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Claire visits Leon, who is a shell of his former self, in Colorado, right after the Resident Evil movie "Vendetta". What was the future that Leon imagined when he was little? And what will the two of them be like 10 years from now? What will happen to them? Their dreams and new hopes.
A quiet lodge-style hotel deep in the mountains of Colorado.
After the fierce battle with Arias, Leon S. Kennedy returned to this place as if to escape, and continued his vacation.
Dragging his body, exhausted both physically and mentally, he spent his days quietly waiting for time to pass.
He sipped his glass of whiskey and stared blankly at the beautiful green scenery outside the window, which seemed too good for Leon's current mood.
The twisted smiles of Diego and Arias were burned into his mind.
That day, too, Leon sank deep into the sofa and closed his eyes.
He frowned slightly at the sound of a knock on the door.
He reluctantly opened the door, thinking it might be room service, and there stood a familiar red-haired woman.
"Leon!"
A lively voice echoed through the silent room.
Claire Redfield. Leon was stunned for a moment by her appearance.
"Claire... why are you here?"
Leon's voice was hoarser than he had imagined.
Claire looked at Leon's face with a worried look and slowly came into the room.
In her hands she was holding a mug of hot coffee and a basket of freshly baked bread.
"Chris told me you were feeling a bit down, so I think we should force you out."
With that, Claire held out the mug in front of Leon.
The aroma of coffee wafting from the steam melted Leon's frozen heart a little.
Leon took the mug and felt its warmth on both his hands.
"... sorry for coming all the way here."
Even as he said this, a strange feeling spread in Leon's chest.
Claire was here.
And to visit him when he was completely exhausted.
The last time they met was probably during the Curtis incident.
Since then, they've survived many crises and heard from each other indirectly, but they never had a chance to meet in person.
Easily ten years have passed.
And yet, Claire, standing before him, is gazing at him with the same intense gaze as back then.
Claire sits next to Leon and looks out the window at the view.
"It's nice here. It's quiet, and I feel like I can forget everything."
Leon lets out a small sigh at Claire's words.
How easy it would be to really forget everything.
But the world they live in does not allow for such indulgence.
Still, just having Claire beside him made Leon feel his tension relax slightly.
The fact that Claire was so naturally by his side, even after ten years had passed, warmed Leon's heart.
"If there's anything you want to talk about, I'll listen anytime. You don't have to force me to talk."
Claire didn't say much, just snuggled up next to Leon.
Her silent kindness was more comforting to Leon than anything else.
In the quiet Colorado lodge, the two of them began to spend a warm time together.
And Leon felt an indescribable joy that Claire had come.
"I've been thinking about this a lot lately," Leon muttered.
"What kind of adult did I want to be when I was a child?"
Claire asked with a puzzled look on her face.
"What did you want to be?"
"What kind of adult did you want to be?"
Leon answered with a frown.
"At least, I didn't want the life I have now."
Leon reached for the mug.
"If things had stayed the way they were..."
Leon wrapped his hands around the mug and began to speak in a low voice. His voice was heavy, like a deep sigh.
"I'm really fed up with this. When things like that keep happening one after the other... sometimes I don't know what I'm doing."
Claire didn't say anything, just listened to Leon's words.
"I wanted to be just a police officer. Just an ordinary police officer in Raccoon City. I wanted to live a quiet life in that town. Peaceful days without any real incidents."
Leon's gaze wandered in space, as if chasing the distant past.
"If that nightmare had never come... If I had been assigned to the Raccoon City R.P.D. (Raccoon Police Department) as planned, I often wonder what would have happened."
Leon paused and turned to Claire.
His eyes were filled with sadness and a little bit of a dream.
"If you had been by my side back then..."
Leon began to speak slowly.
"In the morning, we drink coffee together, and you go off to college or somewhere.
I change into my uniform and patrol the city in my patrol car.
There are no big incidents, just little things like bikes being stolen or dogs getting lost.
During my lunch break, I buy something suitable at a sandwich shop near the station.
In between my afternoon patrols, I chat with citizens and give candy to kids.
At night, even if I'm a little late, you'll be waiting for me with dinner ready.
We eat while talking about the trivial things that happened today. On weekends, we take walks in the city park or go to the movies..."
Leon's words paint a picture of a peaceful everyday life.
