Chapter 81: Chapter 81

The number goes up the elevator. Slyvester ran into the emergency stairway to catch up with Terban and Ryan. But the reality is really different from what he sees in the movies.

Slyvester got tired of running and decided to use the other elevator.

'Why is it that in the movies, the male lead can chase someone using the emergency stairway? Directors should be realistic these days,' complained Slyvester while panting.

While Slyvester pretended to be an action star in the chase, there was drama inside the elevator.

'Pak!'

A loud slap resonated.

Terban held his throbbing cheek, the part where Ryan's hand landed onto. He already expected it to happen. But even though he was ready, it didn't lessen the agony he felt in his cheek and heart.

"W-Why do you..." Ryan couldn't form words as she stared at her friend. There were tears in her eyes. And because of the shock, she could not utter anything.

Instead, Ryan only let out her complaints inwardly, shouting, 'Why did you kiss me? I just said I like Slyvester, but you didn't respect my decision. And worse, you're an arrogant guy who does what you want even if the other person will get mad!'

But all the good memories they had from childhood came back to Ryan. It was Terban who helped her cope with the sadness. He was the reason why she studied hard to pass the entrance exam. And even though their reunion didn't go well, she was happy to be friends again with the man she had been waiting for a long time. There was a part in Ryan that prevented her from speaking ill to Terban. Because, in the end, she thinks it's her fault.

Terban liked Ryan, just like what he promised when he was a kid. Ryan hopes she can reciprocate his feelings because Terban was her first love. However, her heart changed. 'Was it wrong for me to like someone else? Am I selfish for liking Slyvester instead of him?' thoughts going inside her anxious brain.

She finished thinking about this. Ryan decided that's why he boldly told Terban how she felt. But she's going back to zero. Just because of Terban's kiss and his teary eyes while holding his cheeks, she's feeling guilty.

"Slyvester saw us."

"Huh?"

"Slyvester saw us kissing," Terban stated.

Ryan wasn't sure if Terban said this because he wanted to make the situation worse or if he also felt guilty. Whatever the reason, Ryan's mind became more tangled. She immediately pressed the open button of the elevator, and it opened with a clang.

'Dang!'

She was looking forward to chasing after Slyvester. But a passenger was waiting outside. A man, catching his breath, leaned at the opened metallic door. His sharp eyes went up to Terban, who remained silent behind Mil.

"Y-You..." Slyvester called breathlessly. He stood up straight and supported his tired legs from running. When he was about to speak, he coughed. "Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!"

So, Ryan took the chance to explain. "Slyvester, I'll explain." While presenting, Terban looked at her. Clenched and hurt, he watched the woman he loves explain the situation to another man Ryan adores.

"Stop," Slyvester stopped Ryan. "Whether it was an accident or not, let me do this." Suddenly, Slyvester went inside. Then he punched Terban.

"Ahhh!" Ryan gasped, trembling.

Terban sat down from the impact of the blow. But no matter how much pain it was, Terban thinks nothing will hurt more than he feels now.

So, he stood up and then glared at Slyvester.

"Why did you punch me?" Tervan stated. "You did it too, didn't you? We all agreed on a fair fight. But you cheated!" At the same time as he shouted, Sylvester's cheek was also slapped with a crisp blow.

"Argh," Slyvester stumbled.

Ryan was stunned to the side; she could not breathe properly while watching the situation before her. He watched Vincent and Slyvester fight in the past because of her. And now, it's happening again!

The wound on Slyvester's lip that had healed started bleeding again. He wiped the blood as he stared back at Terban while sitting on the ground.

"Fine! I am selfish!" Slyvester shouted. "I was wrong! I admit it!" He stood up and stared with his fierce eyes.

"That's why you punched me? You fucking bastard!" Terban grabbed his collar.

"Isn't it obvious?! I was jealous! I love her so it… it was f*cking painful to see her kiss another man!" Slyvester also veiled Terban.

Terban chuckled sarcastically. "I have the same reason. I kissed her because I love her! What's the difference between us? Are you Ryan's boyfriend? Not yet, right?"

As if Terban rubbed salt in his open wound, Slyvester felt the fury inside of him palpitating. "Shit!" He snorted, about to punch Terban again. However…

"Stop it," Ryan pleaded softly, making the two stop.

When Slyvester and Terban glanced at Ryan, they saw her crying. They were dazed.

Ryan is a strong woman. She is a positive person who won't cry over a simple thing. But now she's weeping.

It was as if a thorn pierced the hearts of the two men as they watched Ryan turn pale and shed tears.

"Why do you want me..." she murmured, looking down. "...being tortured like this?"

