Dimensional Descent

Aina had realized something very important. The weight of Velasco's words, to Leonel, weighed more than anything else. If Aina had known what Velasco had said to Leonel months ago, she would have realized even more so how true those words were.

'Listen kid, I always told you women were complicated. You spent four years chasing after that little girl, she probably thinks you'll always be there for her whenever it is she wants to come back…'

They were a sprawl of words randomly thrown into what was assuredly another prank, but Leonel seemed to have latched onto them. It made it far easier for him to draw a line in the sand and maybe was part of the reason he had been so callous to Aina's words that day.

It could be said that if there was anything Aina was certain of now, it was that Leonel wouldn't always be waiting for her. He hadn't come to stop her wedding, he hadn't been the catalyst who saved her, he hadn't even checked up on her afterward, and it all culminated in maybe the greatest heartbreak she had ever experienced in her lifetime.

However, Aina was very determined about one thing. She didn't know how long it would take, she didn't know what she would have to do, but she would definitely one day be able to say words to Leonel that weighed just as heavily as his father's did.

To her, this wasn't a matter of competition, but rather a reminder that she still had efforts to be made.

The reality was that she didn't like Leonel bluntly breaking down their relationship into gains and losses, benefits and pitfalls. She hated it so much that while Leonel had been following her request to explain it in clear words, she had to fight back the will to punch him in the face… again.

This was the reason why she had stopped him despite him doing exactly what she had asked for.

courting her in the past, his perpetual smile, his following her every step and action, had never really been him… That Leonel was always the version of himself

man went through, chasing after the woman of their dreams. They made the very false assumption that the best course of action to

his thoughts and tendencies, even to the point it only took him a few

and opinions solidified and the way he viewed the world had subtly changed. He was still the same Leonel, but he

understood that much of Leonel's infatuation had only been surface level and she could only

Leonel to

"Yip! Yip!"

remind the two that they were

dangerous situation right now. She had been a small measure away from asking Leonel if he had a condom again. But, with her better judgment, she decided that she definitely didn't want to have her first time in

"Hm?"

so long, in fact, that

fine." Leonel said.

these words, a group of three rushed out of the dense