It was a dream that was so peaceful and warm that they could never have.
"I just wanted to spend those ordinary days with you."
And with that, Leon looked off into the distance again.
Deep within those words was a hidden emotion: how much he had wished for normal happiness amidst all the fierce battles up to that point, and how he wanted to share that happiness with Claire.
Leon spun a "what if" that was all too concrete, yet all too calm.
It was like a dream that Claire herself might have hidden deep in her heart, one that would never come true.
Claire never imagined that Leon, who she met again after ten years, would reveal such fragile, raw emotions.
Usually cool, always calmly carrying out his duties, now, right in front of her, he was talking about how he had dreamed of a normal life, and a peaceful daily life with her.
Claire gently put the mug she was holding on the table and listened intently to Leon's words.
His voice gradually trailed off, and when he said the last words, "with you," it sounded almost like he was talking to himself.
Claire's eyes wavered with surprise and then sadness.
That he had been driven to this point, and that deep in his heart he harbored such a tender wish.
At the same time, a sense of confusion and quiet joy spread in her chest that he had chosen her to be his neighbor in that "what if" world.
"Leon..."
Claire murmured his name without thinking.
Her voice was a mixture of surprise and deep sympathy for him.
For the first time, she felt that she truly understood how much suffering Leon had endured over the past ten years.
Claire gently placed her hand on top of Leon's.
Her body heat was transferred to his rough, slightly cold hand.
How much comfort would this touch bring to Leon?
And then, Claire spoke slowly but clearly.
"I can't believe you thought of me like that. Thank you, Leon."
A warm smile appeared on her face. She never dreamed that after ten years, Leon would express such personal and tender feelings to her in this way.
Every word he said sank deep into Claire's heart.
Leon looked at her in a bit of surprise.
He probably hadn't expected to be thanked.
"...How was it for you?"
Leon looked straight into Claire's eyes and asked.
His gaze seemed to want to know what Claire had been thinking and dreaming about for the past ten years.
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◎→For those of you who came from the 「note」, the rest of the story starts here.
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Claire looked out the window.
The peaceful everyday life of Raccoon City that Leon had painted.
She slowly began to compare her current self with the self in his imagination.
"Me too..."
Claire began to speak quietly.
"That night, when I went to Raccoon City to look for my brother, what if that nightmare hadn't started, and I had met you, a rookie police officer at the R.P.D., in a peaceful town... I've thought about that too."
Just like Leon's, her voice was tinged with sadness, but also with a warm tone.
"I'm sure that at first, we met by chance a few times in town, and little by little we began to exchange words. When I was 19, you were probably a bit clumsy, but hardworking, popular cop in town."
A soft smile appeared on Claire's face.
It was a picture of a sweet and gentle future that could have been.
"In my case, I was absorbed in repairing my motorcycle while attending university.
When I passed by the police station in my dirty work clothes, you would look at me with a kind gaze, saying, "Are you tinkering with your motorcycle again?"
On our days off, we would chat together at cafes, watch movies, and visit second-hand clothing stores...
Even though it made my brother worry, we would secretly go on dates together.
At night, when you came home tired, I would treat you to a simple homemade meal.
I'm sure that instead of flying around dangerous places like I am now, I would be quietly nurturing a very ordinary happiness with you in that town..."
Claire's eyes had a sparkle like a distant dream.
Even in this cruel fate, somewhere in her heart, she too strongly wished for a warm, ordinary everyday life, and a world with Leon by her side.
"I think those days were what made me truly happy..."
Claire said, gently tightening her grip on Leon's hand.
She could definitely feel the warmth of his hand now.
Leon was quietly shocked by Claire's words.
He couldn't have imagined that, like him, Claire had been dreaming of a "what if" world that would never come true for the past ten years.
What's more, Leon was deeply moved by the fact that he was part of that dream.
"I see," Leon muttered, straining his words.
His voice was a mixture of surprise, deep understanding, and inexpressible emotions.
He slowly intertwined his fingers with Claire's hand.
Then, Leon looked straight into Claire's eyes and began to speak slowly but clearly.
"To be honest, I don't know how many more years I can continue this fight.
Sometimes I feel at a loss, wondering if I should keep fighting like this forever. But..."
Leon took a breath, as if choosing his words.
