The next day, Leo returned to the school again.
He did not know why he kept coming back. He had meetings, responsibilities, and a flight waiting for him. Yet somehow, none of those things felt as important as seeing that small boy again.
As soon as he stepped near the gate, a familiar small voice shouted,
"Friend!"
Leo turned, and the little boy ran straight toward him, his tiny shoes tapping quickly against the ground. Without hesitation, the boy hugged his leg tightly.
Leo felt that strange warmth again. Something about this child made his usually cold heart soften in a way he didn't understand.
"You came again," Leo said, kneeling down with a faint smile.
"You also came," the boy replied proudly, as if that was proof of their friendship.
Leo chuckled softly.
"Yes. I told you, didn't I? Friends meet again."
The boy held his hand this time, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Leo didn't pull away.
They walked slowly toward the playground. The boy kept talking nonstop about toys, cartoons, and school, while Leo simply listened. Normally, he would never waste time like this. But strangely, he didn't feel like leaving.
After some time, the boy suddenly stopped and looked up at him.
"Friend… will you come tomorrow also?"
Leo paused.
He didn't know how to answer. He wasn't even sure how long he would stay in the city. But seeing the hopeful eyes looking at him, he spoke anyway.
"I'll try."
The boy smiled brightly, as if that promise meant everything.
After a while, the caretaker came to take the boy home. The boy waved excitedly before leaving.
"Bye, friend!"
Leo watched him go, feeling an emptiness he couldn't explain.
That evening, Leo sat alone in his hotel room.
The city lights shone through the large glass windows, but his mind was somewhere else.
He kept remembering the boy's smile.
The way he laughed.
The way he held his hand without hesitation.
Leo closed his eyes for a moment.
And suddenly…
A faint image appeared in his mind.
Snow.
Cold air.
A soft voice.
He opened his eyes immediately, holding his head.
The pain came suddenly and sharply.
"Sir?" Mark asked from nearby.
"I'm fine," Leo said, though his voice was tense.
But he wasn't fine.
Something felt strange.
Memories that didn't fully exist.
Feelings without a reason.
And then, another thought crossed his mind.
The boy had mentioned his school name before.
Leo leaned back slowly.
"Mark," he said.
"Yes, sir."
"That school… Acharya Kids."
Mark nodded.
"Yes, sir."
Leo looked out the window again.
"I want to go there again tomorrow."
Mark hesitated for a moment but nodded.
"Yes, sir."
Leo didn't understand why.
But for the first time in years, the powerful Mafia King felt something unfamiliar inside his chest.
Not anger.
Not control.
Not power.
Something softer.
Something he couldn't name.
And somewhere far away, in another part of the city, Mia sat beside her sleeping son, gently brushing his hair.
"Mommy," the boy murmured sleepily. "My friend came again today…"
Mia smiled faintly.
"That's nice," she said softly.
But she didn't know why her heart felt uneasy.
As if something from the past was slowly finding its way back to her.
And she feared the day the truth would finally stand in front of her again.