Chapter XXX

Not long passed before Briella and Ryan decided that it was time to head back home.

Just like that one day, where they went to the park together, they both took a bus back home. That was after Briella convinced Ryan that it was too late to walk back, by the countryside.

They both took their seats on the bus and seconds later, the bus began its way to Ryan's and Briella's stop.

"So, how was it? I hope you enjoyed your evening," Ryan inquired.

At first, Briella nodded. "Yes... yes I did, very much.". Then, turning around and facing Ryan - who was sat beside her - she went on to ask, "and you?".

At first, a smile developed on his lips. Then, he cleared his throat. "Yes. I enjoyed this evening very much too. I-I got to finally confess to this one very beautiful girl that I love her.".

With a smile of contentment, a smile of happiness, she - gently - rested her head on Ryan's arm. At first, her action surprised him, but it didn't fail to return a smile to his lips. With that, slowly, he lifted his arm before wrapping it around her, embracing Briella as she laid against him.

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Minutes passed before the bus slowed down at stopped at their stop. With that, both Briella and Ryan got their belongings before disembarking the bus.

The doors of the bus closed before it drove off and with that, they both began their way home through the small street.

No words were exchanged between the two for most of the walk, that was until Ryan didn't clear his throat.

"Hey, Briella?..." he began.

Briella turned her head and steered her eyes towards Ryan. "Yes? Is everything okay?".

"Well... I just wanted to apologise.".

Briella furrowed her brows in confusion. "W-why are you apologising for?".

"For the kiss... thinking over it now, it may have seemed a bit too... a bit too forward..." he replied.

But, Ryan's words caused a small smirk to grow on Briella's lips. "No, it's... it's fine. There is no need to apologise, Ryan.".

"B-but... this was your first kiss. Y-your first kiss should have been like something unforgettable...". A brief pause. "I'm sorry... I just couldn't have contained myself," Ryan admitted.

His words left Briella surprised. Her eyes widened ever so slightly as she looked back down at the ground. 'L-like something unforgettable?' she repeated his words in her head.

Then, once again, another small smile appeared on her lips as her gaze went back to Ryan. "But..." she began, grabbing his attention. He replied by looking back at her, only for their gazes to meet. "But... it did feel unforgettable.".

It was those words of her that caused Ryan to freeze. He looked at her. "I-it did?".

Briella nodded, crossing her brows at the fact that he even had to ask. "Yes!". Then she went on to say, "The evening was filled with many beautiful things. From the pretty cherry trees and their petals to the fireworks, and even to the atmosphere from the festival, they all made the kiss that we shared, my first kiss, unforgettable.". She paused for a second. "And also... the fact that you are a good kisser will help me remember this day for the rest of my life...". With these words, she felt her cheeks heat up. She blushed.

Seeing the effect her own words had on her, Ryan couldn't help but let out a gentle chuckle. "You are so adorable, you know that?". With that, he stepped closer to her before wrapping his arms around her.

Briella was unprepared for such an act of his, but not even a second passed when she replied by hugging him back.

"I am really glad to hear that your first kiss turned out to unforgettable. I am glad that I could have made it unforgettable," he whispered to her.

Briella smiled at his words. "I'm really glad too. Thank you.".

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Not too long after, they continued their way home.

"Ryan?..." Briella called out.

"Hmm?" he replied as he walked alongside her with his hands in the pockets of his bottoms.

"I... I just really want to thank you for being so considerate of my feelings..." she responded.

To which Ryan creased his brows. "What do you mean?...".

"W-well... you always put my feeling, my well-being in the first place. And you even apologised for kissing me because you thought it wasn't good enough," she replied, blushing ever so slightly. "You really care for me.". A pause. "I... I don't really see that in many other guys... at all actually.".

He smiled at her words. "You do realise that you are talking to an author, right? I write romance, so..." he paused, his smile neutralised. "So, I had to get to know what it was girls liked for guys to do when they are out with them. How girls wanted guys to treat them. And over me writing and writing about love, I guess all of these things got engraved in my head...". Another pause. "Not only that but I was also thought that the way I am towards you, that's how I should treat everyone I come across.".

