Entering the Robinson's villa, Ryan expected a luxurious interior proportionate to its grand façade, but to his surprise, he was welcomed with an elegant yet cozy living room with warm colors. The whole base floor was open to view right from the entrance, with the kitchen and living area connected.
If he did not know this villa was in the central district of the city, and if he did not see the fancy cars parked next to a garage outside, he would have thought he had just visited a slightly wealthier middle-class family. He immediately felt more like at home and the awkwardness he expected to feel did not come.
Rose was still upset, her cheeks puffed out, but she did not forget the years of etiquette ingrained in her. As much as she wanted to rush towards her room and sulk, she still stopped in the hallway and faced her guest. "Take off your shoes and follow me."
"Mhmm."
Ryan nodded casually, despite the weird order. Seeing the cream-colored carpet covering the whole living area, he no longer found it strange. When he stepped on it, he found himself sinking—it was so soft to touch that he could feel it even through his socks.
Unfortunately, he could not enjoy it for long as Rose grabbed his hand after putting away her white sneakers and his running shoes. She pulled him towards the curved stairs that led to the second floor without saying anything.
Halfway there, Ryan spotted some movement to his right and realized it was Rose's father, watching TV from the couch. Although the entire first floor was connected to each room, its size was large enough for her father not to hear them enter. It did seem that he was not aware of their presence.
It would have been fine if Ryan did not spot him, but since he did, he felt it would be wrong to pretend otherwise. Knowing that her dad was dangerous, his best chances of survival lay in befriending him, or at the very least, showing respect to him.
Ryan pulled Rose to a stop and whispered, "Wait a second. I will greet your dad."
Initially, the girl wearing his red hoodie wanted to avoid her parents' scrutiny, but giving it some thought, his idea was not that bad. "Okay, but be quick," she whispered back, deciding to wait for him next to the stairs.
Ryan approached the couch where Rose's father sat, silently debating what to say to give the best impression on the older man, only to freeze upon realizing what he was watching.
It was a basketball match!
What's more, it even featured one of his favorite teams, Red Bulls, which made him panic.
"Impossible! There is no way I would forget there is a Red Bulls' match today!" Ryan gaped as he ran next to the couch to see the TV better.
Rose's father heard his hurried footsteps and turned to look at him with his eyebrow raised. Skipping formalities, he could not help but ask, "Boy, you like basketball?"
"You kidding me?" Ryan laughed. "I love basketball! I have been a Red Bulls' fan since I was a kid! If I could, I would go on every match they played!"
His gaze then went back to the screen and he continued to talk as if the two were buddies, "How come there is a match today?"
Rose's father did not actually mind him being casual and explained while taking a sip of his wine, "Don't worry, it's a recording. I missed one match a week ago and decided to watch it today as I am free."
"Ah, that explains it." Ryan let out a sigh of relief. "For a second I thought they moved the game on Wednesday to today. That will be weird as there are barely any matches on Mondays."
Seeing the man continue to watch and pay him no attention, Ryan then realized his folly. He bowed and said apologetically, "Anyway, I'm sorry for disturbing. I just wanted to offer my greetings. Please enjoy the game."
Even though he acted calmly on the surface, Ryan was a ball of anxiety inside. He had been talking too casually to a dangerous man!
Rose's father did not bother to reply, making him feel awkward so he decided to leave the man alone to enjoy his game. Just as he was thinking that her father did not seem that bad, a strong calloused hand grabbed his arm, making his heart hammer loudly in his chest. A shiver ran down his spine when a bone-chilling voice reached him from behind.
"My daughter seems to like you. If you hurt her, I will kill you."
Rose saw this act from the stairs, and she cried out, "Dad! What are you doing?!" She immediately ran to them, but by then, her father had already released his grip on the boy.
She pulled Ryan away defensively and asked him while checking on his wrist, "What happened?"
"Nothing, really," he lied, forcing a smile. He looked a little pale, but then it could not be helped. It wasn't like every day people threatened to kill him—what's worse, this one had the genuine ability to do so. "Your dad just told me to take good care of you. Don't worry—"
Rose was no idiot. She naturally did not believe him and turned to question her father. "Dad! What did you tell him?"
"Exactly what your boyfriend said," her father replied with perfect calmness. Then, he stood up, turning the TV off. "I will help your mom with lunch. You two can wait in your room." He patted Ryan on the back with a friendly smile and walked away.
Rose pursed her lips. Figuring that Ryan would be hesitant to say anything in front of her father, she grabbed his hand and led him upstairs to her room. She had him sit on her bed before glaring at him, waiting for a proper explanation.
"It's nothing, really. I'm fine," Ryan assured her once again, deciding to keep that particular conversation just between men. "It's best that we forget about it."
Although Rose did not yet know what kind of person Ryan is, she knew her father exceptionally well. Just as she opened her mouth to speak again, Ryan covered her lips with his finger and shook his head, forcing her to give up her questioning.
She sighed. It wasn't like he could pry his mouth open. The least she could do was check if he was all right. She crouched down and grabbed his hand that had already reddened around his wrist. His hands were icy cold—and she was shocked to discover the finger-shaped bruises on his skin!
Feeling helpless, Rose left without a word and came back with an icepack on her hand. She regretted pulling him into her messy situation.
"I'm sorry," she said quietly, before looking with determination into his eyes. "No matter what it is, I will help you with your problem. I promise. That's the least I can do to thank you."
"Well, you said it. Don't regret it later," Ryan said with a guilty smile but she shook her head, "I won't, don't worry. I never break my promises."
She stood up, feeling better after her oath. "Your hands are cold. I think you need to take a bath to warm up, otherwise you will get sick. You were outside the whole time wearing only a shirt."
Her cute nose crinkling a bit, Rose added, "You also stink. You need to be fresh for lunch with my parents."
He did not argue with her as he really needed one.
***
Downstairs, the Robinson couple were preparing lunch together in the kitchen, treating it more like a bonding ritual rather than a chore. Normally, their daughter would be joining them, but today was special with Ryan appearing out of nowhere.
"What do you think of him?" Rose's mother, Dana, asked with a skeptical tone to her voice.
Her husband, Robert, tied his loose hair together with an elastic band before commenting honestly. "Not sure yet. We will see if he rat me out to Rose or not. You know she can't hide her feelings well." After a pregnant pause, he added, "He likes basketball so that's extra points for me."
"Tch, of course. You and your basketball," his wife snickered, rolling her eyes at him before asking more seriously. "What about the Miller Family? They are pretty upset that I cancelled our dinner today."
"I will handle them," Robert replied firmly. "Don't focus on them. Figure out what to do with that boy first. You know our situation."
Chop.
Dana smiled as she cut a carrot in half.
"I already have a plan. Don't worry."