She’d strayed at least two blocks from Vangelis Diner searching for Ryu, certain she’d seen him turn this way—but somewhere along the line, he’d vanished. Just like he always did.

 

Tracking him was like chasing a leprechaun.

 

Minus any promise of luck.

 

She pressed a hand to her chest, forcing her breathing to steady. The air was dry, scraping at her lungs. She hadn’t brought her inhaler. Defeated, she glanced down at her phone. Two missed calls from Mani. She hadn’t answered—and how could she? Not after everything he’d said. Not after he tried to start a fight for no reason.

​

Or maybe there had been a reason. She didn’t know anymore.

​

“Yo… what is this?”

​

Haruna tore her eyes from her phone and grimaced as Ryu skulked out of the convenience store, hands tucked into his pockets, a cigarette caught loosely between his lips. He pulled it free with slow, deliberate ease.

​

Casual. Unbothered. Typical.

​

“How are you even allowed in there like that?” Haruna said, her first thought tumbling out before she could stop it. “You’re underage.”

​

“Got the proper ID.” His tone was flat. “Not your business, though, is it?”

​

She snorted. Proper ID. Sure. More like fake ID.

​

“So what—are you stalking me now?” he muttered, shoulders sinking deeper into his oversized hoodie.

​

“Pardon?”

​

“Well, you’re here. And I’m here. But I was here first… so that only leaves one conclusion.”

​

“I can go wherever I want.”

​

“Yeah, you made that clear. Like when you showed up at my house. Twice. Like a —”

​

“— I’m not a stalker!” Haruna snapped, louder than she meant to. Heat rushed to her face.

 

He smirked, something sly flickering at the corner of his mouth. “Can’t catch a break from you, can I?”

​

“Oh, shut up. The last thing I want is to—” She stopped herself, exhaling sharply. “You act like I planned this.”

​

“Didn’t you?” His brows lifted. Not annoyed. Just curious.

​

Haruna frowned. Had she? She had picked the time. The place. But everything else—the overlap with Mani, the insults, the explosion—that hadn’t been part of the plan. Still… she had wanted something. Answers. Clarity. Maybe even reassurance. Instead, she got whatever this was. 

​

She folded her arms, pulling her jacket closer. Why was she arguing with him again? It was exhausting. Focus.

​

“Back at the diner,” she said, steadying her voice, “you said some things about Mani’s family... Was any of that really necessary?”

​

“Was it necessary to talk about me behind my back?” he shot back. “Like his politician father doesn’t have secrets?”

​

Her gaze sharpened. “You’re saying you know something about the Vangelises?”

​

“You wanna know? Ask that showboating peacock.”

​

Her gaze narrowed. “That ‘peacock’ is my boyfriend.”

​

“I don’t care who he is,” Ryu said, his voice sharpening at last. “And let me make something clear—don’t ask me about Tengoku. Don’t ask about my life. It has nothing to do with you.”

​

Tengoku.

​

The word snagged in her mind. The orphanage? Why bring it up if she hadn’t even asked? And why sound so defensive?

Haruna studied him, something shifting beneath her frustration.

​

He hated people talking about him.

​

Interesting. A grin crept up as annoyance gave way to intrigue.

​

 What would he do if he really lost it?