Ryan's words left an impact on Briella, greater than she anticipated. But she was glad about it. Her eyes twinkled as she looked down at the path that laid ahead of them. Then Ryan's apartment complex caught her attention.

She looked at him in confusion when they walked by it. "Ryan?".

"Hmm?".

"We just passed your apartment building...".

He smiled at her. "Yeah, I know.".

Then, it settled within Briella.

"O-ohh, you don't have to walk me home, really. It's getting late, I'm sure you are feeling wreaked.".

Her words caused Ryan to raise a brow, with an amused smirk stretched across his lips. "You know, I don't have to... but I want.". A pause. "Also, frankly, I think it's what a gentleman should do.".

With that, quite descended between them both. But just like a while ago, the quiet was welcomed by both Briella and Ryan.

Ryan looked up at the sky, at the stars, while Briella kept her gaze low and looked at the ground.

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"Well..." Ryan began. "Here we are.".

Briella looked up only to see that they were both in front of her building. Then she steered her eyes at Ryan.

"Thank you... thank you for walking me home, Ryan.".

He nodded, acknowledging her words of appreciation. "The pleasure is all mine. I am glad I got the chance and honour to walk you home.".

It was his words that caused a warm sensation to spread within Briella's chest. They caused her heart to skip a beat.

Then, Ryan was about to turn around and leave when...

"Ryan?".

He turned, facing the person who called out to him and indicated he was listening by looking at her.

Slight redness spread across Briella's cheeks from the question she had in mind for Ryan. She took in a deep breath. "There is something I want to tell you...".

Ryan tilted his head ever so slightly, crossing his brows. "What is it? Is everything okay?".

She nodded. "Yes, everything is fine.". Then, she cleared her throat. "I-I have been thinking over something... and... well, I have been thinking about you...".

"About me?" Ryan inquired, the element of surprise present in his voice.

She didn't reply, she couldn't. All she did was lowered her head as her cheeks turned a darker red.

Ryan noticed this. Now, slowly, things began to fall into place. A small smile stretched across his lips. He figured what she was about to do.

Briella's behaviour fell into a category, a type of romance that he knew how to write the best.

She looked up at Ryan, creasing her brows when she saw the smirk on his face. "What's that smile for? Is there something funny?".

Ryan shook his head. "No, no... but go ahead. What was it that you wanted to tell me?".

"Well... thinking over everything that has happened over the past few months. Overall the times that we have spent together...". She stopped for a second. Briefly, she diverted her eyes down to the ground before looking back at Ryan. She looked into his eyes.

Her gaze evoked a feeling within Ryan. It ceased the smirk away from his lips.

"I-I have come to realise something, Ryan. You are, by far, the best guy I've ever met.".

As fast as his smile left his lips, it took just as quickly for it to return. He took a step closer to Briella.

"I am very glad to hear so," he replied. But he saw more unease on her face as if there was something more that she wanted to say. So purposefully, he asked, "Is that all?".

She opened her mouth as if she was about to say something, but nothing came out. Then, she took in a deep breath before biting her lip. A strange feeling of heaviness spread across Briella's chest.

"B-Briella?..." Ryan began. Slowly, Ryan - step by step - advanced towards her before wrapping his arms around her. "Is everything okay?" he asked lowly, rubbing her back as an act or reassurance.

From there, Briella rested her head against his chest, her eyes filled up with tears. And there was nothing she could have done to stop them from further accumulating.

"Hmm? What's wrong? Are you okay?".

Through her tears, she allowed a small smile to form on her lips. She replied to his inquiry by nodding against him.

Then, from his chest, she rose her gaze and looked into Ryan's eyes. She noticed his worrisome face when he saw her tears.

She saw that he was about to say something, but before he could have even voiced a word, she began, "Ryan?...".

"Yes?".

Briella's brows quivered against her own will. It only caused more tears to run to her eyes before they spilt down her cheeks.

She swallowed whatever was in her mouth.

"I... I..." she began, suddenly, a small lump formed in her throat.

She noticed the way Ryan rose his brows ever so slightly. "Yes?".

"R-Ryan... I... I-I...". She stopped herself. Then, clenching her teeth and closing her eyes, she took in a deep breath.

With that, she finally said...

"R-Ryan... I-I... I love you.".