Chapter 325: The Parts of Rin We Don’t See [2]

Leona clicked her tongue quietly, irritation curling tight in her chest.

She didn’t even know when it started.

That feeling.

The faint, unreasonable annoyance that crept in whenever Leo spoke about Rin with that tone—as if he stood on some invisible step above the rest of them.

I know him better.

I was there first.

You wouldn’t understand.

That’s how it sounded to her, no matter how calmly he said it.

"Don’t look so smug," Leona said suddenly.

Everyone blinked.

Leo frowned. "I’m not."

"Yes, you are," she shot back, arms crossed. "You keep saying ’it’s his business’ and ’you wouldn’t get it’ like that somehow makes you special."

"That’s not what I meant," Leo replied, a bit sharper now. "You’re reading too much into it."

"Am I?" She took a step closer. "Because it really sounds like you’re saying you’re closer to Rin than the rest of us."

The air tightened.

Kiera’s eyes widened slightly. Nora looked between them, already regretting staying. Ryen opened his mouth—then closed it again, sensing this wasn’t something he should interrupt.

Leo exhaled slowly. "I’ve known him longer. That’s just a fact."

There it was.

Leona’s jaw clenched.

"And?" she demanded. "So what? That means you get to decide what we can or can’t care about?"

"I didn’t say that."

"But you’re acting like it." Her voice rose despite herself. "Like we’re outsiders peeking into your Rin’s life."

Leo stiffened. "I never said he was mine."

"You didn’t have to."

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

The silence felt brittle, like glass stretched too thin.

Ryen shifted uncomfortably. "Hey... let’s cool it a bit."

Leona barely heard him.

At that moment, It was Nora who dicide to speak.

"To tell you the truth, I am curious."

"Nora?"

Kiera blinked in confusion as well as Leona.

Now everyone was focused on her.

"Ah... I don’t mean anything weird by it," Nora said, waving her hand as if to soften her words, "but Rin is a bit too perceptive, isn’t he? If I had to put it negatively... he worries too much about what other people think of him."

She tilted her head slightly, eyes thoughtful. "I was just wondering if he’s like that with his family too."

Nora wasn’t usually the type to pry into someone else’s life. If anything, she tended to keep a polite distance. But this time, she wasn’t the only one curious. The others had been quietly wondering the same thing for a while now.

Even Ryan, who rarely voiced such thoughts, found himself thinking along similar lines.

From the outside, Rin’s life looked almost enviable. A powerful family. A father who stood at the top of a major corporation. A sister who was already a celebrated hero.

Yet...

Whenever Rin’s temper flared, whenever that dangerous edge slipped through his calm exterior, it made them question things. Violence didn’t appear out of nowhere.

If that side of him was shaped at home...

Then maybe his family wasn’t as perfect as it seemed.

"Then," a voice suddenly cut in, calm and polite, "would you like to see for yourselves?"

"Huh?"

Everyone turned at once.

Standing a short distance away was an elderly man in a pristine, tailored uniform. His posture was straight despite his age, hands folded neatly in front of him. There was an air of refinement about him that immediately set him apart.

"But... we can’t just go without permission, can we?" Kiera asked hesitantly.

The old man smiled.

"Greetings. I am Shuken, the butler of the household," he said with a slight bow. "My master wished to meet Young Master Rin’s friends. Since you were already curious, this seemed like a good opportunity."

"...Young Master?"

For a brief second, everyone looked confused. Then, almost in unison, they broke into amused smiles.

"So that’s how it is," Leo said, grinning.

Ryan crossed his arms, glancing at the others. "Looks like we’ve officially been invited."

"...Hmm."

Ryan hesitated. Technically speaking, the invitation hadn’t come directly from Rin. That alone made it feel a little improper. Refusing would probably be the correct thing to do.

Probably.

"Let’s go!" Leona said instantly, eyes bright with interest.

Kiera blinked. "W-Wait, just like that?"

"Well," Leo shrugged, "if we’re already here, it’d be rude to turn it down."

Ryan let out a slow sigh, rubbing his temple. "...You won’t listen even if I tell you not to, will you?"

Leona smiled innocently.

"I can’t just let you all go alone," Ryan continued. "It’s been a while anyway. I should go say hello properly."

It seemed that if Ryan didn’t go along, he’d be the only one left behind.

"...Then I’ll go too," Nora said, nodding toward the butler. "Thank you for the invitation."

Shuken’s smile deepened. "Master will be very pleased to hear that."

As they began to follow him, the tension they’d been unconsciously carrying eased just a little.

After all, this didn’t feel dangerous.

It felt... normal.

Like visiting a friend’s house after exams.

Like meeting their parents, chatting over tea, and pretending—just for an afternoon—that things were simple.

The vehicle waiting for them wasn’t what anyone had expected.

Not a luxury limousine, not an armored convoy—just a sleek black shuttle parked neatly by the curb, its surface clean and understated. If Shuken hadn’t been standing beside it with that same composed smile, they might have mistaken it for a business transport.

"This way, please," the butler said, opening the door.

They filed in one by one.

Leona immediately leaned toward the window, peering outside as the door slid shut. "So... where exactly are we going?"

"A hotel," Shuken replied calmly.

That earned him several looks.

"A hotel?" Kiera echoed. "I thought we were going to Rin’s house."

Shuken chuckled softly, as if he’d anticipated the confusion. "Ordinarily, that would be the case. However, Master Rin is not currently staying at the family residence."

"Because of school?" Nora asked.

"Partially," Shuken said. "And partially because it is... more convenient."

That answer explained nothing, but the way he said it made it clear he wouldn’t elaborate unless pressed. No one did.

The shuttle pulled away smoothly, city lights sliding past the windows. For a while, the group sat in a strange, quiet anticipation.