Chapter 11 – In the Dark
Ren Kurogane's POV
I hated feeling this way. Helpless. Vulnerable. But Airi had pushed me to the edge, made me feel something I hadn't felt in a long time—something I couldn't afford.
I had to protect her. That was the only thing that mattered. But every time she looked at me with those innocent eyes, like she was waiting for me to explain myself, I felt a flicker of panic.
The fight had ended, but the danger was far from over. We were far from safe.
"I'm not going anywhere," Airi whispered beside me. "I'm staying with you. I trust you."
Her words struck me deeper than any punch or kick I'd taken today. Airi wasn't just sticking around because she didn't have a choice. She was choosing this. Choosing me.
That terrified me. Because the deeper she got involved, the harder it would be to keep her safe. And if she knew what I was really capable of—what I was really part of—she'd leave.
She would have to leave.
Airi Tanaka's POV
I couldn't go back. Not after all of this. Not after seeing the truth behind Ren's world, the way he fought like a beast, the way he'd kept me safe when I had no idea what was going on. It wasn't just that he was strong—it was the way he protected me with such intensity, like I mattered more than anything else.
But I couldn't ignore the distance between us. Every time I looked at him, there was something dark in his eyes—a secret he wasn't sharing. A part of himself that I wasn't sure I was ready to see.
But now? Now, I didn't care about that. I cared about him.
I felt the pull, the chemistry between us growing stronger, and it scared me just as much as it scared him. I knew he was fighting it, trying to push me away. But I wasn't going anywhere.
Ren Kurogane's POV
The ride back to the hideout was silent. I couldn't look at her. I couldn't. If I did, I might lose control. I needed to think. I needed to prepare for the worst.
I couldn't keep her here. I couldn't let her stay in this mess. But I couldn't let her leave either.
"Ren," she said, her voice shaking slightly. "You're not going to push me away, are you?"
I didn't respond right away. I couldn't. It was hard to keep my voice steady when every word felt like a lie.
"I'm not running," she insisted. "Not from you."
I clenched my jaw, my grip tightening on the steering wheel. "You should. You don't know what you're getting into."
"You think I'm afraid of you?" she asked, her voice soft but firm. "I'm not afraid of you, Ren. I'm afraid of losing you. I'm afraid that you'll shut me out when I need you the most."
Airi Tanaka's POV
I was scared, but more than anything, I was scared of losing him. It was like a dark, consuming fear that wrapped itself around my heart and wouldn't let go.
I needed to tell him, needed to let him know how I felt. But the words were stuck in my throat, tangled up in doubt and fear. I didn't know if he felt the same way. I didn't know if he was capable of feeling anything that wasn't anger or pain.
But I couldn't pretend anymore.
Ren Kurogane's POV
I pulled the car over to the side of the road, the tension in the air so thick it was suffocating. I could hear her breathing, feel her heart beating faster as I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself.
"You shouldn't be here," I said quietly, my voice colder than I intended. "This life is dangerous. You have no idea what you're getting into."
She turned toward me, her eyes fierce. "Maybe I do, Ren. Maybe I know exactly what I'm getting into. I'm getting into you."
The words hung in the air like a bomb waiting to explode.
Airi Tanaka's POV
His face was unreadable. His gaze flickered with something—something I couldn't place—but it was enough to make my heart race.
I wasn't sure what to say next, so I just said the truth. The only thing that mattered.
"I don't want to leave you," I whispered. "I don't want to be without you."
Ren Kurogane's POV
I was barely holding it together. Her words cut through the walls I'd built around myself like nothing else.
"Airi, don't say that," I muttered, my voice tight with the weight of everything I was trying to protect her from. "I'm not the kind of person you think I am. You shouldn't want me. Not like this."
"You're wrong," she said, her voice stronger now. "You're the only one who's real. I've never felt anything like this before. And I don't care about the danger. I care about you."
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. But this time, I couldn't push her away. I couldn't ignore what I felt.
Ren Kurogane's POV
I had always been the one to control everything. My world, my rules. But now, with Airi… everything felt different. She made me want to change. Made me want to protect her, to be something better.
I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. But it wasn't enough.
"I don't deserve you," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "But I can't let you go."
Airi Tanaka's POV
I didn't need to hear anything else. I reached over, placing my hand on his. It wasn't a question anymore. It was the truth.
"Then don't," I said softly. "Don't let me go."
Ren Kurogane's POV
I turned toward her, finally letting myself feel it—the connection that had been growing between us. The way she made everything else fade into the background.
I leaned in, my lips brushing hers in a kiss that was slow, deep, and full of every unspoken word I couldn't say.
To be continued...