Traps

Lyra set herself down on the couch as Allen Dao sat smiling across her after her tough day of a tiring schedule. The lead actress kept messing up and they were forced to take several retakes. Lyra didn't bother about the inconvenience and was working too hard since it was her first ever movie and that too with the actor of her dreams. 

"How are you feeling?" Allen asked in concern, seeing how Lyra was out of breath while the junior assistants were packing up after the shoot. 

"I'm fine…" She fanned herself as Zeke stood beside her with a cold smoothie. 

"Big sister, have this!" He said with a cheerful smile. 

"Thank you Zeke… Please wait outside for me. I need a moment." 

"Sure!" He proceeded to go outside. Lyra then turned her attention towards Allen in a grateful manner, eyes forming into little crescents.

"You needn't exhaust yourself, Lyra. You're doing pretty good. In all honesty I felt like you did much better than that clumsy Ms Annette. She wasted too much time." Allen sighed, talking about the lead actress. 

"Mr Dao. You're always helping me out through the sets even when no one bothers to be even near me. Your encouragement is what keeps me going you know?" She smiled happily. Allen couldn't help but smile himself seeing her genuine feeling of thankfulness. He never expected a mafia lord's daughter to be so down to earth. He thought she'd be so full of herself given her position even though she keeps her identity discreet. Her father Aldric's was a name that earned respect among any elites, let alone filmmakers. She could've easily influenced directors with her fathers power but she didn't… Allen caught himself admiring her genuinity and focused on his job instead. 

"No need to thank me, Lyra. You worked hard for it. And also please call me Allen since we're not just acquaintances anymore." He smiled and Lyra nodded. He noticed how her phone kept buzzing repeatedly but Lyra had no intention to pick it up. She looked irritated every time she picked her phone. 

"Ask more about her father!" A voice squeaked through the mini earbuds Allen had attached to his ears. Tch! What a nuisance! Allen felt his head hurt from the fact that he couldn't properly converse with her without his team butting in to gain more info about her! 

"You need to rest up Ok? It's getting late. Goodbye." He ended the talk not because he wanted to but those idiots were bothering him too much!

"Oh. Alright then Allen! See you tomorrow!" Lyra waved cheerfully as she grabbed her shiny purse and left. Allen smiled at her direction but it faded the moment she left. 

There was nothing dangerous about her… That's not how they told she was. In fact Allen hadn't met someone so determined and polite as her until now. What a cruel fate to be born to a mafia lord. His earbuds kept squeaking causing him to get irritated. 

"No I can't! Asking blunt questions about her father will only make her doubt me! How stupid can you be!?" 

Allen asked back furiously as he disconnected the recording. Being young and flawlessly well off at handling extreme cases, it sure did put too much expectations on Allen aka Randall. Being the only son of a skilled detective himself, he didn't want to ever disappoint his father. 

"I will prove the crimes Aldric Sheng has committed one day. Everything takes time and this will too." 

Lyra walked out and got into the car when once again her phone buzzed. She took the call in irritation. 

"I was busy! You can just wait for a few minutes can't you!?" She was exhausted to begin with. 

"Lyra! Please don't talk to me like that. You know how I miss you…" Kevin, her ex said in a heartbroken voice. Lyra couldn't help but feel bad for all the time they've spent together.

"Kevin… We're over. I don't have time for this."

"Not even as a friend? You're too important to me. I can't forget you that easily, Lyra." 

Lyra was caught in a dilemma. She didn't want to hurt him but didn't want to be together too.  Even though he seemed aloof he did do everything together with her and it made her happy during the good days. 

"Fine… Friends." Lyra smiled.

Kevin smirked on the other side of the phone whereas Lang Han scoffed in amusement, tilting his head  as he stood behind him. A precious young daughter for whom her father would do anything…

_____

Back at home, Darah sank into the queen bed beside Ryu's room. He stood before her, watching her gaze up at the ceiling blankly like a child. 

"So I'll just be stuck here?" 

"Not stuck. Living. Until I make sure who it is that's trying to have us dead." Ryu muttered. 

"So that means you'll be nice to me?" Darah said all of a sudden with a soft grin. Ryu stared down at her with a menacing glare. 

"I was nice to you from the very beginning. You were the one being a brat." 

A what!? Darah frowned, watching him smirk as he left the room while slowly slanting the door close. I'll show you who's a real brat, you creep!