Want to kiss you

Ryan swallowed hard, feeling a cold sweat trickle down the back of his neck as he stared intently at Alya. Her serious expression indicated that what she was about to say was important.

"Kuze-kun... What I want to ask you is..."

Alya took a deep breath before continuing, her voice filled with determination.

"Would you… run for student council president with me as my vice president?"

There was a brief silence. Ryan blinked a few times, processing her words.

Then, without warning, he slammed his forehead against the table with a loud thud.

"Hunyaaa!" Alya let out a surprised squeak, her eyes wide.

As she panicked, Ryan sank into his thoughts.

"Damn… I'm so caught up in the craziness of this world that something so mundane caught me completely off guard..."

Alya, still stunned by his reaction, leaned forward worriedly.

"K-Kuze-kun! Are you okay? Did I say something I shouldn't have!?"

Ryan slowly lifted his head, rubbing his sore forehead.

"No... I just didn't expect that..."

A smile almost escaped his lips.

Alya sighed in relief, crossing her arms.

"With that reaction, it seemed like I asked for something much worse… If you don't want—"

Ryan raised a hand, cutting her off with a confident gesture.

"Relax, Ice Princess. I haven't given you my answer yet."

Alya flinched slightly, averting her gaze with a faint blush on her cheeks.

Ryan smiled again, now more amused.

"I forgot the elections were coming up… If you came to me, it means you couldn't find anyone else to run with you, right?"

Alya pursed her lips, pouting adorably before murmuring:

"Hurum..."

Ryan watched her for a moment, his gaze softening.

"Honestly, I don't mind running with Alya… Yuki wanted me to run with her, but… well, she hasn't mentioned it recently. And Alya asked first."

He tilted his head, pondering.

"I guess Yuki won't mind. Our relationship has moved past that romantic comedy phase, after all..."

As Ryan reflected, Alya fidgeted nervously, her shoulders swaying slightly.

"I… want someone I can trust by my side."

There was something in the way she said it, in the raw sincerity of her voice, that warmed Ryan's chest.

Without hesitation, he smiled.

"I accept."

Alya blinked, surprised.

"Huh? Kuze-kun… Are you sure?"

Ryan rested his chin on one hand, a calm look on his face.

"Of course. I don't see any reason not to support you. You're dedicated, and if I'm not mistaken, I've heard this is one of your dreams."

Alya lowered her head slightly, a faint blush spreading across her face.

Ryan, however, let a smug smile appear.

"And besides… This means we'll get to spend more time alone."

Alya blushed even more, quickly averting her gaze.

"W-Well… I didn't expect you to accept so easily…"

She ran a hand through her hair, trying to find the right words.

Ryan, noticing her hesitation, leaned back in his chair with a relaxed air.

"Okay, now that you have your answer, what's next?"

Alya fiddled with her cup before speaking, her voice slightly hesitant.

"That's all I wanted to tell you, Kuze-kun... And, as I mentioned, I didn't expect you to accept so quickly..."

Ryan smiled, resting his chin on his hand.

"Well, since you made me come here, how about we go somewhere?"

Alya blinked, surprised, before tilting her head slightly.

"Go somewhere?" She smiled coyly, her expression playful. "Like on a date?"

The faint blush that spread across her cheeks made her even more adorable.

Ryan nodded naturally.

"Yeah... Like a date. What do you say?"

Alya's heart raced for a moment, but she forced herself to stay composed.

"Well, I was planning to buy some clothes today… Want to come with me?"

Ryan grinned, the answer on the tip of his tongue.

"Of course!"

Alya closed her eyes, bringing the cup to her lips.

In Russian, she murmured provocatively:

"You're going to be all flustered when you see my hypnotic curves… You'll definitely want to kiss me."

Ryan just smiled, pretending not to understand, but mentally noting every word.

After finishing their coffee, they headed to the mall together.

Alya led him to the desired store, picking out a few items before heading to the fitting room. She stopped at the entrance, turning to Ryan.

