Come back safe

She glanced at him, her worry etched on her face as she carefully rewrapped the bandage on his shoulder. "You're always so reckless, Mr. Ryu," she muttered under her breath, the frustration slipping into her tone.

His lips twitched into a faint smirk, despite the pain. "Mr. Ryu?" he repeated, his voice laced with a teasing edge. "Do I really seem that old to you?"

She blinked, her hands pausing mid-motion. "It's… it's just a sign of respect," she stammered, her cheeks warming under his steady gaze. "You're my—"

"Don't," he interrupted softly, his tone firm but not unkind. "Don't address me so formally."

She tilted her head, confusion flickering in her eyes. "But—"

"Call me Aksh," he said, his voice dropping lower, carrying a weight that made her chest tighten. "Just Aksh."

Her fingers stilled against his arm, and for a moment, the air between them grew heavier. She hesitated, the familiarity of his name on her tongue feeling strange yet oddly intimate. "I don't think I can…" she started, but his gaze silenced her.

"You can," he said, his tone gentler now. "I'm not some distant figure you have to tiptoe around. Not with you."

Her lips parted as if to protest, but the sincerity in his expression made the words falter. Finally, she nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. "Aksh."

The way she said it—soft, hesitant, yet so personal—made something stir inside him. It was a name he rarely heard spoken with such tenderness, and it caught him off guard.

"There," he said, his smirk returning, though his voice carried a trace of warmth. "Was that so difficult?"

She looked down, focusing on his bandage again to hide the faint smile tugging at her lips. "Maybe a little," she admitted quietly.

Aksh chuckled, the sound low and smooth, filling the space between them. "Well, get used to it. Because I'm not letting you go back to 'Mr. Ryu' again."

Her smile grew as she finished securing the bandage. "Alright, Aksh," she said, her voice steady this time, though her cheeks still held a faint pink hue.

Hearing his name from her lips again, he couldn't help but feel that something had shifted between them—something deeper, something unspoken. And for the first time in a long while, he didn't feel the weight of his world entirely on his shoulders.

The silence that followed was almost comforting, a sharp contrast to the chaos he had just left behind. But Aksh knew it was only temporary. The storm wasn't over—not by a long shot.

She returned to the living room, her movements slower this time, as if she was still processing everything. She sat down beside him, the space between them charged with unspoken words. For a moment, neither of them said anything, the tension thick enough to cut.

Finally, she broke the silence. "What happens now?" Her voice was soft, but the underlying strength in her tone made him look at her.

"What do you mean?" he asked cautiously.

She met his gaze, her eyes unwavering. "Whatever you're involved in, it's dangerous. I can't just sit here, pretending everything is fine, when I know it's not. I need to know what's happening, Aksh."

He sighed, leaning back against the couch. "It's not that simple."

"Make it simple," she countered, her voice firmer now. "You can't keep shutting me out. If you want me to stay here, if you want me to trust you, I need to know what you're fighting against."

His jaw tightened, the weight of her words pressing on him. "You don't want to know," he said finally, his voice low. "The things I've done, the people I deal with—they're not things you can just hear about and forget. I don't want that darkness to touch you."

"I'm already in it, aren't I?" she asked quietly, her gaze never leaving his. "You brought me into your world the moment you decided to protect me. If I'm already here, I deserve to know the truth."

Aksh looked away, his mind racing. He wanted to shield her from the ugliness of his life, but he couldn't ignore the determination in her eyes. She wasn't going to back down.

After a long pause, he finally spoke. "I'm looking for someone—a man named Black Shadow. He's connected to the attack on you and to…other things I need to settle. Tonight, I was following a lead, but it didn't go as planned."

Her brow furrowed, her fingers gripping the edge of the couch. "And you think this Black Shadow is the key?"

"He's more than that," Aksh said, his voice hardening. "He's the mastermind behind a network that's caused more destruction than you can imagine. If I don't stop him now, more people will get hurt."

She took a deep breath, trying to process everything. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

"Because I didn't want to scare you," he admitted. "And because I thought I could handle it on my own."

She reached out, her hand brushing against his. "You don't have to do it alone."

