing his expression.
"Babe?" she asked gently, walking closer. "What is it?"
Leo looked up at her, eyes soft, still stunned. He held the phone toward her with a trembling grin.
"I got it…" he responded, his voice barely audible. "I got the job," he shouted again.
Her eyes lit up instantly. "What?!"
"I got the damn job," he laughed through his tears, standing up, pulling her into his chest for a hug, her still-wet arms wrapping around him without a second thought.
He stood there hugging her, half-soaked, fully breathless.
And in that moment, everything felt like it was finally falling into place.
He pulled back from the hug, his smile refusing to fade. His eyes were watery, but his tone was steady now, brighter, lighter, filled with excitement...
"Babe… I have to call my uncle," he said, a small laugh escaping him. "I have to give him the good news."