Rhea stopped dead!
'Why does she have to embarrass herself in front of him?'
Now she could see him! Doesn't that mean he was able to see her actions from the beginning for sure?
He would have already noticed her being a scaredy-cat just before.
She hastily brought herself back to a normal posture. Her bewilderment was obvious in her face.
Seeing her in a defensive pose, then with a bewildered face, Ryan's indifference so far, quaked a little.
"Let's go back!" he told her and started to walk back. It was more like a command!
This was the first time he directly spoke with her!
He had asked her to follow him.
An indiscernible bubble of happiness surrounded Rhea!
She was ready to follow him, but there was a reason why she came into the woods, which she had almost forgotten.
Lilly Chen!!!
"But Lilly Chen" Rhea hesitated.
"You should worry about yourself! Running into the woods, alone at this hour, what were you" before he could finish his question with a 'thinking' Rhea interrupted.
"Aren't you worried about her?"
She believed he was. Hence, she simply asked a question, which was not a reply to his.
"Why would I?"
That was the most ignorant reply he could have given.
'Does this means he doesn't care even a little about an acquaintance, who was driven into the woods because of his harsh words?'
Rhea kept glaring at him without any words.
He saw her being dazed and furious.
"Stop being troublesome, Follow me" he ordered once again!
'Troublesome? Did he just say that?', she was provoked.
"How can you let go of a friend like that?"
Rhea's nose flared in anger. Her face flushed.
Ryan was avidly looking at her. The way Rhea behaved must have been entertaining for him.
He leaned on a tree next to him, relaxed.
His frosty eyes had already turned a little warm.
"Who is the friend?" he inquired, while slightly tilting his head and widening his eyes.
He looked adorable like that!
'Do you want to kill me, looking this cute?', her consciousness betrayed her and sided with him.
Within a few seconds, she managed to get a hold of her shameless mind.
"Cold-hearted!", she mumbled.
"I don't think I can be your fan anymore" she rattled off.
He kept silent for a few seconds but drove her crazy with his next question.
"So you are my fan?"
Rhea was flabbergasted.
Her flush turned into a blush!
Rhea had precisely become the most idiotic creature in the world, that minute!
'How imprudent! Did she reveal her secret, just like that? To him?'
'Rhea, you blockhead', she scolded herself.
The most important thing Rhea needed right at that moment was a defense.
"I was, not anymore!!!", she jabbered.
He was still.
In that half-lit area, his eyes glistened.
He nonchalantly kept staring at her, which pressured her heart to beat at an alarming rate.
After tormenting Rhea, with his insouciant eyes for a few seconds, he spoke.
"Lilly Chen was hiding behind a tree near the camp. Did you think she is dense enough to run into the woods, without a second thought?"
Rhea was dumbstruck!
She made a clown of herself, once again!
'You are dense!', that's what his words indirectly meant.
No, he can't be more direct than this!!!'
'I should have known when others told. I overreacted. Just now, I even told him that I'm not his fan anymore.'
She just wanted to hide her face somewhere! Or just wanted to disappear into the air right there!
"Can we go back, miss anti-fan?", he sprinkled salt on her wound, with a smirk.
She got no courage to reply.
He turned and started to walk. She was following him behind.
After a few steps, Ryan casually asked her, "What's your name?"
Thankfully he is still willing to talk!
He didn't seem to hold any grudges.
"Rhea", she replied in a low voice.
"How old are you?"
"18"
"How did you become my fan?"
"....'
He was casual.
She was anxious.
'How?'
It's not something she can admit. After all the friction just a moment ago, it was more like something which should be hidden from him.
She didn't reply.
Her silence must have cheered him!
"How much you hate me right now, as an anti-fan?", he enthusiastically questioned her.
Now she was a lot more embarrassed!
He halted and turned towards Rhea waiting for her reply.
Rhea didn't notice before but he was smiling!
It was his first smile, Rhea witnessed that day! Besides, his eyes were also smiling at her, playfully. Additionally, he was handsome, as usual!