Her words hit him like a punch to the gut. He'd spent so long keeping people at arm's length, convinced that relying on anyone would only make them a target. But here she was, offering her strength despite the fear he could see in her eyes.

"I can't drag you into this," he said, his voice strained. "You don't understand how dangerous it is."

"I understand more than you think," she said softly. "I know what it's like to feel helpless, to be caught in something you can't control. But I also know that you can't fight this alone. Even if it's just being here for you—let me help, Aksh."

He stared at her, torn between the need to protect her and the growing realization that he couldn't push her away anymore. She wasn't just someone he needed to shield; she was someone who could stand by him, even in the darkest moments.

Finally, he nodded, his shoulders sagging under the weight of his decision. "Alright," he said quietly. "But you have to promise me one thing."

"What?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Promise me you'll stay safe," he said, his eyes locking onto hers. "No matter what happens, you have to stay out of harm's way."

"I promise," she said, her gaze steady. "But you have to promise me something too."

He raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"

"Promise me you'll come back," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "Every time. No matter what."

A flicker of something softened his expression, and he reached out to take her hand in his. "I promise."

For the first time that night, she smiled—a real smile—and it was enough to ease some of the tension in his chest. The road ahead was far from clear, but in that moment, he felt a sense of calm he hadn't experienced in years.

Whatever came next, they would face it together.

The hours ticked by in silence, broken only by the faint ticking of the clock on the wall. She stayed by his side, though neither of them said much after their conversation. Aksh's mind was far away, calculating his next moves, while she tried to come to terms with what she'd learned.

At some point, the exhaustion caught up with her, and she leaned back against the couch, her eyes heavy with sleep. Aksh glanced at her, his expression softening as he noticed the faint furrow in her brow. Even in her sleep, she seemed worried.

He stood carefully, not wanting to wake her, and draped a blanket over her shoulders. For a moment, he allowed himself the luxury of simply watching her. In her presence, the weight of his decisions seemed to lighten, even if only slightly. But he couldn't let that distract him. There was too much at stake.

Stepping away, he retrieved his phone and dialed a number. The call connected almost immediately.

"What is it?" the voice on the other end was sharp, businesslike.

"I need an update," Aksh said, his tone matching the urgency. "Did you find anything on Black Shadow's movements?"

"Nothing definitive yet, but we have a lead. One of his key associates is supposed to be in Zurich in two days. If we intercept him, we might be able to get the information you need."

Aksh nodded, though the person on the other end couldn't see him. "Good. Send me the details. I'll handle it."

"And the girl?" the voice asked cautiously. "Is she safe?"

"She's safe," Aksh said firmly, his gaze drifting back to where she slept. "And she's staying that way."

The call ended, leaving Aksh with a renewed sense of purpose. He couldn't afford to waste time. Every second brought him closer to either finding Black Shadow or losing his chance entirely.

He turned back to her, his resolve hardening. He hated the idea of leaving her again, but he knew it was necessary. This wasn't just about him anymore. It was about her, about protecting her from the darkness that had consumed so much of his life.

As dawn broke, she stirred, her eyes fluttering open to find him standing by the window, bathed in the soft glow of early light. For a moment, she simply watched him, taking in the tension in his stance and the determination in his eyes.

"You're leaving, aren't you?" she asked quietly, breaking the silence.

He turned to her, his expression unreadable. "I have to."

She sat up, clutching the blanket around her shoulders. "Then let me come with you."

"No," he said immediately, his voice firm. "It's too dangerous."

"But—"

"No," he repeated, stepping closer. "I need you to stay here, where I know you're safe. I can't do this if I'm worrying about you every second."

She bit her lip, torn between the desire to argue and the understanding that he was right. "Then promise me you'll come back," she said, her voice trembling.

He crouched in front of her, his hand reaching out to brush a strand of hair from her face. "I promise," he said softly. "I'll always come back to you."

It wasn't enough to ease her fears, but it was all she could ask for. She nodded, her heart heavy as she watched him prepare to leave once again. As the door closed behind him, she whispered a silent prayer, hoping he would keep his promise.