The mission was over. The target was eliminated, the intel secured, and Ryo and Victor were now sitting in the back of the car, heading back to their temporary safe house. The tension in the air had finally loosened, but there was still an uneasy silence between the two.
Ryo's phone buzzed again, and without thinking, he pulled it out, staring at the message from Hana. Her words were simple but meaningful, making his chest tighten every time he read them.
Hana: I hope you're doing well, Ryo. I'm waiting for you.
For a brief moment, Ryo forgot where he was, his thoughts drifting to Hana and the way she had always been there for him. The words on the screen were like a lifeline in the midst of the darkness he had chosen. He wasn't used to this feeling—this mixture of longing and guilt. He sighed, glancing at the screen for a moment too long before putting the phone away.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Victor was staring at him. The ex-soldier was leaning back in his seat, arms folded, his gaze fixed on Ryo like he was trying to figure something out. The silence between them grew heavier, and it wasn't long before Victor broke it.
"So, you have a girlfriend or something?" Victor asked casually, his tone blunt as always. "You've been staring at your phone like you've seen a ghost."
Ryo's eyes widened slightly, taken aback by the question. He hadn't expected Victor to pick up on it, but now that it was out there, he couldn't deny the truth.
"None of your business," Ryo muttered, his usual stoic expression quickly returning. He tried to brush it off, but Victor wasn't done.
"Come on, man. You've been acting weird since we got here," Victor pressed. "Every time you check that phone, it's like you're not really here. I've never seen you like this before. You're always so focused on the job."
Ryo shifted uncomfortably, his hands gripping the armrests of the seat as he glanced out the window. His mind raced. Was he really that obvious? Victor had a sharp eye, and Ryo hadn't realized just how much his thoughts were consumed by Hana.
"I'm just busy, that's all," Ryo replied, his voice quieter now, as if even talking about it made him uncomfortable. "Nothing to worry about."
Victor chuckled, shaking his head. "You're not fooling me. I've been doing this too long to not know when a guy's got something on his mind. So, if it's not business, then what? A woman, huh?"
Ryo stayed silent for a moment, unwilling to give in. He didn't want to admit anything, especially not to someone like Victor, who had no interest in things like relationships. But there was something about Victor's gaze, something in the way he was watching him that made Ryo feel like maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't hurt to tell the truth—at least a little.
"She's... not really part of this world," Ryo finally said, his voice low and guarded. "I don't want her to get involved."
Victor raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued now. "I get it. You're trying to protect her. But you know, this job, this life—it doesn't make you invincible. One slip-up, and she could get hurt."
Ryo's jaw tightened at the reminder. He knew the stakes, knew the risks that came with his profession. But there was something different about Hana. She was innocent, pure in a way that made him want to keep her safe, even if it meant keeping his distance.
"I'm aware," Ryo said, his tone flat. "I don't need a reminder."
Victor leaned back in his seat, nodding as if he understood. But Ryo could tell that he was still processing the conversation, still trying to figure out what kind of man Ryo really was. Victor wasn't one for getting emotional, but Ryo knew he was looking at him with a new kind of respect.
"You're a hard man to figure out, Ryo," Victor said finally. "But if you're going to keep her at arm's length, you better hope she doesn't figure it out first. Women like that don't wait around forever."
Ryo's heart sank at the words. He knew Victor was right, but that didn't make it any easier. He didn't want Hana to wait for him. He didn't want her to be stuck in a life filled with lies and danger.
But at the same time, the thought of never seeing her again, of never feeling her warmth, made his stomach twist. He didn't know how to balance the two worlds—the world he had to live in and the one he wanted to keep her safe in.
The car ride continued in silence, each man lost in his own thoughts. Ryo's phone buzzed again, but this time, he didn't reach for it.
Victor was right. If Hana was waiting for him, he couldn't keep her in the dark forever.