Hey, Soulmate!

After-school encounters

The softer rays of lights that painted the sky of a gentle, orangey color marked the end of another day in Galar High, and the first cold breezes of the night started to chill through the bodies of the students who were waving goodbye at the gates of the school. Even if the last class concluded hours ago, many teenagers stayed after-school to practice different sports, scientific activities or, in some cases, to reunite for the student council debates, so when it was afternoon, many people were still gathered in the school grounds.

A classroom at the end of the hallway opened slowly, revealing the tired figure of the well-known musician of the school. Piers always stayed to practice his tunes and compose new melodies; after all, talent comes from hard work. On his back, he was carrying his electric guitar and, in one hand, his amplifier; his curved back, alongside his dark, deep eye bags were the proof of his will to practice even after a hard day of school. For some people, it was concerning, but for others, that was just the normal Piers.

As he got out of the room, he put the amplifier on the floor and rolled his shoulder to relieve the pain that meant carrying that thing all the way from home to school, and all the way back. A soft grunt escaped his lips, accompanied later by a sigh of relief upon feeling his muscles loosening due to the attempt of a massage he was giving himself.

"Piers?"

A low voice caught his attention, making his turn around in the direction of the sound, with one eye opened and a furrow so deep it could scare anyone away. Or, at least, it would make a stranger flee, but the man in front of him didn't move and inch and only smiled at him.

"Leon?" Piers asked, putting his guitar case beside the amplifier, to roll his other shoulder in harmony with the other one. "What are you doin' here? 's pretty late."

Even if they just said a couple of things, that was the longest conversation they had had in a long time. Not only were they in different classes, but Piers wasn't the easiest person to talk to, so making him say anything was a complete challenge. Luckily for Leon—and unluckily for Piers— he wasn't the type of person who would back down from a challenge. With a swift move of the shoulder, Leon revealed the sports bag he was carrying on his back.

"I was accepted into the Baseball team," Leon answered, smiling proudly of himself. "Today was my first time playing with those guys. They're pretty good, if I say so myself, but I won't let their skills scare me!"

Leon's positivity and cheerfulness couldn't seem to take over Piers, who just stared at him for a few seconds until he approached his things again, carrying them one at the time. He first put the guitar case on his back and when it came to the amplifier, he grunted to himself upon the thought of having to carry it all the way back. Leon quickly saw his reaction and, before Piers could get his hand on the object, he grabbed the amplifier with one arm with apparent ease.

"Need some help?" Leon asked. "I can take this."

Piers only stared at him, again, with those piercing eyes that could break even through the thickest wall. "If you want," he replied. Even if he was an independent person, he wouldn't refuse his aid. "I'm goin' to the main street."

Without waiting for an answer, Piers started walking towards the exit gates of the school, knowing that Leon was following him from behind due to the fastest-growing sound of his footsteps. He seemed scary—and Leon could confirm— but it was crystal clear that he wasn't trying to be mean; maybe he was just incredibly tired of his work, because he was both a student and a musician full-time, so his energy was quickly drained. After getting out of the school, Leon was able to catch him up in the street, and he wouldn't get his eyes off the musician by his side; after all, if he were to look away for a split second, he would get lost in the city—he didn't know how he managed to always go in the wrong direction, but that's how life was for him. Leon carried the amplifier with both hands in front of his puffed chest, holding onto it like if his life depended on it; and it did, in a way, because if something were to happen to Piers' most valuable possession, he would probably die by his hand. Or that's what he thought.