Alya remained embraced to him for a few seconds, feeling the warmth and security that Ryan transmitted to her. But, suddenly, something awakened her to reality, and she moved away slightly, her anxious eyes scanning his face.
"A-are you hurt!?" Her voice was still trembling, but concern now overlapped with fear.
Ryan tilted his head, raising an eyebrow with an almost amused expression. "Do you think I'd be chilling enjoying your hug if I were hurt?"
But Alya was not satisfied with that. She began to run her hands over his arms, as if looking for cuts or any sign of hidden pain. "T-they had knives! Didn't they cut you?"
Ryan looked away for a brief moment, reflecting. "Knives weren't the biggest problem, Alya..." he thought, but decided not to verbalize it.
She held his hand, her cold fingers contrasting with Ryan's warm skin, and then sighed in relief. "Good... You're not hurt..."
But the momentary peace was broken when she suddenly widened her eyes and exclaimed, "HOW DID YOU GET IN THROUGH THE WINDOW!?"
Ryan blinked a few times, caught off guard as he thought. "Damn... Now that I stop to think about it... IT WAS VERY STYLISH, BUT ALYA DOESN'T KNOW ANYTHING!"
He ran a hand through his hair, trying to look casual. "Well... It's just that I exercise a lot, you know..."
Alya narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms. "Kuze-kun... We're on the second floor."
Ryan felt as if he had been struck by a mental arrow. "Yeah... We're on the damn second floor..."
But he wouldn't let himself be shaken so easily. A smirk appeared on his face as he replied with disdain, "Well... Let's forget about this minor detail." And he winked, trying to dispel the suspicion.
Alya was still holding his shirt, her expression hesitant. "T-those men... Are they..."
She tried to look over Ryan's shoulder, but he quickly held her face gently, guiding her eyes back to his. "Hey... Keep your eyes on me."
Her eyes were watery, a fragile shine reflecting her vulnerability. "A-are they dead?"
Ryan maintained a slight smile, but his voice hesitated for an instant before answering, "Of course not... Just..." He paused for a second. "They're unconscious!" His tone was casual, but the moment he finished speaking, one of the bodies stuck to the ceiling plummeted to the ground with a dry, horrible sound.
Ryan sighed dramatically. "Okay, that one is a little hurt."
Alya shrank back. "A-are you sure?"
"Of course, bad things don't die young!" He smirked, but internally, he thought, "I don't think there will be a wake..."
Alya sniffled, still with a pout, and murmured, "W-what was that?"
Ryan pretended not to understand. "That what?"
"Those strange things! They had black lines and noises... And screams! And in the end, that man screamed very loudly!" Alya spoke quickly, her voice full of despair as she clung to him.
Ryan pursed his lips for a moment before holding her shoulders firmly. "They were whips, just that, and the screams... Well, I kicked their netherlands, that's why they screamed so much!"
Alya shook her head in denial. "Why don't you tell me the truth...?"
Ryan sighed, his expression becoming more serious. He knew that the truth could scare her even more. "Alya... You trust me, don't you?"
She hesitated for a moment, but then nodded affirmatively.
He kept his gaze steady. "Then, you don't need to worry about it... I came to save you, didn't I? And I'll always be here when you need me... So, let's leave things as they are... At least for now."
Alya lowered her eyes for an instant before nodding again, accepting his words shyly and sweetly.
Ryan reached out to help her up, but Alya hesitated, her voice still full of fragility. "K-Kuze-kun..."
She ran a hand through her hair, taking a deep breath before confessing, "I-I'm still too scared to walk..."
Ryan looked at her more attentively. Alya's legs were trembling slightly, her breathing was accelerated, and her lips were still chattering against each other, a result of the shock she had gone through.
She looked like a scared little lamb.
Seeing this, a gentle smile formed on Ryan's face. He didn't say anything at first, just slipped one arm behind her back and the other under her knees, lifting her effortlessly.
"You're going to keep your little eyes closed until I say you can open them, understand?" His voice was calm, comforting.
Alya, feeling the warmth and security in his arms, managed to smile. His words made all the fear seem distant. "Umu! I trust you, Kuze-Kun!" Ryan lifted her carefully, feeling Alya press against him, her delicate arms wrapping tightly around his neck. Her body was still trembling, but there was something more in that touch. It wasn't just fear... It was trust.
"No opening those little eyes, understand?" He joked, his voice loaded with a light tone, but at the same time firm, as if he wanted to keep the atmosphere more bearable for her.
Alya squeezed her eyes even tighter, nodding quickly. "Umu!" Her voice came out muffled against his chest, and, without realizing it, she snuggled even closer.
She could feel Ryan's heartbeats against her skin, the constant and serene rhythm, as if nothing in the world could disturb him. The warmth of his body enveloped her, the arms that held her were firm, but gentle... Everything about him conveyed such a strong sense of security that, for a moment, she felt untouchable. As if, while she was there, nothing bad could reach her.
As Ryan carried her out of the room, Alya kept her eyes closed, but her voice sounded soft, full of gratitude. "Kuze-Kun... Thank you for coming."
Without hesitation, Ryan placed a soft kiss on the top of her head. "I would never let you go through things like that, Alya."
