Chapter 10 : The Danger Lurking In The Shadows

The peaceful vacation at the cabin had been everything Hana had hoped for. The group had enjoyed the hiking trails, the late-night campfires, and the calm, serene atmosphere. For once, Hana felt like she could breathe without the weight of responsibility crushing her.

But as the morning light crept through the trees, something shifted.

It started with a distant noise. A low rumble, almost like thunder, but there was no storm in sight. Ryo's expression immediately darkened as he stood, scanning the woods. His hand instinctively reached for something hidden beneath his jacket, but he stopped himself, his fingers curling into a fist.

"Something's wrong," Ryo muttered under his breath.

Hana, who had been sipping her coffee by the porch, looked up at him. "What is it?" she asked, sensing the sudden change in his demeanor.

Kenta and Mei, both still adjusting to the morning sun, noticed Ryo's shift in posture. Kenta, ever the curious one, approached. "Hey, what's going on?"

Ryo gave him a stern look. "Stay inside. Don't come out unless I say so."

The urgency in his voice was enough to make everyone stop in their tracks. Kai, still half-dressed and scratching his head, stepped out from the cabin. "What's the deal? Is it a wild animal or something?"

Ryo didn't answer. He was already moving toward the edge of the clearing, his eyes sharp as a hawk. His instinct was telling him that something wasn't right, and his gut was never wrong.

From the corner of his eye, Ryo caught a glimpse of movement—figures emerging from the tree line. At first, they seemed like ordinary hikers, but as they drew closer, their strange, deliberate steps gave them away. These were no ordinary people. The men had an air of cold menace about them, and their eyes, hidden behind sunglasses, scanned the surroundings with the precision of trained predators.

Ryo's heart raced. There was no mistaking it. These men were here for him.

"Stay inside. Now!" Ryo ordered, his voice low and urgent. He made his way back to the porch, moving quickly but quietly, keeping his steps as soft as possible.

Hana had seen that look before—the one where Ryo became someone else, someone dangerous. Her stomach twisted with unease.

"What's happening?" she asked, taking a step toward him. "Ryo, who are they?"

Before he could answer, the men stepped into the open, their weapons subtly visible under their jackets. It was clear that they weren't here to negotiate—they were here to finish something.

Ryo moved swiftly, positioning himself between the men and the group. "Get inside. Now!" he shouted.

But it was too late. One of the men, quicker than the rest, pulled out a gun and aimed it at Ryo. In a split second, Ryo was on him, disarming the man with a fluid motion, his body moving with the grace and precision of someone who had done this a thousand times.

The others pulled out their weapons, but Ryo was already in motion. He tossed the man's gun aside, using the opportunity to take down two more attackers with ease. It was like a dance—deadly and efficient—but Ryo's mind was on something else entirely.

Hana and the others had to be protected.

"Stay down!" Ryo shouted at Hana, who was frozen, her eyes wide with shock. She couldn't process what was happening, but she understood one thing—Ryo was protecting them.

As he fought off the attackers, Ryo's mind raced. He couldn't afford to be exposed—not now, not in front of Hana and the others. If they saw him in action, if they learned what he really was, everything would change.

He ducked under another swing of a bat, quickly using the momentum to flip his attacker onto the ground. But there was no time to think. The remaining two men closed in, and Ryo knew he had to end this fast.

"Mei, Kenta, go inside the cabin, now!" he ordered, keeping his eyes on the attackers while pushing them back. He needed them to be safe, to stay out of the line of fire.

Kenta hesitated, torn between running and helping Ryo. But Mei grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the cabin. "We can't help him! He's got this!" she said, her voice trembling but firm.

Ryo moved with lightning speed, knocking one of the attackers off balance and sending him crashing into a nearby tree. The last one, now on the defensive, hesitated for a split second—and that was all Ryo needed. In a flash, he disarmed the man, knocking him unconscious before he even had a chance to react.

Just as the last man fell, a familiar voice rang out from behind him.

"Need a hand?" Kai shouted, grinning from ear to ear as he charged toward the remaining attackers with a wooden stick in hand, clearly ready for action.

Ryo didn't have time to process the fact that Kai was now in the middle of a dangerous situation. His mind was still focused on the threat in front of him. "Kai, get back inside!" he barked.

But Kai, ever the wildcard, swung the stick with surprising force, knocking one of the attackers off balance. "No way! I'm helping!" he yelled, clearly enjoying the chaos.

Ryo couldn't help but shake his head, a fleeting smile crossing his face despite the tension. Kai was unpredictable, but he was loyal, and in that moment, his antics were just what Ryo needed to finish things quickly. Together, they knocked the last two attackers off their feet in a flurry of action, with Ryo's precision and Kai's wild swings combining to make the perfect team.

Finally, the last of the attackers was down, sprawled on the ground, unconscious. The woods fell eerily silent once again.

Ryo stood in the center, panting slightly, his muscles taut from the fight. Kai, on the other hand, was grinning from ear to ear, swinging the stick like he had just won a battle.

"Now that was fun!" Kai said, clearly pleased with himself.

Ryo shook his head, exhaling a deep breath as he lowered his guard. "What are you doing out here?" he asked, though there was a small smile on his face despite his irritation.

Kai shrugged, completely unbothered by the danger. "You didn't think I'd let you have all the fun, did you?"

Hana, who had been watching from the cabin's doorway, came running out, her eyes wide with disbelief. "What just happened? Are you all okay?"

Ryo turned to her, his expression softening. "We're fine. Just a little... unexpected company."

