"Why are you trying to help him?" Brandon suddenly asked when they were outside the orphanage. He was all quiet just listening earlier, that Leo almost forgot he was with him.

"It's up to you if you want to tell Merida about that plan. It would be to your advantage," Leo said instead.

"Bro, why don't you?"

Leo stopped walking and turns around to face Brandon. "I'm going to tell you my secret but don't tell anyone else."

Ugh, this might be a trap, Brandon thought. He doesn't like hanging out with this kind of confusing human. "Alright, I swear on my life."

"Choose. If you have only 30 minutes to read a 60,000 words novel, would you read it from start to where you would end with the 30 minutes or just skip at the ending?" Leo smirked.

"Ugh!" Brandon messes up his hair. "What the hell is that kind of secret? It doesn't even make sense!"

Leo laughed at how stupid Brandon was.

"I'm dying," he uttered.

That froze Brandon and made him stare at Leo with wide eyes. "What the hell did you just...?" He can't believe it! Leo's dying? But! He's so fine and he doesn't look like he's — "You're freaking messing with me!"

"Am I?" Leo asked, challenging Brandon.

Brandon can't say anything. If this guy was telling the truth, then it feels so sad. "H-how are you so chill if that's the truth?"

"Why don't I? I mean if you come to think of it, there's nothing you can do to live. Whether you panic or try to live your life to the fullest, you're still going to die. And live life to the fullest? How exactly?"

"Do they—" Brandon stopped when he heard guffaws from Leo. He knew it!

"You son of an ish!" He thundered at the laughing Leo.

"You actually fell for it!" Leo burst out laughing, tears coming from his eyes. Tears of joy, his hand on his stomach, it's hurting for laughing too hard.

Brandon glared at him and mumbled some curse words under his breath. It took a while for Leo to recover from his laughter.

"So, what about you? Are you planning to give up?" Leo asked the mad Brandon.

"Yes. I'm giving up on her. I don't stand a chance with you guys. I'm just happy I get to walk her home once," Brandon answered with no complications unlike Leo did with his stupid secret.

"You're such a loser," Leo commented.

"Yeah, I know I am," Brandon agreed.

"Let's go get some drink with Jacob," Leo suggested.

Brandon then nodded and grinned. That's what he been missing.

•••

Jacob was too late, when he arrived at the bar, Brandon was all too drunk. He was partying wild with the crowd.

"What the hell happened to him?" Jacob shouts at Leo because the music was super loud.

"He's celebrating giving up on Merida!" Leo answered, the corner of his mouth curved up watching Brandon. Then he handed Jacob something to drink.

Jacob took it. He can't believe they're drinking when there's school tomorrow. "We went to the orphanage and we—"

"Go back tomorrow. Tell her the orphanage agreed to take them in but you better come back after college," Leo cut Jacob off.

"Y-you went there?"

"I knew you'd mess up so pretty much that happened," Leo turned to look at Jacob, eye to eye. "Don't mess up. Tomorrow you should be able to spend more time with her before the ball or the graduation comes."

This is what Jacob doesn't understand at all. "You could've done it all. Why the fuck?"

Leo chuckled sarcastically. "She loves you," he pressed Jacob's chest with a finger. "Not me." And then drank a whole glass of that strong liquid.

"I'm sorry and thank you." Jacob's expression hardened. "But... you can still easily stir up everything."

"I'm not interested in Merida's feelings. I'm thankful she's still in love with you so shut up and just love her," Leo hissed.

"You're a coward!" Jacob yelled.

He laughed at the word 'coward'. "You mean, I'm not selfish. Either way, I'm going to just hurt her if I force her to love me." Leo forced a grin and then went to where Brandon was.

Leo and Brandon let the beat get into their veins. They jumped and moved together with every loud beat. When you lose, it doesn't mean you can't celebrate. It would just hurt but he's been hurting so what's the fuss?

"Wake me up before you leave!" Both Leo and Brandon yelled. The song All Night by The Vamps came and so they screamed along. "I've been up all night, no sleep!"

The night ended up with Jacob taking both his crazy brothers home. He first dropped off Brandon which told him to take care of Merida for him. The guy even yelled he lost but he's happy.

Then next, Jacob went to Leo's big mansion. He doorbells a couple of times already but no one opened up. He realized the gate was open so he went in. Leo's weight was on him. Damn this guy, Jacob thought.

He knocked on the door and maids came running. Damn, no one is even guarding the damn house. Everything was open!

"What happened to him?" One of the maids asked.

"He drank too much," Jacob answered.

One maid came running with an expensive bowl and towel. They unbuttoned Leo's shirt and Jacob's eyes widened. The hell?

"Thank you for bringing him back. It's fine now. You can go home, young man," The head Maid told him.

Jacob walked his way out of that mansion and into his car. When he got inside he still hasn't recovered from what he saw. Back then he never really get to know Leo too well. Was he doing this all in purpose? Jacob bit his lower lip and started his engine, driving away.

•••

Leo opened his eyes the moment Jacob was gone. An evil grin plastered on his face and he laughed devilishly which scare the helpers in his house. He stood up and touched his head. Damn the headache will creep into his head later, he knows. Inside his room, he took off his shirt entirely and collapse on his bed.

"Now you know why, Jacob..." he mumbled and closed his eyes.

***

That night was Leo's way of telling Jacob to get her. And Jacob was more than glad, he kept trying and trying. Leo could see that and so he left them alone. He wanted them to spend time together so they can be close to each other again.

While Jacob and Merida are distracted with the orphanage Leo spends most of the time alone like the old days or with Brandon. Sometimes Lisa and he would talk or Yuri. It turned out Lisa became Yuri and Merida's good friend. Candice was still the same though. Whenever Merida would ask Leo out he would say, something came up. It's just his way of withdrawing.

***