She felt her heart race, but she kept her promise. She didn't open her eyes. She just rested her head against his chest, listening to that heart that, to her, seemed unshakable.
Upon leaving the school, Ryan raised his eyes to the sky, as if reflecting on something that even he himself didn't know how to put into words. After a moment, he broke the silence. "Alya... Why was I the first person you thought of to call?"
Her body shrank slightly, and she pursed her lips, hesitant. Ryan couldn't see her face, but her blushing ears gave her away completely. She let out some low and embarrassed sounds, as if she was fighting against the urge to answer.
Ryan watched that adorable reaction and couldn't avoid a thought that struck him head-on. "Damn... She's so pure... Alya is like the Yin of my soul. The calm part, the part that still... makes me feel human."
His gaze became more serious for an instant, as he held her a little tighter against him while thinking. "I want to protect her from this world. But hiding the truth... doesn't seem to be the right way to do it."
But... at the same time... "If I tell her everything now, I'll be taking away that innocence from her. And in the end... I think I'm still a little selfish."
He took a deep breath and spoke in a serene tone. "Alya... Now comes the most important part. Don't open your eyes and... don't ask too many questions, okay?"
She raised her face slightly, her gaze fixed on his eyes, as if she were seeking some silent answer. Then, she smiled slightly, as if she already knew she could trust him. "Okay... Your eyes are so determined... How could I question them?"
Ryan smiled back, with a playful touch on his lips. "When you have some free time... I want to go on another date with you."
Alya blushed instantly, letting out a small sigh before hiding her face against his chest again. "...Umu!" Her voice was so soft and shy that Ryan almost laughed. Every time she did that, she sounded even more enchanting.
He then took a deep breath and held her more firmly, positioning her comfortably in his arms, as if she were a princess.
He flexed his knees, feeling the adrenaline rush through his body. "Now, I just need to leave this ice princess in a safe place."
And then, in a single movement, he shot forward with superhuman speed, propelling himself up a building.
"AAAAAH! A-ARE WE FLYING!??" Alya screamed, despair taking over her voice as her arms tightened around Ryan.
He laughed in the middle of the run, easily dodging obstacles. "No... Not yet."
Ryan ran without hesitation, cutting through the wind with superhuman speed. His steps were precise, silent, as if his and Alya's weight simply didn't exist. He didn't stop, didn't hesitate, didn't slow down... until, finally, he reached his destination.
Taking a deep breath, he looked around, making sure they were safe before speaking, his voice calm, without any sign of tiredness.
"You can open your eyes now, Alya."
For an instant, she hesitated. Her heart was still racing, her muscles tense as if her body refused to believe she was safe. Slowly, she opened her eyes, blinking a few times to adjust to the light.
And then, her body gave a small jolt in his arms.
"W-where are we?" Her voice still carried a trace of fear, but now mixed with confusion.
Ryan maintained a serene tone, as if what had just happened was the most natural thing in the world. "This is Yuno's house. I want you to stay here for a while, okay?"
As he spoke, he scanned the area with a sharp look, searching for any sign of Yuno or Rika. His instinct was still on alert.
Alya blinked a few times, her brow furrowing as shock mixed with logical reasoning. "Y-Yuno, Gasai-san?" She swallowed hard, her eyes running around the place, as if trying to confirm that it was real. "Doesn't she live... about 15 minutes away by car? How did we get here so fast?"
Ryan smirked, tilting his head slightly, amusement dancing in his eyes. "I told you not to question too much..."
At the exact moment the words left his mouth, the door suddenly opened.
The sound of the doorknob turning echoed through the air, and in the doorway, two figures appeared.
Yuno and Rika were dressed for school, but their bodies froze as soon as they saw the scene before them.
For an instant, silence reigned.
Yuno's eyes widened slightly, the surprise evident in her expression. She raised her eyebrows, unable to hide her disbelief.
"Y-you?"
_______________
Hey everyone! Hope you're all doing well! ^^
Things are certainly heating up for Ryan – feels like a big confrontation is just around the corner, doesn't it?
I wanted to reach out with an honest update about the story and its future. As you know, writing this is a labor of love for me. It began as a passion, but also with the hope that it could eventually help support me financially, allowing me to dedicate more time to bringing you new chapters. Unfortunately, the support through Patreon, while deeply appreciated, hasn't yet grown enough to make that sustainable. Coupled with increasing demands from my primary job, I'm finding it harder to keep up the current pace, and I might even need to seek out extra work soon.
Because of this, I'll have to adjust our posting frequency and slow things down a bit. I know this might be disappointing, and I truly wish things were different.
However, I want to make one thing crystal clear: My promise to you is that this story will be completed. Finishing Ryan's adventure and sharing it with you remains incredibly important to me. Even if it takes longer, transitioning back into more of a beloved hobby than a source of income, I am dedicated to seeing it through. Your readership and encouragement have been the fuel keeping me going, and I can't thank you enough for being part of this journey!
If you'd like to help me bridge the gap and potentially allow me to keep dedicating more consistent time to writing, visiting my Patreon would mean so much. Your support, no matter the size, directly helps sustain this creative endeavor. <3
Find me here:
patreon.com/ErisNoSeraph