Ryan watched Mai's sparkling eyes as she delivered small punches against his chest. A slow smile formed on his lips, one that widened more at the corners when he was truly amused. She was embarrassed, but her attempt to keep her voice calm only made everything more adorable.
As he watched her, his thoughts began to echo, becoming louder than the reality around him.
"Sakurajima Mai..." He chuckled inwardly, closing his eyes for a brief moment as his mind drifted. "My memoryless self, the purely Masachika Kuze side, was a huge fan of hers... Well, actually, I got to know her thanks to the great diva Ai Hoshino, with her soul-touching songs and a smile that seemed to light up the world."
Memories surfaced like scenes from an old movie. He recalled the days spent listening to Ai's songs, getting lost in the melody and the enchanting brilliance she exuded. And then came that memorable day when he saw a collaboration between the two rising stars: Ai Hoshino and Mai Sakurajima.
At that time, he was with Yuki, and both were mesmerized by the perfect harmony of the two artists. Fascinated, Ryan began exploring Mai's work, discovering her striking presence in dramas and her impeccable skill as a voice actress.
"She really has a different kind of sparkle... Sophisticated, captivating, capable of bringing any character to life... And when she needs to cry on screen... It's heart-wrenching."
Among the memories, a specific film came to mind: The Blue Sky Beyond the Clouds. He and Yuki had watched it repeatedly, absorbing every detail of Mai's visceral performance, which conveyed both suffering and hope. And how could he forget Fukashigi no KARTE, that song she had recorded with Ai Hoshino? Their voices intertwined ethereally, creating something almost hypnotic.
Not to mention her performance as Princess Kaguya in the adaptation of The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. Her voice carried a melancholic sweetness and a quiet strength that moved him every time he heard it.
"To the Masachika from before, Mai was a complete artist, someone capable of conveying a mountain of emotions with a simple glance. And even now, that I'm complete and with my memories as Ryan... I have to admit, she's almost on the same level as my number one princess in the world... Hatsune Miku."
He sighed mentally, keeping his eyes closed for a few more seconds, lost in thought.
"But unfairly... she's going through this. Damn, it's depressing to see someone like her being forgotten, disappearing into nothing... What a waste of talent."
Arona's words returned to his mind, bringing with them the explanation about the Adolescence Syndrome and the way to find a cure. The information echoed like a distant riddle. But recent days had been a whirlwind of chaos. Problems arose one after another, like waves in a relentless storm. There was hardly time to breathe, let alone enjoy the carefree attitude he imagined was the true spirit of school life.
"Five carriers of Lost Fragments...", Arona's voice echoed in his mind again. That was the key to forming a Divine Fortune, a power that would allow him and Yuno to absorb the fragments without harming the carriers' souls. According to Arona, these people would naturally be drawn to them, like moths pulled towards a light.
He grumbled mentally. "But damn it... so far I've only found Mai herself and that crazy girl with ghost problem, Miko Yotsuya..."
Ryan felt a sudden pinch on his waist, a quick but firm touch, followed by a slightly frustrated voice:
"Hey! Are you even listening to me, Ryan!?"
Mai stared at him with lightly flushed cheeks, her eyes shining with a mix of indignation and embarrassment. One hand was still on his waist, a gesture meant to convey confidence, but her blush betrayed any attempt to seem firm.
Ryan smiled, a smile laced with restrained mischief, and gently took her hand, pulling it away from his waist without hurry, as if he were enjoying the scene.
"To be honest..." He tilted his head slightly, his eyes carrying a provocative glint. "I got a little lost in my thoughts."
Mai arched an eyebrow, suspicious.
"But..." He narrowed his eyes, his smile widening smugly. "I think I already know why you called me here."
The blush on Mai's cheeks immediately intensified.
Ryan leaned slightly forward, closing the distance between them, and watched her with a sharp gaze, filled with something between playfulness and mischief.
"You..." His voice dropped to a lower tone, purposefully loaded with insinuation. "Want more energy, don't you?"
His smile curved sharply, as if savoring his own provocation.
Mai's eyes widened, and she instinctively took a step back, stumbling slightly over her words.
"W-w-w- W-well..." She crossed her arms against her chest, puffing out her cheeks in a childlike way, trying to find some way to retort. "Y-you saying it like that makes things... Weird!"
Ryan straightened his posture, crossing his arms with an expression that mixed amusement and challenge.
"Huh, but isn't that it?"
Mai looked away, clearly pouting.
"Baka, baka, baka..." she muttered quickly, which ended up making her complaint strangely cute.
Ryan arched an eyebrow, blinking slightly before a smile spread across his face.
"Triple Baka?" His excitement became evident. "Wait a minute... Are you a Hatsune Miku fan too?"
Mai tilted her head, the black cascade of her hair swaying slightly with the movement.
"Ha... Hamirune Sico? Who's that?"
The silence that followed was heavy.
Ryan blinked slowly, feeling his soul drain for an instant. His face became completely serious.
"...Bye."
Without hesitation, he simply turned to leave, his voice dry and devoid of emotion, as if he had just lost faith in humanity.
Mai's eyes widened, and she let out a small, indignant yelp before rushing forward and grabbing his shirt sleeve with both hands.
"HEY!"
Ryan stopped but didn't look back.
Mai bit her lip, hesitant, as if about to say something absurd. And then... the words simply escaped in a desperate breath:
"Y-you need to kiss me first!"
