The moment Max felt the suffocating, incredibly powerful presence, his face went completely pale. Without a single word of explanation, he turned on his heel to leave the room.
Null stood up, trying to stop him. "Max, wait! What's going on?"
Max stopped at the threshold, his back to them. His voice was stiff, trembling with a tension Null had never heard from him before. "Do not try to leave the house. Stay here."
Before Null could demand answers, Max vanished down the hallway.
Leo moved to follow him, his hand already reaching for his pocket, but Null stepped in front of him, extending an arm. "Let him go."
"But Null—"
"If he says stay in the house, it's better to stay in the house," Null said, his eyes dark with gravity.
Leo bit his lip and stepped back, realizing Null was right. But his mind was racing. Is this happening because of the ring? he thought anxiously. How could a keepsake from someone I care about contain so much danger? Should I just tell them the truth? No... the truth about me is too unbelievable. I don't even know if this ring is actually the threat, but something deep inside me is telling me never to take it off.
A sudden, loud slam echoed through the house. The living room doors flew open.
Max walked back in, breathing heavily. He scanned the room, looking at everyone. When he saw that his family and friends were perfectly safe, a massive wave of relief washed over his features. He slumped slightly, running a hand through his hair.
"I think... I think I am just overthinking things," Max muttered, trying to laugh it off.
Null let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, relieved to see his childhood friend calming down. But Max's relief was short-lived. His expression hardened again, turning incredibly serious as he looked directly at Null.
"I am so sorry, Null," Max said, his voice flat. "But you can't stay with us anymore."
The room froze.
"Max!" Rose gasped, stepping forward, her eyes wide with shock. "What are you saying? He is our friend!"
"I can't put you and Charlotte in danger because of a friend—"
"No one is in danger!" Rose cut him off sharply, staring straight into his eyes.
Looking into his wife's eyes, Max saw the profound hurt his words were causing. It hurt her even more than it hurt Null. Max winced, looking away. "Fine... but only for tonight."
Rose opened her mouth to disagree, wanting Null to stay as long as he needed, but Null spoke up first.
"Don't worry, Rose," Null said quietly. "I'll leave tomorrow morning."
"But Null, you're still recovering—"
"Rose, please," Null interrupted gently. "I can't let your happy family be put in danger. The truth is... I'm nothing more than an anomaly. An anomaly who is forcefully trying to fit into a society where I don't belong. And I think—"
"Please, don't say those kinds of words!" Lana stepped in, her voice breaking.
Null shook his head. "Disagreeing with it doesn't change the facts, Lana."
Tears began to stream down Lana's face. "Why... why does it have to be like this? Why?!"
Standing a few feet away, Leo watched the heartbreaking scene unfold. A cold, heavy weight settled in his chest. He felt like a complete stranger standing among these childhood friends. He didn't share their past, their memories, or their history. Why am I even here? he thought bitterly.
The heavy silence was broken by the clicking of the door. Charlotte walked back into the room.
The little girl blinked, instantly sensing the suffocating quiet. No one was talking. No one was even looking at each other. She walked over to her mother, pulling on her dress. "Mom? Why is everyone so quiet?"
Rose quickly wiped her expression, forcing a warm smile as she looked down at her daughter. "You don't have to worry about anything, dear. Everything is fine. What about you? Did you enjoy playing outside?"
Charlotte nodded happily, but the heavy silence quickly returned to the room.
Desperate to break the awkward tension, Leo knelt down to Charlotte's height. "Hey, Charlotte. How did you do that cool water trick earlier?"
Charlotte tilted her head, confused. "I didn't do anything! Aunt Lana was trying to do something with the water, and then it just wasn't wet anymore."
Leo blinked, turning his head to look at Lana in surprise. "How did you do that?"
"I don't know either!" Lana said, wiping her tears, equally confused. "You always talk about how you have 'Levitate', so I just... tried to levitate the water. But then the water completely lost its wetness."
Leo's mind began to spin. She doesn't know either? How is that even possible? Wait... why am I overthinking this? I thought it was some kind of hidden threat, but maybe it's just a good thing. Lana has a new power.
Max sighed deeply, looking at Null with genuine guilt. "Null... I am so sorry about what I said earlier. You can stay here as much as you want. As long as you need."
"No," Null replied firmly. "We are leaving tomorrow. You didn't say anything wrong, Max. Due to the things we are facing right now, it really is better if we stay far away from you and your family."
Rose tried to protest. "Null, please—"
"I'm sorry, Rose, but we are not discussing this topic anymore," Null said, closing the matter.
Charlotte looked back and forth between the adults, her eyes wide with worry. "Mom... did something bad happen between Uncle Null and Dad?"
"Don't worry, dear," Rose whispered, stroke her hair. "It's just some adult stuff. But remember what we promised? It's time for your present." Rose looked up, catching Lana's eye. "Lana, why don't you come with us?"
Lana reluctantly nodded, and the three of them exited the living room, leaving the men behind.
With the women gone, the silence in the room became absolute. The air was thick and awkward. Leo felt the crushing weight of the atmosphere, convinced that they weren't talking because he was the outsider in the room.
Needing some air, Leo quietly stood up and walked out into the garden.
As he walked down the stone paths beneath the fading sunlight, a sharp ping sounded from his pocket. He pulled out his phone. The screen lit up automatically.
On the display, Chibi Leo was sitting there, looking up at him with an uncharacteristically serious expression.
"So, you still remember me," Chibi Leo said through the text bubble.
Leo sighed, rubbing his temples. "This is exactly why I don't like talking to you."
"Listen," Chibi Leo's text bubble changed, his digital face turning completely solemn. "I have a question for you."
Leo raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk forming on his face. "Wow. That's a first. Usually, I'm the one asking you the questions, and today you're asking me?"
But before Leo could even finish his sentence, the screen flashed, and a single, chilling question appeared on the monitor.
[What is your purpose?]
Leo's words died in his throat. The smirk vanished from his face, and he went completely silent, stari
ng at the screen in the middle of the quiet garden.