Ch-195 surprise attack

As the golden hues of dusk painted the sky, Raghav Ye King stepped through the front door of Ai Hoshino's apartment, loosening his tie as a satisfied smile played on his lips. His first day at Seiren Private Academy had gone better than expected. The students were sharp, and he could already see potential in several of them.

Ai greeted him with a warm smile from the kitchen, her long pink hair tied loosely behind her back. "Welcome home," (おかえりなさい) she called out, her voice soft and bright.

Ruby and Aqua sat on the couch, Ruby scrolling through her phone while Aqua quietly read a book. Ruby immediately perked up upon seeing Raghav.

"How was your first day?" (初日どうだった?) Ruby asked.

"Challenging," (大変だった) Raghav replied with a smirk. "But I think I'll survive." (でも,何とかなるさ)

Ai walked over, wiping her hands on a towel. "I knew you'd handle it." (あなたなら大丈夫だと思った)

Just as Raghav opened his mouth to respond, a sudden chill prickled at the edge of his senses—a sharp disturbance in the air. His gaze narrowed as his instincts sharpened.

Something was wrong.

A flicker of movement flashed in the reflection of the window. A figure, hooded and masked, was sprinting toward the open balcony with a gleam of cold steel in hand—a knife aimed directly at Ai's heart.

Time seemed to slow.

"AI!" (アイ!) Raghav's voice cut through the air like a whip.

Ai's eyes widened in shock as the figure lunged toward her. But before the blade could reach her chest—

Raghav moved.

Faster than thought, he crossed the room and seized Ai by the waist, spinning her away from the attack. His other hand shot out, catching the attacker's wrist mid-strike. The sound of metal scraping skin filled the air as the knife slid along Raghav's palm, drawing a thin line of blood.

The attacker's eyes widened beneath the mask as Raghav's grip tightened, bones grinding beneath his strength.

"You made two mistakes," (お前は二つの間違いを犯した) Raghav's voice dropped to a dangerous low. "First—you attacked the wrong person. Second—you thought you could walk away." (まず…間違った相手を狙ったことだ.次に…逃げられると思ったことだ)

In a single fluid motion, Raghav twisted the attacker's arm. A sharp crack echoed through the room as the knife fell to the floor. The masked figure stumbled back, clutching their arm in pain, but Raghav wasn't finished.

He lunged forward, his fist striking the attacker's chest with enough force to lift them off their feet and send them crashing through the glass balcony door. The figure tumbled onto the balcony, gasping for breath as Raghav stalked toward them, eyes burning with a lethal calm.

"Who sent you?" (誰の差し金だ?) Raghav's voice was low and cold.

The attacker coughed, blood dripping from the corner of their mouth. "You… you don't understand…" (お前には…分からない…)

Raghav's eyes darkened. "Make me." (説明しろ)

The attacker's hand reached toward their belt—but Raghav was faster. His foot slammed down on the figure's wrist, a sickening crack following the motion. The figure screamed.

"Raghav!" (ラガヴ!) Ai's voice cut through the tension. "Stop!" (やめて!)

Raghav's gaze flicked toward Ai, who was standing wide-eyed in the center of the room, Ruby and Aqua clutching her sides with terrified expressions.

With a slow breath, Raghav stepped back. "You have five seconds to run," (五秒以内に消えろ) he said coolly.

The attacker scrambled to their feet and fled over the balcony. Raghav watched them disappear into the shadows before turning back to Ai.

Ai rushed toward him, her hands trembling as she touched his bloodied palm. "You're hurt!" (怪我してる!)

"It's nothing." (大したことない) Raghav's voice was steady, his gaze softening as he brushed her hair behind her ear. "You're safe. That's all that matters." (君が無事ならそれでいい)

Ai's eyes filled with tears as she pressed her forehead against his chest. "You… you could've been killed." (あなた…殺されるかもしれなかったのよ)

Raghav's arms wrapped around her waist, steady and unyielding. "Not while you're standing behind me." (君が俺の後ろにいる限り,そんなことはない)

Ruby and Aqua approached hesitantly, their eyes wide with fear.

"Who was that?" (あれは誰?) Aqua asked.

"I don't know," (分からない) Raghav admitted, his gaze sharpening. "But I'll find out." (だが,必ず突き止める)

Ai lifted her head, her eyes full of uncertainty. "What if they come back?" (また来たらどうするの?)

Raghav's expression darkened, his protective instincts sharpening to a lethal edge.

"Let them try." (来るなら来い)

As he held Ai close, the realization settled deep in his chest. This wasn't just about protecting Ai and the twins anymore. Someone had targeted them deliberately—and Raghav wasn't going to rest until he uncovered the truth.

A storm was coming. And Raghav Ye King was prepared to meet it head-on.