As soon as she registered what she had just said, all the blood in her body seemed to rush to her face.
"Argh..." She let out a muffled noise, freezing completely, as if her operating system had crashed.
Ryan remained motionless for an instant, absorbing the information, and then a short laugh escaped through his nose.
He tilted his head slightly to the side, his smile taking on a sharp, satisfied edge as he thought to himself:
"I'm gonna play hard to get more often... Her reactions are pure gold."
His sadistic side couldn't be more pleased.
Ryan turned slowly, his wide eyes fixed on Mai as the blush on her face practically glowed, like red-hot iron. The silence between them seemed to stretch longer than it should, the weight of the situation settling in the air.
Then, with a slanted smile and a sharp hint of sarcasm, he tilted his head slightly:
"Sorry, I don't think I heard you right..." His voice drawled, provocative, as if savoring each word. "Could you repeat what you said?"
Mai swallowed hard, feeling her fingers involuntarily release his shirt sleeve. Her gaze darted to the side, her shoulders tense, as if wanting to escape the conversation—or perhaps her own embarrassment.
She pouted slightly, clearly annoyed with herself, but it only made her look even more adorable. Then, she took a deep breath, trying to gather her thoughts.
One second. Two.
Finally, her eyes sharpened with determination as she clenched her fists.
"Just get it over with..."
Her voice came out laced with pride, but there was a subtle trace of hesitation. Her chin lifted slightly, maintaining her pose, as if trying to keep control of the situation—when in fact, she was completely surrendering it.
Ryan arched an eyebrow, an amused glint dancing in his eyes before he gently cupped her chin between his fingers.
"Such a bossy little bunny, huh..."
His voice was a tone lower, laced with amusement and something almost predatory. Mai felt his warm breath brush against her lips, and before she could react, the space between them vanished.
His lips met hers, warm and firm, and in an instant, Ryan's tongue intertwined with hers, exploring the kiss with calculated slowness, as if tasting every second.
Mai squeezed her eyes shut tightly, feeling her body tense reflexively. But as the kiss continued, the resistance in her muscles began to dissolve like sand slipping through fingers. One of her hands found his chest, trying to steady herself, but soon her fingers started instinctively tracing the contours of his body.
And then she noticed something she had never realized before.
Despite the baggy clothes he usually wore, there was an underlying firmness—well-defined muscles that her hands roamed over without realizing.
Ryan, meanwhile, slid his fingers through her hair, moving tenderly until he reached the nape of her neck, the gentle touch sending a subtle shiver down Mai's spine. His other hand took a bolder path, sliding down the delicate curve of her waist until it rested on her butt.
The firm grip made her jump, heat rising to her face in an almost uncontrollable blush.
She should push him away. She knew it.
But something inside her liked the way he dominated her body, the way he held her with overwhelming confidence.
The warmth of their bodies so close made her feel every beat of his heart—and unlike hers, which raced uncontrollably, Ryan's heartbeat was calm. Precise. As if he knew exactly what he was doing to make her comfortable... or completely vulnerable.
Unconsciously, her hands drifted lower, exploring his torso.
But then...
She felt it.
Her fingers met something firm. Something large. Something much larger than her hand.
The shock was instantaneous.
Mai's heart pounded in a way that even the kiss hadn't managed to provoke. Her eyes snapped open, and in pure reflex, her head jerked back quickly, even though she was still held in Ryan's arms.
"I-I think th-that's enough!"
Her voice came out trembling, the words jumbled and almost choked by her own desperation. Her face, previously just flushed, was now completely red, pulsing with scorching heat. Her breathing came short and fast, as if trying to process what had just happened.
Ryan, still holding her by the nape and her butt, remained motionless for an instant. Then, his voice came low, deep, almost a murmur laced with mischief.
"This hand down here..." He tilted his face to observe her better. "Says otherwise."
Mai slowly followed his gaze—and then realized.
Her hand was still there.
Her eyes widened, and she nearly jumped back, pulling her hand away with a quick, clumsy movement. Ryan finally released her, and she took two unsteady steps back, trying to regain control of her breathing.
Her eyes fell on her own hand, as if she couldn't believe what she had done.
"My God..." Her thought was a silent scream in her mind. "If I hadn't stopped right that second... I would have... I would have..."
Panic shot through her like an electric current.
"What was going through my head!? I've only known him for a few weeks!"
Mai cleared her throat, quickly turning her back to him while adjusting her skirt with obvious nervousness.
Her voice came out in a theatrically calm tone, as if trying to pretend absolutely nothing had happened:
"Forget what we did today..."
She hesitated for an instant before glancing over her shoulder.
"And... No comments... Please..."
Her eyes shone with a mix of pleading and embarrassment, a silent request for him not to make it even more awkward than it already was.
Ryan raised his hands in a carefree gesture, his playful smile still present.
"You're the boss..."
__________________
Find these offers on Patreon: patreon.com/ErisNoSeraph
🎯 The Goal: Reach 20 Patreon Supporters (any tier counts!) 📈 Current Status: 8 / 20 supporters (Thank you! ❤️)
🎁 The Reward: Once we hit 20 supporters, daily chapters return right here on Webnovel! 🎉 📖 Every 100 PowerStones OR 5 Reviews = 1 EXTRA CHAPTER!