Terban and Slyvester couldn't answer. They took their hands off each other and stared at Ryan with parted lips.

The surroundings remained quiet. And when the elevator opened, Ryan took the opportunity to get out.

"Ryan!" Slyvester called. He was about to follow her but stopped.

He looked again at Terban, who was bowing his head. His anger still hasn't subsided, but he feels guilty that he did this in the place where Terban works. So, Slyvester went back and then gave something in his hand.

This is the USB that Terban left at the boarding house. But Terban didn't look at what was in his hand. Because as Slyvester walked away, the tears that covered his eyes grew thicker and thicker.

The door closed again, leaving him alone.

On the other hand, Ryan was walking quickly down the stairs.

"Ryan! Wait a minute!" Slyvester was on her tail.

But the girl seems to have no intention of turning around or halting because she continues to walk away. Slyvester sped up, and finally, he caught her.

"Ryan, hey-"

He grabbed her wrist and made her look back. When she faced him, her eyes were all red. No matter how much she tried to hold back, the tears kept falling. When Slyvester saw this, his knees went weak.

"Sorry. Sorry. Sorry," Slyvester said repeatedly. He then pulled her for a hug. "Sorry. Sorry," he kept apologizing as he tightened his embrace around Ryan's trembling body.

There was some magic in his embrace that made the girl's cries grow louder. Her shoulders elevated up and down as she sobbed, "I didn't kiss him. I-I didn't know Terban would do that. B-Believe me."

Slyvester closed his eyes as his hand caressed the back of her head. "I know. I know," he whispered.

"So don't get angry. P-Please," she continued wailing.

"Hmm. Sorry. Sorry."

Slyvester was embarrassed as his fury subsided. He shouldn't have lost his way, no matter how mad he was. So, he bit his lower lip while blaming himself all over again.

"I love you. It's you whom I want, Slyvester," Ryan continued.

Slyvester's eyes widened. He didn't expect to hear this right now, right this moment! Maybe Ryan's emotions reached their peak; she couldn't control them anymore.

She was so afraid to lose Slyvester or to lose his love.

Slyvester seized both of Ryan's shoulders and then pushed her gently.

"Y-You... love me?" he asked the crying lady.

Ryan nodded slowly without even looking back.

Slyvester has had his suspicions about this for a long time. What he was really waiting for was Ryan's confession. And he thought it'd take too long. He thought it would take a long time because Ryan wanted to fix her relationship with Terban. But now, she dropped it.

The long worry is over.

"I love you too," Slyvester murmured like an idiot. "No. I love you more. I love you so much, Ryan."

There was no one else in the emergency stairway. If there is, that person might have been horrified by the cheesy confessions. But the two around didn't care. For them, it's just him and her, standing in front of each other with pounding hearts.

Slyvester's hands came to her cheeks. His eyes went to her lips. He wanted to kiss her, but he remembered what happened earlier.

'How will I wipe it? How will I erase Terban's trace on her lips?' he worried. His finger ran over Ryan's lips as if wiping them.

"I love you so much," he whispered, leaning closer.

Ryan kept looking down. Sylvester knew Ryan might still be shy because he saw her kiss someone else. But he has no hesitation. All his hatred went away with her confession.

"Look at me, please," he begged, rubbing his nose at hers.

Finally, Ryan looked up. And what welcomed her was his warm gaze, the eyes that said she had nothing to worry about.

"Repeat it. Say it again, Ryan," Slyvester begged.

Gathering her strength, she boldly repeated, "I love you, Slyvester."

Fireworks. Various emotions clang like swords in Slyvester's heart. He was so happy that he wanted to dance up and down. To shout to the whole world that Ryan is finally his! But if there's something he really wanted to do, then it's to kiss her.

"Sh*t," he chuckled. Slyvester approached and was about to kiss Ryan. But there is a problem. "Ahhh!"

At the first touch of their lips, the wound on the side of Sylvester's lips tingle. Right, he was wounded.

Ryan peered at Slyvester's wound while Slyvester felt his sore lip. Kissing right now would be hard. But there is no "surrender" in Slyvester's vocabulary.

"No. I can do it," Slyvester cheered himself. He tried to kiss again. But as expected... "Ahh!"

The two looked at each other. After a while, Ryan just laughed.

"Stop it. You're going to get hurt," Ryan sighed.

"I do not want to!" Slyvester sobbed like a kid. "I want to kiss you. Let's try. No one will give up." When he was about to kiss, he received a slap from Ryan. "Ouch!"

"Don't be stubborn. We can kiss next time," Ryan uttered, blushing.

"Still…" Slyvester pouted his wounded lips and looked at her like a wet puppy.

"First, let's get outta here."