The morning came clear and cold.
Leo was already dressed when the first light came through the window, sitting at the desk with the mana theory text open in front of him and taking in almost none of it. His eyes moved across the pages, but the meaning did not stick.
He closed the book.
The awards ceremony was at midday. After that, an evening reception. After that, Iori.
He had known his answer for days. Knowing it had not made the waiting easier, only different. Less uncertain, more weighted. Like standing at the edge of something rather than wondering whether to approach it.
He ate breakfast with the delegation. Akane was quieter than usual, the kind of quiet that meant she was paying attention to something. Yuki made light conversation. Takeshi ate efficiently and stared at something only he could see, working through his own version of whatever today meant for him.
None of them mentioned the ceremony until it was time to prepare for it.
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