His eyes did not leave Claire's.
"But what if, ten years from now, we could put an end to this fight, even just a little..."
Leon began to paint a picture of the future, as if to inject a little hope into the peaceful everyday life Claire had described.
"Maybe I'll retire from the front line and look for something I can do quietly for someone.
Maybe I'll go back to being an ordinary police officer in a small town. Or maybe I'll be a teacher in a completely different place..."
Leon's mouth formed a faint smile.
It was a peaceful dream that he couldn't imagine now.
"And next to me was a woman who likes to repair motorcycles, who was a bit nagging but as bright as the sun...
When I was tired, she would make me coffee, asking me, "Are you still doing it?"
On weekends, we would go for drives together, help someone...
I'm sure we would spend peaceful, quiet, but warm days.
I'm sure we would spend gentle times, completely different from the days covered in blood and gunpowder."
Leon's words revealed the true desire hidden deep in his heart.
It was a continuation of his past dream, and a hope for the future that had begun to take shape anew after he reunited with Claire.
Then, Leon gently grasped Claire's hand and looked at her with his straight eyes.
"Claire, what do you think you'll be doing and what do you think you'll be like in 10 years' time?"
The question wasn't just curiosity about the future.
A definite wish was in the depths of his eyes.
"And... will I be by your side in the next 10 years?"
Leon quietly waited for Claire's answer to that question.
His expression showed that he was thinking seriously and deeply about the future of their relationship.
Claire's heart leapt at Leon's unexpected question.
Every word he said seemed to touch her deepest, most hidden desire.
Herself 10 years from now.
And will he be there?
Claire stared at Leon's hand in hers.
The future landscape his words painted overlapped with Claire's own dreams.
"Ten years from now..."
Claire slowly raised her head.
Her eyes held a strong determination, unlike the sentimental expression she had up until now.
"I'm sure that, just like now, I will continue to search for ways to eliminate bioterrorism from the world.
But I won't go at it alone again. I want to move forward in cooperation with a certain person."
Claire looked Leon straight in the eyes as she said this.
His eyes must have certainly understood who that "certain person" was.
"I want to grow love with that person, little by little. We'll laugh together, worry together, and sometimes clash... but no matter what, I want us to support each other and live our lives."
Claire's voice was calm, but it had a certain tone.
The future she imagined may not be an easy one, just like their past.
But there was a definite warmth and deep bond there.
And then, Claire continued speaking.
Her expression was a little embarrassed, but filled with unwavering hope.
"And... in 10 years, I want to be a wife and hold a child in my arms.
No matter how dangerous this world may be, I want to be able to leave a world that is at least a little peaceful for my child.
And because I have a family to protect, I think I can move forward stronger and more positively."
Claire grasped Leon's hand back and looked into his eyes as if she was pouring her feelings into them.
The future she imagined was surprisingly similar to the "ordinary happiness" that Leon had imagined.
There, she clearly saw a future where he would be "by her side."
Those words deeply shook Leon's heart.
That she hoped for such a warm and concrete future beyond all the fighting and suffering she had endured, and that she was suggesting that he would definitely be in that future.
Claire slowly raised her head.
Her eyes held a strong determination that was different from the sentimental expression she had had up until now.
Claire's voice was calm, yet firm.
The future she imagined may not be an easy one, just like their past. But there was a definite warmth and deep bond there.
Claire held Leon's hand back and looked into his eyes as if she was pouring her feelings into them.
The future she imagined was surprisingly similar to the "ordinary happiness" Leon had imagined.
Leon quietly accepted Claire's words.
Her determined gaze and hopes for the future made him feel something dormant deep in his heart slowly melt.
"I see..."
Leon's voice no longer sounded exhausted like it had earlier, but rather sounded calm and a little bouncy.
He held Claire's hand tightly and gazed into her eyes.
"If that future were to become reality..."
Claire smiled.
And then, with a bit of mischief, she asked Leon.
"Hey Leon. If you were married in 10 years, how many children would you like to have? Which gender would you like them to be?"
Leon's eyes widened for a moment at Claire's sudden, specific question.
For someone who usually only thought about his missions, he probably had few opportunities to imagine such a personal future in detail.
But Claire's question lit up a warm light in his heart.
He thought for a moment, then smiled and answered.
