"You gave me your coat—won't you be cold?" Lucy asked.
Leo offered a small smile. "Don't worry about me. I'm built tough—I don't feel the chill."
His **Fitness LV5** perk wasn't a joke; with that skill, he was practically immune to colds and fevers. A little breeze like this wasn't nearly enough to make him sick.
"Follow me. Watch your step."
Leo led Lucy toward the edge of the rooftop, and they sat on a raised step overlooking Night City. A gentle breeze rustled their clothes as they gazed upon the neon glow of Japantown, the most profitable district in Westbrook. Billboards and neon signs flashed endlessly, creating a dazzling, kaleidoscopic aura. Even though it was late, the crowds hadn't diminished; if anything, the nightlife was in full swing.
By day, Japantown brimmed with tourists enthralled by its bars, upscale restaurants, arcades, the Sakura Department Store, and Shinto shrines—a must-see corner of Night City conveniently close to Corpo Plaza. The hotels near Corpo Plaza offered a comfortable place for them to rest, and in broad daylight, Japantown felt safe and tidy.
At night, however, it became a playground for visitors and the city's wealthier classes. Exhausted office workers blew off steam here, indulging in every kind of vice—from risqué entertainment to high-stakes gambling—before staggering away, completely wasted. The crown jewel of this neon spectacle was the Clouds club, famous for its braindances and exclusive "services." You could fulfill nearly any desire there—provided your wallet was thick enough. Otherwise, you risked losing more than just your money if you made a foolish mistake.
Even after dark, Trauma Team AVs whirled busily through the sky. Leo noticed one, its thrusters spitting blue flames as it zoomed toward the Pacifica area. That sight was unusual, considering how few people in Pacifica could afford a Trauma Team policy.
Leo and Lucy sat quietly on the step at the rooftop's edge, letting the wind and the vibrant cityscape below speak for them. Despite the bustle of the streets, the constant noise of the Kabuki district, and the torrent of tourists across the bridge in Japantown, the rooftop itself was calm—like the eye of a storm. It felt as though the world's troubles were momentarily left behind, at least for Leo.
Lucy, on the other hand, was wrapped in her own turmoil. She kept reaching up to touch the back of her head, where her Deep Dive port was located. Every professional netrunner had a high-capacity neural connector directly wired into their cerebral cortex, allowing deeper, faster entry into networks. For Lucy, that port represented more than just an advanced piece of hacking tech—it carried memories of a horrific past she wanted to forget.
She had followed Leo here not because she was jealous of V or frightened about what might happen between them. What truly scared her was the growing sense of isolation she'd been feeling—an unshakable distance from the others. It hadn't been too noticeable while running missions with Leo, V, and Jackie, but tonight, seeing the three of them present Leo with a gift they'd carefully chosen brought everything to the surface. Watching the bond Leo, V, and Jackie shared—trusting each other like family—only made Lucy feel a quiet ache. They were like siblings, true partners who would always guard each other's backs.
What about her?
Lucy remembered that, unlike V and Jackie, she had lied to Leo by keeping her past hidden. That lingering fear gnawed at her: if Leo found out the truth, would he still welcome her the same way? This was why she had followed him instead of going straight home. She was done pretending nothing was wrong. Maybe it was the alcohol emboldening her; maybe it was simply that she couldn't bear the loneliness anymore.
Yet when Leo opened V's apartment door and found Lucy outside, all the words she'd planned to say vanished. She wanted to keep hiding, pretend life was normal. The warmth Leo had shown her felt too precious—she dreaded the possibility that confessing would shatter it all.
She was jolted from her thoughts by a sudden warmth against her cheek. Startled, she turned to see Leo holding out a cup of hot liquid.
"Take it."
"Uh… th-thanks," Lucy said blankly. "It's still hot. How'd you manage that?"
"There's a vending machine in the corner over there—no idea how they lugged it all the way up here, but I bought two cups. It's pretty windy up here, so something warm helps."
Lucy took a tentative sip, feeling a surge of comfort as the warmth spread through her. Gripping the cup with both hands, she let out an anxious breath. Finally, she made up her mind.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Hypothetically—just hypothetically…" Lucy bit her lip, searching for the right words. "If, in your team, one person turned out to be a wanted fugitive hunted by Interpol, what would you do?"
Leo chuckled, as though it was obvious. "That's easy: I'd hand them over to Interpol. Crime-fighting is everyone's duty, right?"
Lucy's heart lurched, as though a knife had pierced it. The pain felt overwhelming. She turned her face away so he wouldn't see the disappointment and sadness she couldn't hide.
"I… I figured you'd say that…"
The cold reality pressed in on her like the night wind. Despair washed over her, and she felt as though she'd fallen through thin ice. She couldn't blame anyone but herself. She began to make an excuse to leave—not just this rooftop, but possibly everything—when Leo spoke again, surprising her.
"But we're talking about someone chased by Interpol, right?" he continued. "If you swapped Interpol for a giant corporation, that'd be a whole different story."
"Huh?" Lucy froze.
Still looking at the polluted sky—where neither stars nor moonlight were visible—Leo went on.
"Anyone I bring into the team is someone I trust. I like to think I'm a good judge of character. If they were some world-class fugitive, I'd probably have noticed from the start. So if they're on my team, that means Interpol's not after them. And if I trust them, then I don't care if it's Arasaka or Militech or whoever—they can step aside. Nobody touches my people. Period."
Tears began to spill from Lucy's eyes like pearls from a broken string, hitting the ground one after another. She wiped at them, her voice catching in her throat. "Aren't you scared it could put you in danger?"
Leo kept his gaze steady on the horizon. "I'm not afraid of any corporate threat. The only thing that scares me is watching a teammate hide something that ends up costing them their life. I've witnessed too many tragedies—situations that could've been avoided if people had just opened up sooner instead of hiding in fear. If someone's on my team, I want them to share whatever's weighing them down. Many hands make light work, right? We can find a solution together instead of letting them carry it alone."
Lucy stood, pressing both hands to her face. Tears continued to fall, reflecting the muted neon glow of the sleeping city.
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