Hold Me Tightly

"Let me finish," Liana said when she received weird stares from them.

"Not just him, I am not sure about the other two as well," She added leaning back on the couch and looking at three, she sighed. It was not because Leon had a drawback but she had her own reasons to go against Graham's decision.

"One just resigned from a private company, other is the daughter of someone working in the Quinton, and, Leon," Looking at him, she continued, "just graduated and as zero practical experience."

"And to add up, they have mindsets of private detectives according to their answers in resume. There would be clashes between them and our team a lot."

Though the three in question didn't understand her explanation since for them private or public detectives were, all the same, the other three men looked concerned after hearing her explanation. Yes, private and public detectives worked on a very different scale. Things they did usually were dangerous and risky in private eyes and it would be chaotic to have arguments in their team.

"Exactly. I was trying to point out the same." Joseph was the first to respond but his views were never similar to Liana's. He just despised hiring people who were previously interviewed by Quinton and it didn't matter even if their brains were made of gold.

"What's the difference? You guys will be working on fewer cases than private companies. After all, who in this century would trust the government workers!" Uttered the guy standing next to Leon.

"And, most importantly, you should have discussed this with your team members before approaching us. It looks like some are unhappy about sharing their black money with us." Ben continued to be haughty and that truly didn't help him.

"Look at this big mouth!" Joseph glared while the other three sighed out loud.

Liana wanted to teach this recruit a lesson but she was too excited to talk to Leon first. They were meeting after years and she had so much to tell and hear from him. And the first thing would be to ask why he changed his surname. Since it was different now, she had a very hard time searching for him that she gave up until she met him again as a stranger last night.

"First, let's just hire them as interns. In a term of three months, if they really meet our, especially Josy's expectations, then their places will be reserved." She tried clearing up the fight between them.

"That sounds good to me." Ryan agreed, forcing the two men to sigh and peace out.

They both thought for a while and nodded sighing out loud. Yes, the trial period sounded better to them.

"But isn't the time really short?" The female recruit asked worriedly.

"Don't tell me, you really want to work here," Ben commented in surprise and Christina only looked down, fiddling with her fingers.

"You have ten minutes to think through it." Ryan said looking at the three and staring back at Ben, he added, "The doors are open, you can leave at your wish."

"And yes, you will get a monthly salary," Liana added what most likely Ben wanted to hear and Graham could only smile, she was indeed the peacemaker of his team.

"I'm in!" Ben was the first to respond a few minutes later.

Everyone's eyes were now on Christina who just nodded, still unsure about her decision. And when they looked at Leon, he gulped before nodding and Grahan smiled in victory.

"You guys can join from next month," Graham said and the three nodded in unison. Just one more week, and they would be living their detective dream though it was still a trial.

"You guys can take a look around the office if you wish before leaving." Ryan smiled at the three before walking out of the room.

"Did you collect reports?" Joseph asked Liana as they walked out and she nodded to him.

Ben and Christina followed Graham as he offered to give them a tour, and Leon couldn't help but sigh as everyone emptied the room.

He didn't know Liana was working here, and though he was happy about it, he was more anxious than before. This job was extremely difficult and he was not sure if he could manage to survive here.

"OYE!" He snapped back when Liana tapped his arm and looked at her, nervously blinking in confusion.

"Stay in the lobby until I come back! Okay?" She grinned pressing his arm and Leon gulped looking away from her.

Ruffling his hair, she smiled before walking out of the room. Leon touched his hair and couldn't help but feel happy, she used to do it often in the past.

"And don't you dare to run away!" Peaking inside, Liana added with a smile and he blinked, obediently nodding in response.

----

A few minutes later.

"Oh, Lily!" Drizella waved her hand as Liana entered the lobby.

"We are thinking to have some coffee! Do you wanna join, senior?" Asked Christina with all smiles and Liana nodded looking around the lobby.

"Hahah, she cannot deny coffee!" Drizella was the one to comment and Liana just smiled as she found Leon.

"I will join you later," Excusing she ran towards him but only to frown hearing the whispers around them.

"I heard he is autistic!" Whispers like such continued to circulate around as her colleagues hindered him with their questionable stares.

"Did they actually take him?" People around continued to talk among themselves.

Leon continued peeling his fingers, shivering as their stares started pinning him down.

"I can can cannot work work here."

"They won't won't let let me to wor," He mumbled tightening his grip around the strap of his bag, his knuckles almost turning white with the stress.

Gulping anxiously, his eyes wandered on the ground like a lost puppy with sweat thickly formed on his forehead.

"Leon," Liana called out, touching his hand and Leon instantly moved back in response.

"I can cannot," Whispering to himself, Leon pushed her away and rushed out surprising everyone who was present in the lobby.

"What's happening here?" Drizella rushed to Liana's side who almost lost her balance.

"Leon!" Ignoring her friend, Liana rushed out of the lobby. But she was too late, as he was already running towards the main road.

"Leon, wait!"

He ran outside the main gates and she sighed, before following him out. He would end up in an accident at his speed.

Leon's emotions flared up looking at the buzzing traffic. He looked at the signal, turning left and right before he ran into the traffic. His eyes teared up, his body trembling as he stood in the middle of the traffic. A car came in his direction and he moved swiftly, panting as it almost brushed him. His hands clutched the bag's belt tightly, his brows tightly knotted as he missed another car in the row.

He tried to run but the cars didn't stop and he moved back and forth between the traffic. Soon a car rushed in his direction and he didn't have to react as he was stuck in the middle of the traffic. It honked, louder and louder as it neared him and Leon closed his eyes squatting down as his legs gave up.

The car was at high speed and the driver pressed the brakes when he saw the guy fall to the ground. His car took a halt just an inch away from him and he sighed leaving his brakes.

"Are you out of your mind?" He walked outside and slammed his car door.

A few vehicles stopped at the scene and people on either side of the pavement rushed at the commotion.

"Have you lost your mind?"

"If you want to die so badly, you should just fall off some bridge!" He yelled looking down at Leon who shivered closing his ears.

"Ah, I ah,"

People around started whispering among themselves as Leon's behavior didn't look normal.

"Move!" Liana who was caught on the other side of traffic rushed towards him. Just a minute and she almost saw him get hit by that car!

Taking out her long leather coat, she covered him with it and held his shoulders. When he didn't stop trembling, she moved her hands and hugged him tightly.

"Shh, calm down, it's alright." She patted his back as the guy clutched the hem of her coat.

"Ti-ti-tightly, hold me tigh-tightly," Leon stammered, his hands covering the coat around his body. Her coat helped him get to a dark space, a sensory environment to calm himself and her warm hug was comforting his strained muscles.

Moving closer, she hugged him tightly and slowly patted his back.

"I am here," Rubbing his back, Liana slowly whispered to him, "Everything is fine now."

"Everything is fine now," Leon repeated her line slowly melting in her embrace.

He had missed this warm side of hers.