"W-Wait here! I'll try on the clothes and want you to give your opinion!"

Ryan crossed his arms, amused.

"Do you really think I'd miss the fashion show of the incredible Ice Queen?"

Alya blushed, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Y-You're overusing that nickname today!"

With a resigned sigh, she closed the curtain.

Inside the fitting room, she took a deep breath, trying to organize her thoughts.

"Okay... If that's how it is, then I'll put on a show for him!"

She clenched her fists with confidence… but then crouched down, feeling her face heat up.

"Ahhh, he's been flirting so much lately! Why is he acting like this? We're not even dating yet!"

Her own thoughts echoed in her mind, making her raise her head, flushed.

"Yet…?"

She ran a hand through her hair, trying to dissipate the heat in her face.

"But… I can't deny that... I'm kind of enjoying it."

Her heart raced as she picked up the chosen dress.

As she put it on, another thought struck her.

"What if he… doesn't react?"

Anxiety began to mix with anticipation.

After adjusting the fabric to her body, she took a deep breath and opened the curtain.

Alya was wearing a white dress with a light and casual style, exuding freshness and delicacy. The design featured a shoulder-to-shoulder neckline, softly highlighting her neck and collarbone.

Wide ruffles adorned the top, adding a feminine and graceful touch. The edge of the ruffles had a light blue detail, creating an elegant contrast with the predominant white.

The subtle fit at the waist outlined her silhouette, while the flowing skirt gave a light and natural air. The red ribbon in her hair remained, adding a vibrant touch to the look.

With one hand on her waist, Alya tilted her hip slightly and looked up at Ryan.

"So… What do you think?"

The silence lasted only a second before some nearby people started murmuring.

"Wow, she's so beautiful!" exclaimed a girl in the distance.

Ryan also stood still for a moment before breaking into a radiant smile.

"Wow! It's amazing how you can look beautiful in anything!"

Alya's eyes widened, caught off guard.

Ryan continued confidently:

"I love how it brings out the color of your hair and subtly highlights your curves. You look truly stunning."

Alya turned completely red.

"T-Thank you… Next!"

Before Ryan could say more, she hurriedly closed the curtain.

Crouching on the fitting room floor, she covered her face with her hands.

"H-He complimented me way too much!"

Her heart was beating wildly.

"I didn't know he could compliment a girl so naturally…"

She covered her face even more, feeling the heat rise.

Maybe, just maybe, she was starting to like this more than she should.

Alya looked up, still lost in thought.

"I-Is he used to this?"

She remembered the girls around him in the cafeteria, all laughing and talking as if he were the center of attention.

She shook her head, pushing the thought away.

"Okay! Next outfit! If he's already complimented me so much, I want to see how far this goes!"

Excited, she chose the next piece and spent the next few minutes modeling for Ryan. He showered her with well-placed compliments, mixed with subtle flirting, which only made her more excited—and, secretly, a little nervous.

But then, her eyes fell on a slightly bolder combination.

A tight skirt and a more generous neckline.

Holding the outfit against her body, she observed her silhouette in the mirror.

"D-Does he like this kind of outfit?" she murmured softly, feeling her heart race.

A brief dilemma arose. But it didn't last long.

Alya closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and clenched her fists with determination.

"Well… I'm already here!"

She turned on her heels and opened the curtain with a confident motion, striking a slightly provocative pose.

"So, how do I look in this?"

Ryan looked up, his expression smug, and scanned her from head to toe.

For a moment, his gaze discreetly dropped to Alya's neckline.

And in his mind, an unwanted thought surfaced.

"Damn… Alya's are really big."

Quickly, he composed himself, tilting his head slightly before responding with apparent calm.

"Wow… You almost left me speechless, Alya."

His tone was calm, but there was something behind his voice.

"A more mature outfit on you… was truly hypnotic."

Alya felt a wave of heat wash over her face.

Ryan, however, wasn't done yet.

