33

"Agh!" Leo let out a tired groan, collapsing to the ground after the last bullet was fired. "It sure is relieving, knowing I won't die," she muttered to herself, referring to the visions she usually had when something bad was about to happen. Without any ominous premonitions, she felt assured of her safety despite recklessly throwing herself into danger.

Knowing the threat was over, she leaned back against the wall where she had thrown Argon a moment ago to shield them both from the bullets. "Fuu..." she exhaled heavily, finally looking down at Argon, whom she was gripping with one hand. Only then did she realize their compromising position. Her hand clutched his suit with all her might, while her other hand was on the ground, her arm just inches from his face. Her knee was wedged between his legs, her face hovering mere inches from his. "Sh*t!" she exclaimed in utter disgust, making Argon's already confused expression turn to horror. Before Leo could pull away, Argon pushed her off, sending her flying onto the floor beside him. "Ack!" she groaned in pain, rubbing the back of her head that had taken the brunt of the impact. 'This is what you get for saving a life. Ungrateful beast,' she thought inwardly.

Argon hurriedly got to his feet, his eyes scanning the area with a mixture of confusion and urgency. Suddenly, hurried footsteps approached, causing Leo to perk up. She noticed a group of men in security uniforms rushing to the location.

'I shouldn't run. I can't look suspicious. Also…' She paused, closing her eyes to check for any vision of impending danger, but there was none. 'I don't have any vision concerning this, so it means I am safe. I should just stay here a bit longer until they sort things out. Even Kiera isn't answering, so I have to think of something on my own.' Engaged in a detailed monologue with herself, Leo let her head fall back to the floor and stayed put.

Kant approached Argon, his face pale with horror. The bullet marks on the walls and the shattered vase painted a picture of the chaos that had just unfolded. "Boss! Is everything okay? How did this happen?" he exclaimed. Argon, still baffled by the situation, shook his head.

"No idea," he replied, his voice tinged with disbelief.

Leo watched them from the corner of her eye, slowly getting up. 'I saved his life. Shouldn't he at least thank me?' she thought, prepared for an interaction where Argon would acknowledge her heroism. But the man seemed uninterested in the whole situation. 'Should I just leave?' she pondered, patting her suit when she noticed a rip mark on her arm. 'What the?' She looked at it, horrified.

"Are you alright?" Kant's voice broke through her thoughts. He had noticed her the moment he entered but had to check on Argon first. Seeing the rip on her jacket, his concern grew. "You didn't get shot, did you?" he asked, worry evident in his tone. Leo glanced down, feeling a slight burning sensation. 'The bullet went that close?' she wondered, touching her arm.

Just as she was about to focus on the pain, a voice came from behind Argon, who was facing the balcony. "Is everyone okay?" Autumn's voice was filled with concern as she hurriedly approached. Leo, still on the ground, watched as Autumn's eyes widened at the sight of the broken objects. Argon turned, noticing her. "Miss Autumn, you shouldn't be here. This is dangerous," he said, his tone firm yet worried. Autumn's face paled, a look of horror washing over her. Leo remembered how Autumn had reacted similarly during their previous encounter.

As Autumn's gaze finally landed on Leo, the concern in her eyes deepened. "Oh my God! What happened?" she cried, rushing towards Leo and falling to her knees. Her dress slipped slightly, causing Leo to frown as there were many men around. Autumn's sleeves offered little coverage, and the cold night wind made her shiver. 

"Nothing, just a little–" Leo began.

"No! Look at this, did you get hurt?!" Autumn noticed the torn sleeve instantly, trying to investigate any wound. "I am okay!" Leo exclaimed, only then noticing Autumn's tear-filled eyes. A tear fell on Leo's hand, making her look up at Autumn crying.

"Why are you crying? I said I wasn't hurt!" Leo, unable to process Autumn's reaction, breathed out, her frown deepening. She pulled her hand away from Autumn's grip, took off her suit, and draped it over Autumn. "And who walks around like this in a dress, especially with all these men around? Do you have any sense of safety?" Leo hissed. Autumn looked into her eyes, her lip trembling. Her mascara had started to smudge, forming black streaks under her eyes. 'Tsk!' Leo thought, shaking her head as if dealing with a child. She pulled out a handkerchief from the suit pocket and pinched Autumn's chin, lifting her face to see clearly. "There, there! You're messing up all your makeup. You have such pretty eyes, just like the ocean. You shouldn't cry and make them ugly," Leo said calmly, patting her eyes to prevent further smudging. "There! All done. Now stop crying!" She placed the handkerchief back in her pocket.

Leo didn't realize that her words and actions were perceived very differently by the crowd around them. To them, it looked like a man affectionately calming a crying girl. Argon, especially, stood with his hands clenched into fists, his teeth grinding in jealousy. Autumn, on the other hand, didn't seem to care and threw her arms around Leo's neck. "If you don't want me to cry, then stop making me worried!" she said loudly. Leo paused for a second, now able to see the men's faces around here'S Why is she hugging me? And why am I letting her hug me? And why are they looking at me like this? Also, why am I helping her? I'm not that type of person! I don't care about random people, so why am I helping this girl? Is it because I'm in Liora's body? Am I turning into her?' Leo's skin crawled, whether from the chill wind hitting her now-exposed shirt or the unsettling thoughts racing through her mind. Goosebumps ran up her spine as she instinctively pulled Autumn off her and quickly stepped back a few paces.

Autumn remained on her knees, looking up at Leo with wide, tear-filled eyes. Leo gave everyone a final glance before getting to her feet. "I think now you people can sort things out on your own. I'll take my leave," she said, her voice tinged with a mix of confusion and frustration. She felt out of place, her own body becoming foreign to her as the uneasiness grew. She needed to leave this place where she felt so different from herself.

As she turned to go, Argon finally spoke up, stepping forward with a serious expression. But it wasn't a thank you. "How did you know?" he asked.

Leo paused, turning around to face him. "What do you mean?"

"How did you know I was going to be shot?" he repeated, his eyes searching hers.

"If anyone with the right eyesight could tell by looking at the red dots on your body," she replied confidently. She had practiced this explanation countless times, preparing for any possible question. "Just as I was about to leave the balcony, I noticed the dots and quickly realized they were aiming at you. So, I pulled you away. But I never anticipated an arrogant *ss like you who wouldn't say a simple thank you even after I saved your life. I'm disappointed in wasting my time." Her voice was heavy with irritation.

"And even then, if you have any questions..." She patted her pockets, realizing her wallet was still in her suit. Walking forward, she knelt once again, reaching into Autumn's grasp and pulling out her wallet. "You can reach out to me anytime." She slapped a card onto Argon's chest before turning to walk away. 'Yes! This is more like the Viviana I know. Even though I've managed to tone it down because we need him to trust me, can he be a little more considerate? I saved his life; he should be a little thankful at least.'