My Soul card is a Reaper-Chapter 750: The world of Irth (part-16)

For the first time, Leiza saw something different in his black eyes.

A flicker of something deeper. Something buried.

She wanted to ask more, to pry further into the enigma…

But something told her not to push.

So, instead, she offered a gentle smile. "I see. Well… I'm here now."

Azzy looked up at her, slightly taken aback.

Leiza gave a small shrug. "I mean, since you're my bodyguard and all, I'll be around for a while. So… if you ever feel like talking, you know where to find me."

Azzy blinked. He hadn't expected that.

For a moment, he simply stared at her, unreadable.

Then, quietly, he nodded. "...Alright."

Leiza smiled, satisfied.

And just like that, their dinner continued—lighter, but with an unspoken understanding between them.

Azzy stared at his untouched plate for a moment before answering.

"I had a big family," he said, his voice steady but distant. "All of my relatives, from several generations, lived in the same village. It was a close-knit place. Everyone knew each other."

Leiza listened intently, resting her chin on her palm. It was the first time he had spoken this much about himself.

"My great-grandfather… he chose me as his successor," Azzy continued. "And then, he left. After that, I became the head of the family."

Leiza's brows furrowed. "But… you left too, didn't you?"

Azzy nodded. "I had to. There was someone I needed to find."

Leiza tilted her head. "You mean the girl."

Azzy sighed. "Yeah… It was a girl that I dated for a year. But, we are no longer together because of fate."

Leiza's expression froze for a fraction of a second before she forced a casual smile. "What happened?"

Azzy leaned back slightly, his golden eyes darkening with memory.

"Due to certain circumstances… I had to leave her behind." His voice was quieter now, filled with something that wasn't quite regret, but wasn't peace either.

"And when I finally returned… she was gone."

Leiza's smile faded.

"She left for her own place, her own responsibilities," Azzy continued. "Family issues. She cut off all contact with me. No trace, no messages. Just… gone."

Leiza swallowed. "So… you've been looking for her all this time?"

Azzy gave a small nod. "I just wanted an answer. So, I'm traveling over the places, hoping that one day I can meet her again and ask her why. But, things happen along the way and here I am, trying to find out the whereabouts of the serial killer."

Silence hung between them.

Leiza lowered her gaze, twirling a strand of her hair. "So… are you still in love with her?"

Azzy exhaled through his nose. "I don't know."

Leiza slowly looked up at him.

"No other girl has moved my heart since then," he admitted. "Well… except for one."

Leiza's heart skipped. "...One?"

Azzy sighed again. "But I'm not sure anymore." He ran a hand through his hair. "I do miss her, but whether I still love her or not… I can only know that when I meet her again."

Leiza remained quiet, processing his words.

A small part of her wished he would say he had moved on completely and another part of her even started to wonder whether she was that One.

After a moment, Leiza stood up from her seat.

Azzy raised a brow as she walked over to him and sat down beside him instead.

She crossed her arms, staring at him. "...Tell me about her."

Azzy blinked. "What?"

"Your girlfriend," Leiza clarified. "What was she like?"

Azzy sighed but smiled faintly. "She was reckless. Aggressive. Always looking for a fight."

Leiza smirked. "Sounds fun."

"She got offended easily," Azzy continued. "She was a terrible cook. The worst, actually. She somehow managed to ruin simple dishes like fried rice or porridge."

Leiza chuckled. "Yikes."

"But," Azzy's voice softened, "she was always truthful to me."

Leiza's laughter quieted as she listened.

"She never hesitated to put her life at risk to save mine," Azzy said, his eyes distant again. "She would fight anyone who belittled me. She never questioned my choices—never demanded explanations. She just… trusted me. Well, she was my first love…"

Leiza stared at him, her heart tightening.

The way he spoke about her… was different from how he usually spoke.

Warmer.

A kind of warmth she had never heard from him before.

A warmth she wished, deep down, someone would one day have for her too.

But for now… she just sat beside him, listening.

And wondering.

Leiza stayed quiet, her fingers absentmindedly tracing patterns on the tablecloth.

Then, in a quiet voice, she asked, "Rael… what if your girlfriend just moved on?"

Azzy's golden eyes met hers, unwavering.

"Then I'll forget her and move on too," he said firmly.

Leiza blinked, surprised by how simply he said it.

"But," Azzy continued, his voice carrying an unshakable resolve, "if she was in trouble… if she left because she had no choice… then I would do everything in my power to save her."

Leiza looked away, feeling something tighten in her chest.

Silence stretched between them.

Azzy let out a quiet sigh. "Honestly… it would be better if I just forgot her and moved on."

Leiza's fingers clenched slightly.

"I have a long life ahead of me," Azzy continued, his gaze distant. "There's no reason to keep suffering over someone who's already gone. No reason to stay away from my family just to find her."

Leiza swallowed.

"But I can't do that," Azzy admitted. His voice was calm, but there was a weight behind it. "No matter how much I tell myself to let go… I can't."

He exhaled deeply. "Sometimes, I wish I could just fall in love with someone else instead."

Leiza forced a smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes.

Azzy, oblivious to the emotions swirling inside her, picked up his fork again. "Anyway," he said, changing the topic, "what about you? Have you ever been in love?"

Leiza blinked, caught off guard.

"W-What?"

Azzy tilted his head slightly. "Have you ever loved someone, you know falling in love with a guy, whether it is a one-sided love or dated someone?"

Leiza quickly shook her head. "No."

Azzy raised a brow.

"I mean… I've had occasional crushes," she admitted, twirling a strand of her hair between her fingers. "I'd get butterflies in my stomach sometimes, but that was just because the guys were handsome. It wasn't real love or anything."

She huffed. "Besides, all the guys who proposed to me had terrible personalities. Arrogant, selfish, or just plain stupid."

Azzy nodded as if he understood. "So, you won't accept anyone like that?"

Leiza crossed her arms. "Of course not. Why would I date a bunch of dorks?"

Azzy chuckled softly.

After finishing his meal, Azzy pushed back his chair.

"I'm full," he said. "I think I'll go for a jog."

Leiza looked up at him, a trace of sadness in her eyes.

"…Okay," she said quietly.

Azzy gave her a small nod and turned to leave.

As he stepped out into the night, Leiza remained seated, her expression unreadable.

She lowered her gaze to the table, deep in thought.

A part of her already knew the answer.

She knew what she felt.

She just wasn't sure if she wanted to say it out loud.