With a smile that bordered on dangerous, he added:

"You look so beautiful that it makes me… want to kiss you."

Alya's heart skipped a beat.

"Hunyaaa!"

She let out an adorable squeak and, before she could think of anything better, yanked the curtain shut, hiding herself.

Taking a deep breath, she looked at the mirror, her cheeks burning.

With one hand, she tried to cover her neckline, as if that would lessen the impact of his words.

"I-I think I went a bit overboard…"

Still blushing, her gaze fell on the clothes Ryan had complimented.

A smile crept onto the corner of her lips.

"Ahhh, I'm taking all of them!"

She grabbed the outfits and walked to the checkout counter, Ryan by her side helping to carry some.

When she opened her bag to get her card, she felt the heat on her face still present. But before she could find it, Ryan had already handed his own card to the cashier.

"I will pay for this one."

Alya turned quickly, surprised.

"N-No need! I can pay for them!"

Ryan winked at her, nonchalant.

"Since they all looked so beautiful on you, I'll pay as an excuse to see you wearing them always."

She gave a little hop, clearly hesitant.

"Y-You don't have to do that!"

But Ryan simply ignored her protest and finalized the purchase.

"It's a gift from me to you."

Alya stared at him, a bit stunned, feeling her face blush once more.

"This guy will have me do a heart attack."

Alya smiled, her face still slightly flushed as she murmured:

"Thank you, then."

The blush on her cheeks was so adorable that Ryan had to restrain himself from hugging her right there.

In Alya's mind, however, chaos reigned.

"Aaaah! He's acting so much like my boyfriend! The cashier must be thinking that right now!"

Ryan picked up the bags with Alya's clothes, handing her one before joking:

"Well, I've done my part as a knight, now you can help me carry them too."

Alya raised an eyebrow, smiling coyly.

"Ha! A real knight would carry everything alone for the lady, don't you think?"

Ryan shrugged, carefree.

"Maybe, but I'm not the hundred percent standard type..."

Alya laughed before announcing enthusiastically:

"Well, since that's the case, I'll treat us to ice cream! And you can't say no!"

Ryan raised an eyebrow, surprised, but smiled.

"Okay… since I can't say no."

Alya glanced quickly at his hand, as if considering holding it. But at the last second, she hesitated and started walking ahead.

"Let's go! I love the ice cream from this place!"

Ryan noticed the gesture and, without missing a beat, took a few quick steps, holding her hand naturally.

"Since this is like a date… I think I can take this liberty."

Alya felt her face burn, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she smiled shyly.

"Yeah… since it's like a date..."

Inside, however, her mind was screaming:

"Aaaah, I'm falling right into his hands!"

Ryan, on the other hand, smiled smugly, enjoying her reactions.

Then, Alya cleared her throat and asked, her voice hesitant:

"That thing you said… about wanting to kiss me… what was that?"

Her voice came out softer than she expected, dragged by shyness. She tried to sound relaxed, but the redness on her face gave everything away.

Ryan stopped walking and looked at her.

Alya shifted her legs and shoulders slightly, as if unsure what to do with her body.

"Wait… Did she realize it was a reference to what she said in Russian?"

Ryan pondered how to handle the situation.

He slowly moved closer, as a test.

Her breathing visibly quickened. Her eyes, trembling.

But she didn't pull away.

"What? Is she really giving me the green light!?"

Ryan swallowed hard, getting even closer. Alya held her breath, her heart racing, while her mind screamed internally.

He was so close that their lips almost touched when—

BOOM!

An explosion suddenly echoed, just a few meters from where they were.

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Hellooo, Readrs! 💕 I'm absolutely loving your comments! What do you think about Ryan's relationship with the girls? Hehe~ You won't believe what's coming next! 😏✨

I have a little challenge for you! For every 100 POWER STONES, I'll release ONE EXTRA CHAPTER! 📖🎉

Let's work together to reach the top 50 this week! I love you all with aaall my heart! 💖

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