'Ryan Jin must be from heaven! He must be an angel!'
Seeing him smile, that was all she could think of!
Her mind was already wavering enough. To add to the commotion, Ryan Jin had started to advance towards her!
Within a few seconds, he was standing just before her like another tall tree in the woods, obstructing her view.
She didn't want him to get any closer.
Her heart would explode!
"I…I don't hate you" she stammered while stepping back.
"Then?" Ryan Jin asked, widening his eyes.
He was still close. So Rhea could see his face, closer.
There was still a smile on his face.
In no time, she was enthralled by his charm.
His eyes were like an ocean which allured her more. She drowned deep inside.
She continued to look in his eyes, mesmerized, and blurted.
"I like you!"
**********************************************
The supercar which drove over the streets of Shanghai finally stopped in front of a mansion.
Ryan Jin got out, stormed into the mansion, calling Liam Huan's name.
"Welcome sir", a servant who came out of a room, politely greeted Ryan.
"Where's that idiot?"
"He went to the golf course, sir"
Ryan's eyes reddened in rage.
The man who answered the question had almost started to tremble in fear.
Ryan abruptly took out his phone and called the 'idiot'.
"Ryan, what's wrong?" the perky voice from the other side questioned Ryan.
"Do you want to die?"
"Not now"
"If you are not here in an hour, I'll be the one to end your life!"
Ryan cut the call, threw the phone on the sofa next to him.
He sat down, rested his back head on the sofa pillow, closed his eyes.
Every time he closed his eyes, he used to see her!
This time she was standing in the dim moonlit woods, staring at him closely.
The radiance of moonlight exhibited her face, vividly.
Her exquisite facial features were naturally enhanced by the glimmer.
She looked divine!
As he was, closely looking at her with a smile on his face, "I like you," she said.
His smile disappeared. Amazement seized his face.
His heart raced, for an unknown reason.
As he was going to ask her 'What did you say?', she interjected.
"As a fan!" she said.
Then quickly broke eye contact with him and dashed passing him!
When he met her for the first time, that morning, she didn't show any interest in him. She didn't even bother to look in his direction.
When he heard she is a fan, he was really surprised.
When she told him that she likes him, he was astonished.
When she walked away he was still confused, transfixed for a few seconds then quietly followed her!
The memories of that day had stayed with him, for a very very long time, up to now!
That day, they didn't talk for a few minutes after her fangirling revelation.
When they were a few meters away from the camp she stood still and turned towards him.
He, who was following her halted.
"I'm sorry"
He was still thinking about the three words she told before. So, he didn't catch what this sorry was about.
"Hmm?" he frowned with puzzlement.
She gazed in the direction where the camp was located, pointed to Lilly Chen, who was already at the campsite.
"About that".
Ryan could see a very embarrassed Rhea, which once again brought back his frisky demeanor.
"Are you sorry?"
She quickly nodded two three times.
He stepped forward, leaned closer, with a serious expression, looked straight into her eyes.
"I need atonement, not apology!"
'Atonement? What could Rhea possibly do?'
She frowned in confusion.
"You mean?", she tentatively asked.
"I'll let you know what I want tomorrow"
He sneered, then started to walk towards the camp.
That day, she was disobedient, most of the time! Yet he wasn't even a single bit annoyed.
It was delightful!!!
Her glares, glowers, frowns were all amusing to him.
That day, he had continued to tease her to see more of her gestures!
Ryan Jin's phone vibrated on the sofa surface.
He sat straight on the sofa. It was a text from Liam.
"I'll be there soon. Please don't kill me", the notification appeared.
He still had to wait a few more minutes...
He unlocked his phone, opened the photo gallery.
Found the thing he searched for.
His annoyed, cold expression turned mild and warm!
"If I hadn't got close to you that day, would it have been different now? Maybe I'm the one who dragged you into this mess!", he murmured in a hoarse voice.
On his phone's display, Rhea was throwing a snowball at someone while laughing to her heart's content!