As they entered, Leo led the way to a quiet table in the corner, away from the bustle of other diners. He was his usual cheerful self, talking animatedly about everything and nothing, trying to make her laugh. It worked, of course. Even though Aria had a lot on her mind, she found herself enjoying the lightness of the evening.

The menu was simple, but Leo insisted on ordering for both of them. Aria, too polite to refuse, let him take charge.

"Trust me, you’ll love it," Leo grinned, already knowing what he wanted. "This place has the best ramen in the city."

Aria nodded, still trying to relax and put the day behind her. But something about the night felt different. It wasn’t just Leo’s easygoing charm—it was the tension she still felt, both between her and Leo and, more notably, between her and Riven.

As they waited for their food, Leo leaned back in his chair, studying her with an almost thoughtful expression.

"So," he said, breaking the silence, "what’s really going on? I know something’s been off with you lately."

Aria looked at him, surprised. She hadn’t expected him to push, but then again, Leo wasn’t the type to shy away from asking direct questions. She opened her mouth to brush it off, but something in his eyes made her hesitate.

"It’s nothing," she said, avoiding his gaze. "Just... some things I’m trying to figure out."

Leo didn’t seem convinced, but he didn’t press the issue. Instead, he simply smiled and leaned forward.

"I get it. But you know, if you ever want to talk, I’m here. You don’t have to do everything alone."

Aria’s heart softened at his words. She could feel the sincerity in them, the warmth in his voice. But before she could say anything, their food arrived, and the conversation shifted to something lighter.

They ate in relative silence, the kind of comfortable quiet that only happened between people who didn’t need constant chatter to fill the space. As the meal wore on, Leo’s playful nature returned, and Aria found herself laughing again, the tension from earlier starting to melt away.

But even as Leo cracked jokes and teased her, part of her mind kept wandering back to Riven. What had he meant when he told her to "stay away"? Why had he looked at her like that?

Her thoughts were interrupted by her phone buzzing on the table. It was a message from an unknown number. Aria hesitated for a moment before checking it.

Hey, Aria. I hope I didn’t come across as too cold earlier. There’s something I need to explain. — Riven

Her heart skipped a beat. She stared at the screen, conflicted. Part of her wanted to text back right away, to demand an explanation, but another part of her wanted to ignore it—let Riven come to her if he was really serious about explaining.

Leo, noticing her hesitation, leaned over to peek at the phone.

"Who’s that?" he asked, his voice casual but his eyes narrowing slightly.

Aria quickly locked her screen, trying to hide her unease.

"Just a... work thing." She smiled, trying to brush it off.

Leo studied her for a moment, but then nodded, seemingly letting it go. But there was something in the way he said, "You know, Riven’s a bit of a mystery," that made Aria wonder if he knew more than he was letting on.

Does he know something?

Before she could delve deeper into her thoughts, Leo continued, his tone more playful.

"But seriously, I think you two would get along better if you just, I don’t know, talked more. He’s just... a little hard to read sometimes."

Aria looked up at him, surprised by his candidness.

"Riven’s hard to read? I thought that was an understatement."

Leo laughed, a low chuckle that rumbled in his chest.

"Yeah, well, he doesn’t exactly wear his heart on his sleeve. But if you push the right buttons, he’ll open up. You just have to be patient."

Aria stared at him, considering his words. Maybe Leo was right. Maybe Riven didn’t want to seem vulnerable in front of her, but that didn’t explain his strange behavior.

Her phone buzzed again, this time with a second message from Riven.

I know I’ve been distant, but there’s more to this than you think. Let me explain when you’re ready.

She stared at the message for a moment, her thumb hovering over the keyboard. She wasn’t sure what to say. Did she want to hear him out? Or was it better to keep her distance, as he suggested?

Leo’s voice broke through her thoughts again.

"You’re not going to let him get away with just texting you, right?"

Aria laughed lightly, shaking her head.

"I don’t know. Maybe he’s right. Maybe I should give him space."

Leo’s eyes softened, but he gave a small shrug.

"It’s your choice, Aria. Just... don’t let it eat at you. You deserve to be happy, not caught up in all this tension."

She met his gaze, the sincerity in his eyes reminding her of his words earlier. You don’t have to do everything alone.

As the night wore on, Aria realized that for the first time in a long while, she didn’t feel so alone. She wasn’t sure what her next step would be, but maybe talking to Leo tonight had been just what she needed.