She looked at him, her heart racing. "Who were they?"

Ryo's gaze shifted to the fallen men, his jaw tight. "People from my past. They won't be bothering us again."

Kai, ever the one to lighten the mood, slapped Ryo on the back. "Don't worry, Ryo! I had your back, didn't I?" he said, winking.

Ryo gave him a dry look. "Next time, stay inside the cabin."

But despite the tension, Hana couldn't help but smile at the unexpected teamwork. Ryo, despite his desire to protect them all from harm, had found himself in the middle of a strange situation. And Kai, with all his eccentricities, had just proven that he was more useful than anyone would've expected.

For a moment, Hana caught Ryo's eye, something unspoken passing between them. He may have been a dangerous man, but for her, in this moment, he was also someone who would go to any lengths to keep her and her friends safe.

And as much as she wanted to protect him from the truth, she couldn't ignore the fact that his past was dangerous, and it might just come for them all someday.

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The woods had fallen silent, save for the soft rustling of leaves as the tension slowly eased from the air. Ryo, having dealt with the attackers in his usual swift and composed manner, stood still for a moment, his body tense, his eyes scanning the area for any more threats. His movements were so practiced, so instinctive, it was almost as if he had been through this kind of situation countless times before.

Hana watched him from the porch, still catching her breath from the chaos. Her mind buzzed with questions—questions about Ryo that she couldn't seem to shake off. The way he had fought, the calm in his eyes despite everything… it wasn't normal. There was something deeper to him, something hidden beneath the surface.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Mei asked, her voice soft with concern as she stepped up beside Hana. The two had watched the whole confrontation from the safety of the cabin, and now they stood at the edge of the porch, trying to make sense of everything.

"I'm fine," Hana said, trying to reassure Mei and herself at the same time. But the truth was, the entire situation had unsettled her. Ryo had protected them with such skill and ease, it made her wonder. Could he be...? A policeman? It felt like a crazy thought, but it made sense in a way.

Hana leaned against the railing, her gaze still on Ryo, who was now speaking with Kai, the two of them discussing the aftermath of the attack. "You know," Hana started, speaking softly to Mei and Kenta, who had just joined them on the porch, "I think Ryo might be a policeman."

Mei blinked in surprise. "A policeman? Really?"

"Yeah," Hana continued, her mind racing. "Think about it. The way he handled himself in that fight—so calm, so precise. And then, after everything, he's still collected. Like he's seen this kind of thing before." She paused, biting her lip as she glanced at Ryo again. "Maybe he's undercover. You know, like one of those secret agents who keeps a low profile."

Kenta raised an eyebrow, giving Hana an amused look. "A policeman, huh? I don't know about that. But you might be onto something. He definitely doesn't seem like your average guy."

Mei, ever the skeptic, crossed her arms. "I don't know. There's just something... off about him. Like he's hiding something. He could be involved in something darker than just being a cop."

Hana's eyes narrowed as she thought about it more. Could Ryo be hiding a secret? Something more dangerous than she could ever imagine? "Maybe," she murmured, "but that would make sense. He's always so calm, even when things are chaotic. It's almost like he knows what he's doing."

Before either Mei or Kenta could respond, a loud laugh broke through the tension. Hana turned to see Kai standing nearby, a wide grin on his face. "What's this?" he asked, his voice dripping with amusement. "You think Ryo's a policeman?"

Hana blinked, caught off guard. "Kai! You heard us?"

Kai only grinned wider. "Oh, yeah. I heard every word. But don't worry, I'm not saying anything. If you want to believe that Ryo's a cop, you go right ahead," he teased, but his tone carried a mischievous undertone.

"Why are you laughing?" Mei asked, raising an eyebrow. "Do you think we're wrong?"

Kai shrugged, his grin never fading. "I didn't say that. Just... I have my own theories, that's all. But hey, if you think Ryo's a policeman, then who am I to spoil your fun?"

Hana's cheeks flushed a little, realizing how silly her speculation might have sounded. But there was a part of her that couldn't shake the thought. Something about Ryo felt like he was leading a double life, hiding his true identity behind that calm, collected façade.

"Well, it's just a theory," Hana said, forcing a smile. "I don't know, maybe I'm overthinking things."

Kenta chuckled and clapped her on the back. "It's alright, Hana. Everyone's got their theories. Maybe you're right. Maybe he's a secret agent or something. Who knows?"

Mei laughed as well. "Yeah, or maybe he's just a guy who's really good at protecting people. You never know with Ryo."

Hana was about to respond when she noticed Ryo walking toward them, his expression unreadable. "Everything's clear," he said quietly, his voice steady as always. "They won't be coming back."

As he passed by, Kai gave him a playful nod. "Thanks for the show, Ryo. Next time, though, you should let me handle the action." He grinned, clearly joking, but Ryo didn't seem to respond. He simply nodded, his eyes still scanning the area for any further danger.

Ryo didn't hear any of the conversation that had just taken place—his focus was entirely on ensuring they were safe. But Hana's mind was still reeling, the possibility that Ryo was someone completely different from what he appeared lingering in her thoughts.

And as she stood there, watching him walk away, she couldn't help but wonder: Could Ryo really be a secret policeman? Or was there something even darker lurking behind his eyes?

Kai, meanwhile, had a small, knowing smile on his face as he returned to Ryo's side. He may have overheard their conversation, but for now, he decided to keep his mouth shut. After all, Ryo's secrets weren't his to reveal.

But deep down, Kai couldn't help but laugh to himself. Hana was getting closer to the truth, whether she realized it or not.