The hallway was empty. The moment Leon saw the girl trying to rush into class, he strode quickly toward her, yanking her bag so hard it nearly slipped off her shoulder.

“Well, well… how’s my little runner?” he said mockingly. “Tired of running yet?”

Without giving her a second, he grabbed her arm tightly, roughly spinning her around until her back hit the wall. The thud was loud and sharp. “You’ve been disappearing since yesterday. Do you think I’m stupid?”

Leon leaned in slightly, his face close, his eyes sharp and piercing. “You want to avoid me? Go ahead, try. But don’t cry when I drag you back.”

He gave her cheek a hard tap—not quite a slap, but sharp enough to make her flinch. “Look at me when I’m talking to you.”

He stepped in closer, closing the gap. “Tomorrow, if I have to look for you again, I won’t just grab your bag. I’ll drag you in front of everyone. Let them see how pointless it is for you to run.”

The hallway, once empty, began to fill with passing students glancing curiously. Leon didn’t loosen his grip. In fact, he pulled her a bit further into the middle of the path, as if deliberately putting her on display.

“Hey, check this out,” he said loudly, his mocking tone crystal clear. “Fastest runner in the school… too bad she only runs when she sees me.”

A few students chuckled under their breath. Leon leaned down, smirking. “Want to try again in front of them? Or should I prove you’re not going anywhere?”

Without hesitation, he ruffled her hair roughly until it was a mess. “Fix it yourself. Next time, don’t try to play escape artist.”

One hand still gripped her arm as he glanced around. “If anyone here wants to take her away, go ahead. Let’s see who can.”

Some classmates looked uneasy, but Leon didn’t care. He stayed there, holding her in place long enough for everyone walking by to notice. “From now on, you walk through this hallway every morning. I want to see your face. Got it?”

Finally, he let go, only to shove her shoulder lightly back into the wall before walking away—leaving behind stares and laughter that still burned.