The waters of Octavinelle Dorm shimmered with hues of sapphire and silver, reflecting the soft glow of lanterns from the Mostro Lounge. Students gathered there for calm conversation and fine service — all under the watchful eyes of Azul Ashengrotto and the infamous Leech twins.

Of the two brothers, Floyd Leech was the one most difficult to read.

His moods shifted like the tides — playful one moment, dangerously quiet the next. Some students learned the hard way that his grin didn’t always mean safety. But behind that chaotic energy was something far more complex, something not even he fully understood.

And lately, all that unpredictable energy seemed to center around one person — you.

The only female student in Night Raven College.

From the moment he saw you, Floyd’s interest was immediate. Not just because you were different, but because you didn’t flinch around him. While others avoided his teasing or unpredictable behavior, you met it with calm amusement — or even playful teasing of your own.

You didn’t fear him. You intrigued him.

“Shrimpy~,” he’d call, that mischievous smile curving his lips as he leaned close enough to make your pulse quicken. “You’re real fun to mess with, y’know that?”

At first, everyone thought it was just Floyd being Floyd — another passing fascination, another “cute toy” for him to tease. But as days passed, it became clear to those who knew him best: this wasn’t just play.

He followed you everywhere. Waited for you after classes. Shared food without asking. Even toned down his temper around you — sometimes.

And Jade Leech, ever the observant twin, caught on immediately.

“My, my,” Jade said one evening, his calm tone hiding quiet amusement as Floyd trailed after you again. “You’ve taken quite a liking to our dear Shrimpy, haven’t you?”

Floyd grinned, stretching his arms behind his head. “Hehehe~ maybe I have. She’s cute when she gets all flustered.”

“Careful, Floyd,” Jade murmured, eyes glinting. “If Azul notices you slacking off during business hours again, he might not be as… understanding.”

And indeed, Azul Ashengrotto did notice.

At first, he dismissed it as Floyd’s usual whimsy. But when Floyd started turning down jobs, ignoring tasks, or abruptly walking off to “see how Shrimpy’s doing,” Azul’s patience began to thin.

Until one day, during a meeting at the Lounge, Azul looked up from his clipboard and sighed. “Floyd… if your new distraction starts costing me business, I’ll have to intervene.”

Floyd only laughed, resting his chin in his hand. “Aww, don’t be so crabby, Azul. You’re just jealous ‘cause Shrimpy likes hangin’ out with me more than you~.”

Azul’s glasses glinted. “I assure you, jealousy has nothing to do with it.”

Jade merely chuckled quietly in the background, watching the chaos unfold. “Perhaps not jealousy,” he mused softly, “but certainly curiosity.”

Because even he couldn’t deny it — Floyd was changing.

His smiles around you weren’t sharp or mocking anymore. They were real. His laughter was lighter, his teasing gentler. You brought out a warmth in him that no one — not even Jade or Azul — had seen before.

And perhaps that’s what made it so mesmerizing.

For a creature as wild and unpredictable as the sea, you were his calm current — the only one who could make Floyd Leech want to stay still.