"Hmm... well. It's hard to decide how many. But I'd like at least two. It's better to have a lively family, right?"
Leon stroked his chin with his free hand.
"As for the gender... well, maybe one boy and one girl. I'm sure they'll be siblings and cause all kinds of trouble."
His voice exuded a calm parental imagination that hadn't been there before.
"So, what's your wife like?"
Claire asked, peering into Leon's face.
Her gaze was filled with expectation and a little curiosity.
Leon smiled again at Claire's question.
His gaze was drawn into Claire's eyes, as he gazed at her.
"My wife... I'm sure she's a passionate woman who will go straight for someone."
Leon slowly but surely began to describe the characteristics of his "wife."
"He's a little strong-willed and a little dangerous, but he's like the sun that brightens up the people around him. He has a kind heart that can't help but see people in trouble. He also enjoys servicing motorcycles as a hobby, and is often found covered in oil in the garage..."
Leon's words were as if he was talking about Claire herself.
As Claire listened to his words, her expression gradually changed.
She began to realize that her own self was emerging from each of his words.
"I said you were a bit of a nag, but... you're actually a very generous guy who will laugh at my stupid jokes."
Leon's eyes never left Claire's.
His eyes were filled with warm emotions that could not be hidden.
"In the morning, you wake me up with the smell of coffee..."
Leon smiled and continued.
His voice was a mixture of a jokey tone and his true feelings.
"And at night... when I come home tired, she's the kind of warm wife who would hold me tenderly in bed. Sometimes sweetly, sometimes passionately, we'd confirm each other's existence and share deep love... that's the best partner I could have."
Claire's face turned redder as she heard Leon's words.
She knew exactly what he wanted to say.
It was a bold, yet somewhat romantic wish that could only be said in the intimate atmosphere between them.
"Hey, Leon!"
Claire instinctively slapped Leon's arm.
In her voice, rather than anger, there was a mixture of embarrassment, confusion at the closeness between them, and unconcealable joy.
"I'm a man."
Seeing Claire's reaction, Leon smiled with satisfaction.
His exhausted expression had completely cleared up.
Claire's cheeks were hot, and her heart was pounding. The image of the "perfect partner" Leon spoke of was, without a doubt, her own.
And the desire behind his bold words struck a strong chord in Claire's heart.
Leon gently pulled Claire's hand towards him.
The slight distance between them slowly closed.
"Claire."
Leon's voice now sounded serious, a stark change from the joking tone he had used earlier.
His eyes never left Claire's.
"I'm so relieved that you're there in the future I imagined 10 years from now. And that I'm also in the future you imagined...I don't know what to say, I'm so happy I can't find the words."
Leon gently placed his hand on Claire's cheek.
Warm heat spread from where his fingertips touched.
"For the past 10 years, we have each walked unimaginably harsh paths. But the next 10 years will be different. I..."
Leon took a deep breath.
"I want to spend the next 10 years with you. No matter what difficulties await us, we will overcome them together, and I want to protect the warm future you desire."
His words were a confession, and also an expression of his strong will to protect.
Leon's eyes were very serious.
A tear fell from Claire's eye.
It was a warm tear, as if joy and the pain of the past had melted away.
Maybe she, too, had been waiting for these words for a long time.
"Leon...me too."
Claire answered with a trembling voice.
She also gently held Leon's hand.
"I also want to spend the next 10 years with you. Sometimes you will support me, and sometimes I will support you. That's how we want to move forward together, working together."
Claire looked Leon straight in the eyes and nodded firmly.
"And in 10 years, I want to grasp the future we want with these hands, together."
Leon smiled with relief and contentment at Claire's words.
He slowly pulled Claire to him.
Claire also jumped into Leon's arms without hesitation.
Their bodies embraced tightly.
The silence of the lodge was filled not with the smell of bullets or blood, but with each other's body heat and their breathing in relief.
The souls of the two who had been fighting a lonely battle for so long now seemed to have finally become one, seeking each other.
Then Leon gently lifted Claire's face.
Their gazes intertwined, and their inexpressible feelings were communicated.
The light from the window, with the lush green scenery of Colorado unfolding before them, gently lit up their faces.
Leon slowly but firmly kissed Claire's lips as a promise.
It was the beginning of a warm promise that would connect their futures together, transcending ten years of time.